What's cooking in
This week, tjil takes a journey to The Kitchen, along with Humble Palate.
The Windhoek food scene has been hit with somewhat of a revival. With new restaurants opening up in various parts of town almost on a monthly basis, the options for palate pleasers are definitely increasing. At least these days, you won't finish Windhoek's entire restaurant scene in two weeks, but maybe, in two and a half. One of the most talked about openings is The Kitchen, located at the new Freedom Plaza, partly still under construction. The vibe at the restaurant is amazing, with free Wi-Fi for you to post, surf and be you, allowing you to thrive as much as you see fit. Proprietor Tshoopara Chops' establishment is in a prime location with a high-volume market coming from individuals working in neighbouring buildings.
The food, which is the main point of this whole eating experience, still needs tweaking here and there. They do have amazing pizza, made with dough containing Namibian mahangu, giving it a distinct flavour and taste profile that truly screams Namibian. The Big Boy burger, the flagship hunger buster, was too undercooked in parts for my liking, but after a quick return to the kitchen was back and tasted like something I'd enjoy eating, if it was done properly the first time round. The salad was uneventful and nothing special really, with the majority of it constituting the bitter bottom end of the lettuce.
The chips came to my table, salted for me, which meant I couldn't dictate how much iodine I was going to allow in my body with regards to this particular food. Resident chef Dawos, who is also with the Namibian Hospitality Association, expressed that, as much as he is training the restaurant chefs, they might need time to grow into budding food ambassadors within the country and city as well.
Thanks to manager Chris, and in absentia Chops, for having us and opening up a new culinary experience and option to the local consumer who might be looking for something new and different to experience. Its teething issues will be settled the next time we pop in again. We still need to sample that other cake.
*@1humblepalate is an Instagram blog that reviews, explores and showcases local cuisine, restaurants and chefs within Namibia and is run by food writer and enthusiast, Ashley Dube.
Ashley Dube
The food, which is the main point of this whole eating experience, still needs tweaking here and there. They do have amazing pizza, made with dough containing Namibian mahangu, giving it a distinct flavour and taste profile that truly screams Namibian. The Big Boy burger, the flagship hunger buster, was too undercooked in parts for my liking, but after a quick return to the kitchen was back and tasted like something I'd enjoy eating, if it was done properly the first time round. The salad was uneventful and nothing special really, with the majority of it constituting the bitter bottom end of the lettuce.
The chips came to my table, salted for me, which meant I couldn't dictate how much iodine I was going to allow in my body with regards to this particular food. Resident chef Dawos, who is also with the Namibian Hospitality Association, expressed that, as much as he is training the restaurant chefs, they might need time to grow into budding food ambassadors within the country and city as well.
Thanks to manager Chris, and in absentia Chops, for having us and opening up a new culinary experience and option to the local consumer who might be looking for something new and different to experience. Its teething issues will be settled the next time we pop in again. We still need to sample that other cake.
*@1humblepalate is an Instagram blog that reviews, explores and showcases local cuisine, restaurants and chefs within Namibia and is run by food writer and enthusiast, Ashley Dube.
Ashley Dube
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