The name is a great conversation starter. Bight of Benin. There is something close to a bite which should excite the culinary fangs and then Benin, a country in West Africa.
Actually, there is a ‘Bight of Benin or Bay’ on the coast Western Africa. There is another right in the heart of Kampala, on plot 20, along Kyadondo Road. It is located at the premises that used to house Mama Ashanti.
Bight’s proprietor, Linda Bot is a lawyer who doubles as a foodie. Her knack combines food and colourful presentation of the ambience that fuses plant life with vibrant spaces.
If you are reading this and haven’t thought about taking a gastronomic adventure, Bight is the place to go and have a bite and a sip of some West African dishes and soups.
It is the place for the African culinary aggregator; spicy and tasty. I dare add that the difference is in the cooking style and the presentation. Prepare your palate for a rich mix of tomatoes, onions, plantain and more.
Jolofu rice, Egusi soup, Pepe soup, bodi, Mo’ Gele, Tsamiya, take a pick, unmindful of the names. The waiters and waitresses will be glad to explain about the contents of the meals to allow you to make a choice.
The spoiler is that the plate presentation of the meals is not guarantee of the taste outcome. Looks can be deceptive. Just dig in. There are also some familiar bites on the menu.
Beef kebab, grilled chicken, spicy gizzards served with chips, plantain with kachumbari and more. You could start with shito, a Ghanaian sauce- herring, may be spicy crayfish.
In a way, Bot is bringing the foods we have seen in the Nollywood movies to town. Besides feeding West Africans who are happy to reconnect with home in an East African city, Ugandans are welcome.
“I just love food and the joy and blissful experience,” the restaurant proprietor adds. Your writer’s first appearance was on a night when Qwela Band was playing live and another try at jollof rice was worth the choice.
Bight has a number of spaces, including a play area for children, with minders. There is also a bar, with sitting facility as well as gardens and private hut gazebos which is ideal for groups who would like to socialise or catch.
The restaurant area is ideally set for lunch and dinner. Management can arrange for groups who might want to have a baby shower, birthday party or simply want to catch up.