Dubai is a city of adventure, love, discovery,lights and more lights, unending possibilities….. the list is endless. The moment you think you have seen most of Dubai you pick up a magazine and cannot recognize anything in this city. It is always buzzing with new places to see, eat, explore and discover.
There are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there about this spectacular city and most of them could not be further from the truth.
In light of this I’m embarking on a discovery journey, showcasing this gorgeous city for exactly what it is; restaurants, theme parks, desert adventures, shopping, architecture, culture, helicopter rides, skiing, the oh so loved Friday brunches, you name it! Please join me!
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KIZA Restaurant & Lounge Dubai
I have long wanted to try out the food in this restaurant, mainly because it is one of the few African restaurants I know in Dubai, if not the only one, and I’m African, so yeah. It is located in the popular DIFC area, and transforms into a bar/ nightclub by night ( which I hear is a pretty epic club experience), that means they are licensed so if you like to enjoy drink or two with your meals then you will appreciate this. I passed by one night from having dinner at a different restaurant in the building but I didn’t stay long because I was exhausted and it was little intense for my mood that evening. I went back for lunch.
The decor is dark, the whole place has a feel of a basement restaurant (or a private members lounge,something like that) as there are no visible windows. The lighting is good though and there is a huge LCD screen screening the music, which I loved, because I rarely get to listen to African music and watch the videos in such a setting. The music was so loud though, it was lunch time but we could hardly converse at the table and even the waiter strained to hear us when taking the order. I would prefer a much more relaxed ambience, where I can actually be heard for lunch and then pump up the volume for the after hours.
The lunch menu (a la carte) is good, I easily recognize some of the foods because they are from my country, but I struggle to understand any of the other dishes and there is not sufficient explanation on the menu. The waiter did his best to try and explain some of the food to us, bless him. The menu is widely dominated by beef and chicken, which are popular in Africa, so if you are a meat lover you will love this. I don’t eat either, unfortunately.
We ordered plantain ( of course) which were browned to perfection and didn’t disappoint as they tasted like I remember. The lentil soup got a thumbs up as well. We also had the beans pottage is good for two or three people, as it is heavy hence very filling. Tilapia fillet comes with risotto but somehow the risotto did not get to the table, no explanation offered. All in all the food was yummy, and if you like African food, or are missing home and just want a familiar taste then it is a good option.
The Bill
(For 3 People)
1 lentil soup – 45 AED
2 plantains – 50 AED
1 beans pottage – 55 AED
1 tilapia fillet – 95 AED
1 Sweet potato fries – 25 AED
1 Sukuma Wiki aka Kale – 25 AED
1 bottle of water
Location: Emirates Financial Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road,DIFC – Dubai
Rating – 7/10: I would like to try more dishes on the menu so I will be going back, hopefully the music will not be blaring at lunch time and I can enjoy good conversation over my delicious food from my motherland. It is worth checking out!
Ps: I hear there is another one in Nairobi, I will definitely visit when I go back 🙂
Xx,
Loice