As you might have guessed, Peeps Chapattis and Fast Food restaurant, located in Mutungo-Bbiina, Kampala, specializes in chapatti-centric meals.
However, they also offer other options like rice and chips paired with beans, chicken, beef, or liver. Impressively, Peeps has been around since 2018. My curiosity was particularly piqued by their Shs 6,000 kikomando.
In Uganda’s street food culture, kikomando is the go-to budget meal, typically made of chapatti slices and beans or gravy, priced at around Shs 3,000. The name kikomando comes from its “commanding” ability to satiate hunger for hours on end. So, what makes Peeps’ kikomando special enough to warrant its Shs 6,000 price tag?
Firstly, Peeps’ chapattis are not your run-of-the-mill chapattis. They have a unique yellowish hue, a slight rubbery texture, and a puffy appearance. However, they come with a mildly off-putting crunch. Secondly, the presentation plays a role; Peeps serves their kikomando in two separate plastic packagings – beans separate from the chapatti.
Admittedly, Peeps’ kikomando lacks the authentic streetwise charm of the ghetto version, but it caters to an elite diner seeking a cleaner, more polished introduction to the dish.
Unlike the typical ghetto kikomando, where chapattis are roughly chopped on the dirtiest weather-beaten chopping boards, Peeps meticulously cuts and rolls theirs into neat circular pieces, even providing a plastic knife to complete the premium feel.
The chapattis are also nearly twice the size of ordinary ones, making it a hearty meal that an average diner may struggle to finish. The beans are fried with a home-cooked touch; they are flavourful and rich, elevating the meal. However, the accompanying raw cabbage slices felt out of place, as they did not pair well with the chapatti and beans.
If you are craving a kikomando with a touch of class and are willing to spend a little extra, Peeps Chapattis might be worth a try.
fkisakye@observer.ug