What’s karaoke when it comes devoid of those crazy, often beer-fuelled taunts from the audience to a bad singer on stage? 

There used to be a time when karaoke at Car Wash was exactly that; there was beer, there was adrenaline, there was mood. That was the time when the Kenyan brewer Tusker still associated itself with the comedy theme night. In a way, comedy night had become a Tusker night as well, and if you know a bit of your history about that drink, then no bouquets for guessing who patronised the night most: the Kenyan corporate living and working in Kigali. 

Well, something must have happened between then, and Thursday night when we decided to re-acquaint ourselves with comedy night. For starters, the Tusker-loving Kenyan corporate crowd was hardly anywhere to be seen, save for a table at the no-wall grass enclave adjacent to the main bar. Which makes one wonder if it was the comedy that brought them here in droves before, or if it was Tusker’s association with the night. 

That said, the karaoke at Car Wash is to be commended for maintaining its initial bar feel, with any patron free to demand for the mic from the comfort of his bar stool, and sing a song of their choice right from there, while sipping their drink. There is no set stage for singing, and what is to be called a stage is only called so because it is where the screen with the words to the songs is set. 

What this means is that the singers who have to follow the lyrics of the song from the screen usually end up turning their back to the audience. 

That said, a place whose kitchen is the first thing that you set eyes on upon walking in definitely has something going for them. The kitchens are spacious, tiled and not stuffy, actually almost as organised as a stall at a trade expo. As a plus, they have two elaborate bar counters, meaning the amount of time one spends lobbying for a drink from the bar man is considerably reduced.

No talk about Car Wash is complete without mention of the meats, prepared carnivore style on sizzling oven fires in the kitchen. Their Kenyan patrons generally stick to the tried and tested nyama choma-ugali  combination, and the ugali portions shaped neatly into a cone are in themselves a sight to behold. 

The wait staff at Car Wash are refreshingly quick of foot, although their pace looks obviously dictated by a boss or supervisor figure.