And then there is food.
If you know us, you know that we are foodies. Exploring a new place through its food is one of our favourite things to do, so naturally, we have already started exploring our options in Kigali.
While we were staying at the hotel, we made a point of trying some traditional Rwandan dishes at the hotel restaurant.
One of our favourites was sambaza and ugali. Sambaza are tiny fish, traditionally caught in Lake Kivu, and they are often served fried. The ugali was the perfect accompaniment. We also tried hotpot and a few other dishes, and it was a wonderful introduction to Rwandan cuisine.
Then, one morning while we were out getting our local SIM cards, we stopped for brunch at UMUT Restaurant in the Chic Building.
This one was a bit of a surprise.
UMUT is a Turkish restaurant, and I absolutely loved the food. It was delicious, fresh and full of flavour — exactly the kind of discovery that makes exploring a new city so much fun.
A Rooftop Dinner
Last Friday brought another wonderful food experience. We were invited to a get-together for volunteers at Sirocco Y Sol, a beautiful rooftop restaurant in Kimihurura.
And there was another lovely surprise — the chef, Sebastian, is a fellow Canadian!
Sebastian treated us to a delicious Italian meal, and sitting on that rooftop, surrounded by new people, good conversation and wonderful food, I had one of those moments where I thought: Yes. This is going to be good.
The evening temperatures in Kigali are just perfect — cool and comfortable, but never cold. Sitting outside on a rooftop in the evening, enjoying a great meal and taking in the atmosphere of the city, is such a wonderful way to experience Kigali.
And Then Came the Biryani…
On Sunday, we decided to try Al Mandi, an Arabic, Pakistani and Indian restaurant.
Now, this was right up our alley!
We ordered the mutton biryani, and it was delicious.
So delicious, in fact, that we decided to take advantage of the opportunity and order enough food to bring home for the week. And what a good decision that turned out to be.
Having prepared food in the refrigerator gave us some much-needed breathing room. We could spend our time getting settled into our new apartment, unpacking, organizing and figuring out our new surroundings without having to think about cooking every day.
And the best part?
We are still enjoying the food we brought home!
Food, Friends and Finding Our Rhythm
One thing I’m discovering already is that food seems to be becoming part of our journey in ways I hadn’t anticipated.
Sometimes it’s about trying something completely new, like sambaza and ugali.
Sometimes it’s finding a taste of something familiar, like a delicious biryani.
Sometimes it’s sitting on a beautiful rooftop with new friends and discovering that the chef is Canadian.
And sometimes, it’s simply having a meal waiting for you at home after a long day of settling into a new country.
We are only just beginning to discover Kigali’s food scene, and I have a feeling there will be many, many more food stories to come.
After all, getting to know a country isn’t only about its history, culture and people.
Sometimes, you can learn a lot about a place one bite at a time.
