You have reached your destination”, the mobile GPS voice declared. It had been a really easy find using the Google map app. Located in the tranquil neighborhood of Kimuhurura – Rugando in Kigali city, Inka sits on what was formally a residential house. Inka (meaning ‘cow‘ in Kinyarwanda), is Kigali’s most-talked about steakhouse for good reasons, as I later came to conclude. The restaurant was first opened in 2016 by Nicole Ansoni, a local entrepreneur who dreamt of a modern steakhouse unlike what we were used to in Rwanda. Nicole was going for a cozy, high-end and modern steak house that was going to promote local and African produce – and she achieved it. The restaurant has the most cozy, romantic ambiance around, with comfortable seats and perfect lighting. On a chilly Friday night, as we entered the premises, we were greeted by a staff that looked neat, professional and friendly. A gentleman led us to a warm side of the restaurant to shield us from the cold. Another member of the serving staff immediately joined us with the menu and took our orders: my daughter wanted chicken nuggets and we went for a kilo of their barbeque pork ribs. Since the restaurant specializes in steak, I was sure from the reviews that the beef dishes would be great, so I wanted to go for something different to see if they were equally good with other items on their menu. Needless to say, after the meal, I was extremely proud of myself for my selection. Before our main meal came, we were served our drinks and the softest fresh dinner rolls with quality butter – that itself was a bonus for me. The server had a high knowledge of his product (which I always find lacking from most restaurants around the city), and he was attentive to details. He suggested bringing the kid’s meal before ours, which was really considerate of him. The chicken nuggets was well-seasoned and thinly battered. It was served with french fries and condiments on the side. My daughter fully enjoyed it, and her meal was Rwf 7500. A few minutes later, our pork ribs made its grand entrance. It was served on a beautiful platter. The meat melted in our mouth, but chewy enough to give you the taste and texture of meat just the way we love it: it was juicy and messy… isn’t that the whole point of ribs? It totally adds on the fun and experience, and the smoky, mild, undertone flavor sealed the deal and took this meal a notch higher. The portion was massive for two adults as it was served with two side dishes – we had creamed spinach and imizuzu (plantains), and both were palatable and complimented our main meal so harmoniously. The prices are on the high side: 1kg of ribs were about Rwf 18,000, but I feel like the whole combination of fast service, professional staff, ambiance and the exquisite food definitely makes it worthwhile. The overall experience was impeccable and memorable – the best way to celebrate my Birthday. So if you are looking for something new and classy, or a romantic spot for your next date, this is the place. It is child-friendly, which makes it great for families as well. It has easily earned my 5-star review in everything, and I will be going back in the near future – I totally recommend it to everyone. The writer is an enthusiastic and border-line obsessed foodie, with a background in Economics and the Culinary Arts.
