This restaurant closed on 29 November 2020. Thanks for the memories!
Satisfying East African Indian meals and a wide range of deep-fried snacks
Outside of Ethiopia and Zanzibar, East Africa doesn’t have great food. It’s a good thing Indian migrants arrived and diversified the food landscape away from overdone boiled and grilled meats. They settled along the coast of Kenya and Tanzania, adopted local produce and created a variant of Indian cuisine. You can sample this sub-cuisine at Chakula Hut on the outskirts of East York.
Although the focus is on East African Indian food, they also offer some traditional Tanzanian and Kenyan treats like mandazi (doughnuts). Also look out for their weekend specials.
The food
One such weekend treat was naryal vaaro mogo (coconut cassava) with beef. Mogo is the Swahili term for cassava/yuca. The mogo was boiled and mashed with coconut milk and spices. Chunks of beef were added, resulting in a hearty lunch stew that is unlike anything in other cultures. It’s a cross between khichdi and coconut curry.
I liked that there were still some chunks of mogo that were not mashed down. It added textural complexity. It was a mild tasting dish, with coconut lingering in the background. My only criticism is that the beef could be more tender.
Chakula Hut is set up for takeout. There are just 4 seats. It’s like a cafeteria where everything on sale is displayed. The mainstays are deep-fried snacks and there is a wide range to choose from. Grilled meats are prepared on order. They also have a small selection of mithai (Indian sweets) on an adjacent counter.
Packaged foods occupy one corner of the tiny restaurant. A rack of Thai spices seemed out of place.
The place
Chakula Hut is at the back of a strip mall near the Golden Mile. It’s overshadowed by the Frog and the Crown Bar.
Floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the interior in natural light, but it’s not a place to linger. There are only 2 cafe tables directly opposite the counter. Like its subtext says, Chakula Hut is a place for take out.
Verdict
Cheap, cheerful, classic East African Indian food. Great for takeout if you are in the neighbourhood or looking to try a different cuisine. 7/10.
Practical information
- Name
- Chakula Hut
- Rating
- 7/10
- Recommended dishes
- Coconut mogo
Kari kebab - Prices
- Coconut mogo with beef: $8.50 ($7.50 excluding tax)
East African chicken biryani: $9.30 ($8.25 excluding tax)
Shish kebab (mishkaki) x 2: $8.20 ($7.25 excluding tax)
Kari kebab: $1.45 ($1.30 excluding tax) - Address
- 1871 O’Connor Drive
- Hours
- Tuesday to Saturday 1100h – 1900h
Sunday 1100h – 1700h - Date of visit
- November 2019