The Sunday News
Ameera Mimi, Sunday Life Reporter
GROWING up in Harare in its golden days, the late 90s and early 2000s, I remember quality restaurants and food experiences, particularly at some of the city’s leading hotels.
Rainbow Towers, formerly Sheraton was one such place known for its tasty food and memorable experiences. I recall frequenting Harvest Garden with the family and having an interest in the iconic Afro-Fusion restaurant, Kombahari which was located next to the Harvest Garden.
Many years and moons later, my curiosity still lingered and now a grown woman, I decided to investigate further. I was curious to know if the renowned fusion spot still held its iconic and prestigious status it did in the golden days. So recently, my friend Tha and I decided to give it a try as part of our local food journey.
A call to the restaurant and reservations made, we were able to also get a copy of their menu and drink list via email. All set for a lovely Saturday dinner for two, we were finally about to experience a live cooking experience. The day arrived and one of the highlights about the Rainbow Towers was the abundant parking space which made it convenient for restaurant goers.
While there was moderate traffic in the hotel’s foyer, we entered a rather empty/deserted restaurant, not quite how I remembered it.
Regardless of the low traffic, we were warmly welcomed by our waiter, Witness who spotted a large smile. We immediately felt welcome and knew that we were to be treated with the utmost respect and attention. Being the only guests, we got the best spot in the restaurant. As we approached our seats, I was glad to find the halaal corner, something I strongly applaud.
Once seated, Witness introduced us to our chef for the night, Chef Taona who too was friendly. Having requested the email prior to the day, we had an idea of what appealed to us the most. Chef Taona strongly recommended their signature dish of Teppanyaki which includes beef, chicken and fish strips mixed with vegetables and fried rice. However, I decided to go another route with options that are more favourable to my palette. I initially wanted to try the lamb dish (lamb is a favourite for me) but they had no lamb on offer that night. So Tha and I opted for the prawn cocktail for starters and a main of steak served with stir fry and Tha opted for the sour chicken and noodles.
The starters came out fresh and tasty, however, the portion was rather on the miserly end and placing it in a wine glass made it hard to eat. I’d have preferred a Cosmo glass for easier digging into or a good old side plate. Chef Taona entertained us with his smiles and vibrant mannerisms. It was now time for the highlight and most memorable part of the night … the preparing and cooking of the main course.
Prepared right in front of you, this is by far, one of the most unique and exciting dining experience in Zimbabwe’s capital.
Having a person cook while you watch them gives you an entertaining, intimate and rare experience to how your meal is prepared. From chopping, marinating, grilling to simmering and even some flames there is nothing quite charming as this live spectacle. This is the heart of Kombahari — a true treasure.
The impressive food preparation allowed us not only to witness the food preparation, but we also got to engage the chef on some of his ingredients ranging from soy sauce to greens. Chef Taona platted our meals and we excitedly dug into the large main portions.
The steak was cooked perfectly as I like it medium rare and the sour chicken sauce was tantalising. However, our stir fry had too much salt for my liking and the extra side of wedges were soggy. Overall, the meat made up for the sides and our chilled Sauvignon Blanc was perfect for the night.
After the large portion of the mains and the flowing wine, there quite simply was no more space for dessert. Witnessed humoured us and showed us some easy napkin tips to use when we host our dinner parties, which certainly entertained us.
We were thoroughly impressed by the politeness and friendly staff at Kombahari.
One of the highlights was the friendly staff — from Witness being incredibly attentive, Chef Taona’s enthusiasim and even a hotel manager whose name has completely left me ensured we were well taken care of.
Something so important is customer care and service and Kombahari by far, had the best staff and service than most places I have visited in Harare.
After a wonderful and rare dining experience, we had to call it a night. I left Kombahari with a great deal of bitter sweet sentiments. The restaurant has a great concept, very rare in the country with the intimate live cooking and food preparation of Afro-asian fused food.
The food could do with improved presentation and most of all. Kombahari needs better marketing to create a cosmopolitan and lively vibe. This iconic restaurant could be revived with a more modern appeal. With such lovely staff and live cooking, the spot is a treasure yet to be discovered.
@ameera_mims
