So after four years I’ve developed two ways to be on the road in Africa. One is to do the humble visitor, delight in burnt goat and thank my lucky stars that I’m seeing a bit of the continent that other people don’t normally get to see. It’s usually fun. And sometimes I have an upset stomach. Then there are times when I stay in $251 a night hotels and I expect – you know – luxuries like hot water and edible food.
All of which brings me to the Kigali Serena’s fish and chips. Completely tasteless until I added tartare sauce…. suddenly they tasted of mayonnaise and small bits of pickled things.
(Incidentally, place is full of wiry men with earpieces and dressed in M&S leisurewear – clearly marking them out as British police. Is Tony Blair here doing his thing with Paul Kagame?)
VERDICT: plumbing the depths

And so a new project is born. The other day I posted about fish and chips in Kisumu. Then I find myself in a hotel in Dar es Salaam where “English” fish and chips is on the menu. So, following on from the failure of several previous projects (31 very interesting things and Reds in Africa, which are both struggling) and in response to a flood of an email, this new feature will henceforth be known as Fish and Chips in Africa, until someone suggests a better title.
So the English fish – in beer batter – and chips at the Moevenpick Hotel in Dar es Salaam looked promising enough. The fish came wrapped in paper and with a healthy serving of tartare sauce. But the batter was soggy (beer added after cooking? cooked from frozen?) and the chips pretty disappointing. The one saving grace was the fact that the chef was using red snapper, which is always tasty… even when overcooked which this was. And even when not very English. All in all, very disappointing for $20. Although it did come in paper (did I already say that?).
Verdict: Hook, line and stinker
Any recommendations? I can’t face Java…