Restaurant review: Café Ceylon

This is Kampala. There is ALWAYS a new place in town that everyone but you is going to. I’d like to be one of those people that are simply not bothered by such things but I am me.

It feels like I had been meaning to go to Café Ceylon forever, but then again there are lots of new places that I always want to check out. Also it doesn’t help when the old places are still a delight. It’s a losing battle I tell you.

Finally I made it to the tiny place along Kiira road (near the Kamokya stage), with two friends. It’s one of those places that make you feel like you’re having a déjà vu, and yet you can’t quite place why.

What I liked:

It is such a beautiful place – small, cozy and comfy. For those that live their lives on the snap or the gram, it’s perfect for picture moments.

The menu is extensive. They have general junk, Continental, Sri Lankan and Indian meals. That comes in handy when your bestie wants Indian food and you’re just tryna have a sandwich – talk about a win win situation.

The food was alright – the portions were okay as well. (I know I don’t sound too enthusiastic but I think things could have been worse)

What I didn’t like:

On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give the service a 4 may be a 4.5. For such a small place, it’s surprising that they don’t have enough staff. There were only two waiters and two people at the counter, which makes no sense whatsoever if you ask me. For a Saturday, where the assumption is that more people go out, it was lacking. Also the waiter forgot to bill for an item which is funny since he appeared to be taking notes when we placed the orders. Luckily, we are upstanding members of society so we reminded him.

The food was alright (I don’t know about you but I like great food). Their fries sort of reminded me of Chicken Tonight fries. The meals took a bit longer than expected to be served, so I’d say it is not advisable to go there when you are extremely hungry – as we were.

There was no running water, and because the beverage machine is so fancy, you could not have any hot drink. I’ll say that I’ve been around enough but that was a new one, even for me. Poor Carol had to settle for a Vanilla Frosty (all that milk. YUCK).

What I’d advise:

Café Ceylon has the potential to become a lovely hangout for all times of the day. With them being on the list of restaurants for the Kampala Restaurant Week coming up next month, there is still time for them to dot their i’s and cross their t’s. It’d be a shame if people went there and their experience was below average.

The Reality:

There is a café at every corner of Kampala, with a new one being opened every other day. Granted people might not resist the allure that is something new, but eventually they will see through the *sneeze*

I once attended a class by a great guy, and the discussion about reviews came up. Should a review be done after one visit, or should it be done after a number of visits? Most of the people agreed that it should be done after one visit.

My first visit, and hopefully not the last at Café Ceylon, was not very nice. Obviously there are people that have had a lovely experience there, but the real question is whether you are able to sleep at night, after going to a place that doesn’t believe that consistency is key.

At the end of the day, it’s your money.