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Local Cuisine

    Dusty Roads offers fabulous local cuisine in Victoria Falls
    Local CuisineSouthern AfricaZimbabwe

    A taste of local cuisine in Victoria Falls

    by admin June 13, 2022
    written by admin

    One of the most rewarding things to do in a destination, such as Victoria Falls, is to discover the unique flavours of its local cuisine. But when travelling to a destination with a vastly different culture to what you’re accustomed to, this may stretch you beyond your comfort level. Especially when it comes to your taste buds! But be brave and conquer these food fears, even if it is just the tiniest morsel.

    On a recent visit to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, we had just the opportunity… and here’s my top three for local taste sensations:

    1 Dusty Road:

    The relaxed vibe at local restaurant Dusty Road

    Located in the heart of Chinotimba township on the outskirts of Victoria Falls, the Dusty Road dining experience offers visitors not only a taste of traditional Zimbabwean cuisine but is a sensory experience all of its own. Blackened pots and old traffic signs sit beside upcycled furniture and household items. As in most Zimbabwean homes, the chickens run wild, vegetable patches abound and chitenge (African sarong) add additional pops of colour.

    Local fresh produce at Dusty Road

    2 The Boma – Dinner and Drum Show Experience:

    Welcome to The Boma for an experience in local cuisine

    Within the expansive treed grounds of the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, The Boma dining experience offers a range of local cuisine and is a firm favourite with visitors, oas we were about to find out. After being ceremonially wrapped in a chitenge, welcomed by traditional dancers, and having our faces painted, we were ushered to our table for a hand-washing ceremony and a taste of chibuku – a local drink made out of sorghum and maize. The snack bowl of mutakura – a mixture of boiled groundnuts, peanuts, nyimo beans – round nuts, and cow peas, a great foil to the slight bitterness of the chibuku – definitely an acquired taste.

    Local cuisine on The Boma buffet

    The mains buffet included a traditional chesa nyama (barbeque) where the warthog fillet, impala and crocodile tail were grilled to perfection, a delicious nyama (meat) stew made with kudu and served with a choice of sadza, mupunga une dovi – peanut butter rice, mbambaira – sweet potatoes and muriwo – green leafy vegetables, and derere – okra cooked with tomato and chillies. But if you really want to taste and challenge those food fears, then you cannot pass on the amacimbi –mopane worms, a traditional Zimbabwe delicacy, sautéed with tomato and onion, crunchy, chewy, and only just manageable, but so worth it for the certificate!  There is plenty to satisfy a more western palate, but as they say when in Rome…

    Mopane worms at The Boma - a local cuisine delicacy

    During the traditional feast there is music created on a traditional finger harp, a mbira, traditional dancers, and the opportunity to find your rhythm with a drumming session with a djembe drum (a skin covered goblet shaped drum, originally from West Africa). The evening is rounded off with delicious desserts and being serenaded by a group of very talented acapella singers.

    3 The Wallow Lodge

    We hadn’t expected a local dining experience when we checked in at The Wallow Lodge. This was all about a relaxing stay within the bush of the Victoria Falls National Park, enjoying the views over the Masuwe River from our tented suite and sundowners overlooking the impressive Batoka Gorge with the Zambezi flowing in its depths.

    Sundowners overlooking the Batoka Gorge while staying at The Wallow

    As we sit at our table to dine, we are given the option of the normal menu or the option of partaking in the traditional feast the chef had prepared. Who chooses normal when local cuisine is on offer?

    Special display for our traditional local cuisine feast at The Wallow Lodge

    We start with delicious nhopi, a pumpkin soup with peanut butter, followed by the option of mazondo – a stew made with cow heels, maguru – tripe, which is a top Zimbabwean delicacy, or a beef stew with mbambaira (sweet potato). I opted for the beef stew as my taste buds couldn’t quite get around the idea of tripe or cow’s feet! There is also Zambezi bream, more commonly known as tilapia, a local fish species which for centuries has been a favourite source of protein. It is prepared whole with garlic and spices, grilled to perfection and served with muboora – pumpkin leaves cooked with tomato and onions. We complete our traditional meal with the most delicious and creamy ice-cream, made using mawuya – baobab pulp.

    Local baobab fruit a delicacy in local Vic Falls cuisine

    My Zimbabwean culinary experience didn’t end there though, the next morning at breakfast, I was served a warm bowl of bota une dovi, a creamy, sweet porridge made with corn meal, peanut butter and sweetened with honey. Yum!

    A glossary of Zimbabwean food names:

    amacimbi – mopane worms

    bota une dovi, a creamy, sweet porridge made with corn meal, peanut butter and sweetened with honey

    Local peanut butter porridge

    chesa nyama – barbequed meat

    chibuku – a local drink made out of sorghum and maize

    chimodho – a delicious maize bread

    Local Chimodho bread

    chomolia – a traditional African kale

    derere – okra cooked with tomato and chillies

    inkukhu eleDovi – chicken stewed in a in peanut butter sauce

    maguru – tripe, which is a top Zimbabwean delicacy

    matemba – a freshwater sardine, commonly known as kapenta

    mawuya – baobab pulp

    mazondo – a stew made with cow heels

    mbambaira – sweet potatoes

    muboora – pumpkin leaves

    mupunga une dovi – peanut butter rice

    Local green leafy vegetable dish called muriwo

    muriwo – green leafy vegetables

    mutakura – a mixture of boiled groundnuts, peanuts, corn

    A bowl of mutakura

    nhopi – a pumpkin soup with peanut butter

    nyimo beans – round nuts

    sadza – a thick porridge made from maize meal, traditionally eaten with the hands

    Sadza with muriwo and beef stew

    utshwala – a locally brewed beer made from sorghum

    Images – Dusty Road, Tessa Buhrmann, Rafael Medina Flickr, TheSpruceEats.com, Princesstafadwa.com, Zimbo Kitchen, Wikimedia

    June 13, 2022 0 comment
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  • IslandsLocal CuisineMauritius

    Dine with a Local in Mauritius

    by admin May 14, 2022
    by admin May 14, 2022

    There is nothing better than eating your way through a destination. And there are plenty of options in Mauritius, from frequenting local hangouts to dining with a local. A few local favourites are dholl puris, roti and spicy tomato rougaille.

  • Local CuisineMoroccoNorth Africa

    A Guide to Moroccan Cuisine

    by admin April 14, 2022
    by admin April 14, 2022

    Morocco, with its vibrancy, diversity, and colourful culture, is celebrated for its rich culinary traditions where captivating combinations of subtle spices and wholesome fresh ingredients create the aromatic flavours that this destination is renowned for. So, immerse yourself in a culinary journey as we uncover some of Morocco’s favourite traditional dishes.

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