It is universally agreed that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is a meal I never miss and always make myself. This morning, however, the Internet brought to my attention this little outfit called Magda Café. This establishment claims breakfast as one of its best attributes and I was feeling lazy.

Located in the same building that houses University of Kigali, Magda café is as unimposing as any café I’ve visited. However, and I swallow my earlier indication that Magda is a little outfit, this place is quite spacious. Magda could easily seat 40 people at a go.

Magda has a typical café menu but my interest lay in the breakfast section. I was particularly interested in a full English breakfast but in this regard, my options were as limited as the breakfast options were.

Indeed there was a full breakfast option of fried eggs or eggs of your choice, with toast bread, canned beans, sautéed mushrooms. This option was devoid of bacon and sausages that usually constitute a full English breakfast. If you are looking for a more fulfilling meal, continue to read the menu for sandwich choices that come with fries or the pastry section that includes puff pastries and pies.

The breakfast was an enjoyable culinary experience although I prefer my toast bread with the crust cut off. The eggs were done over hard, my preference being an over easy runny yolk. Again, this option was not offered by my very friendly waitress.

To accompany my breakfast, I opted for a large cappuccino. Most of the cafes I’ve been to get the coffee right. I think this has a lot to do with the good coffee that this nation produces. The Magda cappuccino is delectable.

The décor is neat with booths and stand alone tables along the walls and in the middle of the café. The far side is characterised by large windows allowing for natural lighting provided by the early sun. The checkout counter also houses a glass display for the pastries and adjacent to this is a table that hosts chafing dishes. These are indicative of a lunch buffet service that targets the university community as well as the business community in this area. Normally, a buffet service is not a thing found in cafes but I believe that Magda is simply doing business as per the demands. Bottom line is crucial in these hard economic times.

The service could do with a little shaping up. Nevertheless, they are really friendly and made my breakfast experience worth the visit.

Magda café is open daily from 07:00am. Parking is ample and secure and if you do not mind the presence of academics, a generally good breakfast place.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw