By Ian Ortega
Imagine you’re in Mbarara City, you ask the person nearest to you to direct you to Obunuzi. In that moment, a big smile gets drawn on their face. For Obunuzi carries so much in a word, so much that gets lost in its English translation.
Yet, you don’t have to imagine this anymore. Right in Kampala, the city that is never with life and fun, it’s in this city that one gets to find an Obunuzi Restaurant.
Like the name, the restaurant is a portal into hidden beauties, and a preserved sweetness. For the closest English word to Obunuzi is ‘sweetness’. Not the sugary sweetness, but the sweetness you can’t help but keep coming to. It’s the sweetness that’s beyond words.
To get to understand the meaning of Obunuzi, one must go and find out for themselves at this restaurant. The proof of pudding is in the eating. Thus, the meaning of Obunuzi is in the food that’s served at Obunuzi Restaurant.
The brain behind this restaurant is none other than Mr. Inspiration aka Robert Bake Tumuhaise, a man that’s brought the word ‘Obunuzi’ into the spheres of every Ugandan. There’s an air of Obunuzi everywhere, I guess, soon, everyone will call themselves ‘Omunuzi.’ And the growing community of people that revel in Obunuzi’s delicious food will become ‘Abanuzi.’
About Obunuzi Restaurant And Café
Robert Bake Tumuhaise, a well-known author, publisher and entrepreneur came up with the Obunuzi name following Rolland Tibrusya, a regular customer’s review of the honeyed-pork dish. Since then, the restaurant, one of the entities under the World of Inspiration brands, has grown to become a household name.
Located in Wandegeya at Moil Fuel Station, opposite the main gate of YMCA, this restaurant boasts of three food sections. The first is dedicated to local food and being authentic to the roots as also defined by its name. Here, one can expect to enjoy Uganda’s matooke, rice, yams, pumpkin, kalo, chapatti, rice and the sauces from the local chicken to fish, beef and goat all served in a buffet format.
The second section is for fast foods, the kind that speaks to the soul of the Gen.Zs and Zillenials from the best of the Mexican burgers to American sandwiches, pizzas, pan-fried, oven-grilled and deep-fried meats. Finally, the third section is for the beverages from the coffee based (espressos, lattes, cappuccinos) to the teas, the blends of all natural juices all the way to the mocktails, cocktails, and the hard drinks such as beers, wines and spirits.
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The restaurant is open all throughout the week, operating between 7am to 10pm (Monday to Saturday) and 9am to 10pm on Sunday. The goal is always that, one should be able to have a share of that deliciousness (Obunuzi) whether one desires to have it at breakfast, or lunch or supper. Innovatively, the restaurant is the first to introduce the ‘extra’ portion sizing. So instead of just having goat meat, one can always have goat meat extra and have no limits to their Obunuzi. Same with Pork and other meats.
A Restaurant With Honeyed Dishes and Books
To prove this concept of sweetness, Obunuzi Restaurant hasseveral honeyed dishes. From honeyed liver to the famous honeyed pork. And again, you can do all this while enjoying a book from its literary section. Imagine a restaurant where one is having meere yonna (all foods), a glass of freshy-squeezed passion juice, enjoying the service of the most welcoming waiting staff, while reading their favourite book, all this, in the middle of Kampala. What better definition of sweetness could exist?
For Bake, the purpose has always been about feeding people’s bodies and minds. He has written many books such as the Millionaire Farmer and Inspired by Bitature and with these he has been feeding the minds. During the famous Authors’ Forum held at the National Theatre, he brought inspiration to the minds of thousands of Ugandans. Now, Mr. Inspiration, as he’s commonly known, is also feeding the bodies. The books at the restaurant are free for reading for all customers, but there is also stock from which one could choose to purchase the ones they’ve enjoyed.
All Generations, All People
Sweetness is not for a few, and thus, Obunuzi Restaurant prides in being a place for everyone. Every human being deserves a well-fed mind, in a well-fed body. Imagine minds filled with Obunuzi, and bodies filled with Obunuzi; that’s the world that Obunuzi Restaurant is creating with every meal, every day, with every smile, and every service.
