It is noon and your stomach is rumbling, calling out "fill me, fill me”. So where do you go?  I have been moving around different places in the city and have discovered that there are two categories of affordable places a middle income earner can go to for a good meal.

There are the restaurants that provide local dishes and those that provide a variety of assorted foods. One of these restaurants really impressed me. I would like to mention it, but hey, I am not advertising here.

The sweet aroma of food hanging in the air around it just drives one to the doors and at its entrance, you are greeted by a display of a variety of mouth watering foods ranging from salads containing avocados and lettuce, delicious looking vegetable rice, katogo for matooke, local foods like cassava, posho, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and French fries commonly known as chips or frite.

The sauces varied from delicious looking meat, fish and chicken. The dishes were mouth watering that by the time I reached the end of the buffet table, my plate was full and over flowing.

The tables were all well set with napkins and a candle, and the atmosphere generally conversant for an eating mood with soft music in the background keeping me at a steady pace that the food I originally thought was too much was done in minutes.

The waitresses were always around to provide drinks ranging from water, juices to wines depending on one’s pockets. The food is worth the money, it tastes great and it’s cheaper than the high class restaurants where you will eat the same food at a higher price.

So those who want a good meal at not so high a price, I’ll give you a clue, try Rubangura house at lunch time, the aroma will show you the way and believe me; you won’t regret it, the food is tasty. Unfortunately, the waiters and waitresses might be a bit disappointing as far as speed is concerned. 

I also visited a restaurant that specialises in our local dishes. I found one located just above Nyarugenge market that provides local foods ranging from steamed matooke, steamed rice, a special dish made out of ghee called Eshabwe, posho, sweet potatoes, cassava, and with the sauces ranging from fish, meat to groundnuts paste, beans, and an assortment of Greens.

The service here seems faster than many in a Rwandan restaurant. The weak points though are that the food seems over spiced and the place garners very low points in the area of cleanliness. It might what one might a hustler’s kind of place. 

There seem to be many restaurants similar to those I have described above. I understand there are those where one can have a meal for as low as Rwf 200.

However, before you consider spending less on the cheap food, I advise you take in the sight of the conditions it is prepared in. They may come cheap but prove expensive when footing the medical bills. So, where do you have your lunch from?

Contact: nmranne@yahoo.com