[Restaurant Review] Chishuru - Bold Flavours, Great Execution

It is difficult to pinpoint what makes a restaurant great? Is it the taste of the food, the ambience, or the service that sets a restaurant apart? Or perhaps a combination? At Chishuru, what you will get are bold flavours, and dishes that are executed well. So if you belong to the camp that the taste of the food is what makes a restaurant great, you will enjoy Chishuru.

The Food

I went to Chishuru for lunch, which costs 45 pounds for a three course meal, and complemented that with some sides for an additional 8 pounds.

To start off, I had the Sinasir and the Akara.

Sinasir, the rice cake dish, was probably my favourite of the two. The rice cake was soft and tender, and acts as a vessel for the other stronger flavours of the butternut squash, and pickled chilies to shine. The kale adds a nice crunch to the otherwise soft rice cake, and this amalgamation of textures was well-appreciated. The candied nuts also bring a nice hint of sweetness to the dish.

The other starter was great too. I like that the parfait was really smooth, and had no off-flavours. I honestly couldn't tell that it was made from liver.

Moving on to the mains, I ordered the smoke eel, and I can only say I enjoyed it. The eel was tender, and not chewy. I find that eel can be a tad chewy, and I don't like that. While the eel was lightly smoked, and plain tasting, the sweet potato cream and the other components of the dish elevated the whole dish by bringing stronger flavours to the dish.

My favourite dishes at Chishuru are the sides, especially the jollof. Jollof is a rich dish made using long-grain rice, and garnishes such as tomatoes, onions and various spices. The jollof at Chishuru is amazing. The dish is so fragrant, the rice is so fluffy and well-seasoned, and I like that it has some level of heat to it too. The plantain resembles a banana, and has similar textures and taste to a banana. I like the textural contrast of the fluffy rice, and the plantain.

The braised cabbage was enjoyable too. After the earlier dishes, there's nothing like a serving of braised cabbage to refresh your palate, with the cabbage still managing to retain a little crunch.

The Rhubarb Aklui was a great way to end the meal. This dish was an epiphany. I've never thought that this combination of rhubarb, lemongrass, and vanilla would work. You have to try this for yourself. I won't spoil it by describing in detail

The Venue

I don't have too many comments about the restaurant, but I highly recommend grabbing a seat at the ground level instead of the basement. I find the basement, even though well-lit; gives off a feeling that the place is cramped, dark and packed, and it made me slightly uncomfortable.

Conclusion

Having been to Africa just over a year ago, I missed African food. Chishuru was able to satisfy my cravings with unique takes on African cuisine, while honouring classics. I am a big fan of the jollof, and I'm sure you will be too. Be sure to order it!

Disclosure: This post is not sponsored.

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