Kay Sun Hotel: African cuisine in exotic setting

Kay Sun Hotel just crept up across the wall from the Urban Boutique Hotel in Kiyovu. The modest single-storey structure in which it is housed has been under construction for the last two or so years, and what we thought would otherwise emerge as a posh residential house instead turned out to be a hotel. Kay Sun is the typical nice, clean and comfy hotel operating out of the city center. The bricks on the walls still ooze that factory freshness, as does the paint work. From the main entrance, one walks through the tiled forecourt, which also doubles as parking, into the reception area, beyond which is the mini Resto-Bar, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For those that prefer the outdoors, there is a petite garden that can accommodate a crowd of about 60, and that is popular with ceremonies like banquets and weddings. Beyond the bar is a small conference facility that sits about 25, and further beyond is the kitchen. Two staircases, one of the regular kind and the other for persons with disabilities usher one into the upper floor, which houses the guest wing. In all they have 17 rooms, two of which are twin apartments, while the rest are comfort suites. When we decided to pay a visit, it was mainly for the food, having been told that they do French, African, and Congolese cuisine. The proprietor, a lady called Claudine Mapendo is a Rwandan from the Diaspora (France), but that is also well travelled across the African continent. The result of all her globe-trotting is the array of (especially African) dishes on offer, ranging from Rwanda’s own Sombe (cassava leaves), to Liboke, the famed Congolese delicacy of heavily spiced fish in pumpkin seeds. I was tempted to order for fufu, from Nigeria, although all I knew about the dish was that–its country of origin, only to be shocked when I was told it is simply cassava flour meal! I eventually settled for the Senegalese special, Poulet Yassa, which is chicken prepared with mustard, onion, garlic and lemon. Delivery time was within the 15-20 minutes that were promised, which is above-par by Kigali standards. This seemed to pair well with the white rice and Sombe, and with my fresh fruit cocktail, which arrived near ice-cold, I was sorted. After a meal, one has a choice between pine apple and orange fruit jams, served on complimentary terms. For snacks, one can go for meat balls, samosa, vegetable pizzas, spring rolls, burgers, fish fingers, chicken wings, and drum sticks, all within the Rwf2,000 to Rwf6,000 mark.