When The Observer visited Fresh Kyenyanja, a restaurant on Bukoto-Kisaasi road, an eatery dedicated exclusively to fish dishes, expectations were naturally high.
With such a focused menu, one would assume the restaurant has mastered the art of serving top-notch fish meals. The menu seemed to promise as much, offering a variety of options, including three types of fish fingers, over five fillet choices, fish samosas, and fish stew.
However, the reality was far from satisfying. I ordered the Shs 40,000 Kagege dish, advertised as a whole fish. Instead, what arrived at my table after a 30-minute wait was a stew with fish pieces.
While I had no issue with the change in presentation provided the taste remained uncompromised, the experience soon took a nosedive. Though the stew’s flavour was admittedly excellent—thanks to the well-prepared base, the fish itself was half-cooked.
It was an inexcusable oversight, especially since fish typically takes only 15 to 20 minutes to cook. What went wrong during my lengthy wait? Your guess is as good as mine. The waiter could only offer the chef’s apologies.
To compound the disappointment, the fish was bland and lacked the salt that enhances its flavour. For a restaurant whose sole focus is fish, this felt like a glaring misstep.
As if the undercooked fish was not enough, the service also raised eyebrows. When it was time to settle the bill, the waiter insisted I provide my phone number and email, claiming the system required it to generate a receipt.
I questioned the necessity of this intrusion into my privacy, reminding her that dining out should never come at the expense of one’s personal data.
Her justification? Marketing purposes. I couldn’t help but think: if you want me to promote your business, the least you can do is serve me a properly cooked meal.
fkisakye@observer.ug