Chic ambiance, great dishes

Today, Café Javas has firmly established themselves as the first café come casual dining place of choice for any most lover of great ambiance and first class service. Some of us recall the first Café Javas on Bombo Road, a decade or so ago and how many people would have known that several years, today there are several branches in Kampala and one in Entebbe. 

Recently we had lunch at Café Javas on Oasis Mall and we are happy to report that no matter how busy they are, your orders are taken promptly and served anywhere between five to 10 minutes. Unquestionably, the decision to set up a central kitchen several years ago was a wise and well thought idea which ensures that certain foods are prepped in advance and delivered to each unit at the crack of dawn. Kudos to the Café Javas directors for having the foresight to think about setting up a central kitchen while they were still in infancy. 

However, setting up a kitchen of that sort does not come cheap and needs to be justified by the number of outlets which are to be catered. For those who are not au fait with that particular kitchen, a central kitchen is a common space owned by restaurants that have multiple branches or locations. It is used to prepare parts of a meal or even complete meals which are then packaged and distributed to the various locations. 

A case in point are chips which for optimum results are twice fried before being served. With the advantage of the central kitchen, the first frying is done at the base and then they are distributed to the different outlets where the final finishing is done. Rice is another item that is prepped in the central kitchen, not to mention pizza bases, vegetables et al. 

Another great advantage of the central kitchen is the purchasing being centralized and studies have shown that restaurants can save a good 10 per cent  in savings by buying all the required food inputs in bulk.

Last but not least, given the huge cost of premium space in Kampala, the kitchen for any restaurant would require considerably less space inasmuch as they would not be required to cook as much from scratch. The corollary to this advantage is that one has more dining space which means more revenue for the restaurant. 

Recommends

For starters we highly recommend the mixed platter of samosas with spring rolls which can be combined with chicken, beef or vegetables. The secret to great samosas and spring rolls, filling aside, is the phyllo pastry which very few establishments have learnt or appreciate. Café Javas have mastered the game and you can never be let down with these much loved iconic savouries. 

The main course and our teen age son could not resist the large pizza which is legendary for its generous cheese and first rate pizza base plus the toppings.  As for fellow trencherman, she opted for the chicken wings with masala chips which as always is generous and the chicken wings were nicely seasoned.  I was content with my Cajun fish fillet served with brown rice. 

Verdict

When it comes to dessert I am a sucker for their chocolate fudge which is always rich in chocolate and flavour. The red velvet is another favourite for many and do not be shy to order same. 

The Café Javas brand has become a permanent feature of the Ugandan setting and can only get better and today they stand unrivalled in their genre of food and beverage.