Harriet James @harriet86jim
“Tunachoma samaki, kuku, kamba, tuko na kila kitu. Everything here is waka waka, jifurahie mwenyewe (We roast fish, chicken, prawns and everything else. Everything here is red hot, so enjoy yourself),” said Msee Waka Waka as he turned the prawns and toasted the bread on a barbecue grill.
His team was right beside him — assistant chefs, interns and servers — waiting for customers’ orders to be prepared.
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It was a hot afternoon in the coastal resort town of Watamu. We were famished and keen to find a place where we could indulge in coastal delicacies.
We had spent the morning cruising the deep waters on a speedboat for a glimpse of dolphins, an amazing activity to enjoy here. Just when we were thinking about lunch, our tour guide, Captain Yuri, took us to Waka Waka Island, which has an incredible restaurant.
We alighted from the boat and as we began walking to the eatery, the aroma of roasted seafood filled the air. A welcoming party —a troupe of traditional dancers — were preparing to dance for us despite the heat. A friend and I began taking selfies and photos as the other guests selected seats under the makuti roof shade.
The sand was so hot that I felt the heat through my sandals. Yuri watched me hop to my seat and laughed. “One of the reasons this place is called Waka Waka is because of the heat,” he said.
Away from the heat, a cool breeze blew on our faces. After a briefing on what the restaurant was all about and what was on offer, it was time for starters, which turned out to be coconut rice with octopus stew!
Pweza in Kiswahili. I had never tried anything like that as I am used to tomato or pumpkin soup for starters. Frankly, I am not keen on starters as they make you full before the main deal, regardless of the portion’s size.
I once had a chance to watch how this marine animal is caught in Zanzibar. Pweza live in salty water, particularly in coral reef and fishermen employ sharp, pointed iron rods to stab the mollusk before using a hooked rod to pull it out. I had watched them beat the octopus against a hard surface just to soften the meat, a painful sight to watch.
“Pweza is a preferred delicacy at the East African coast, where many believe that it can cure impotency,” Yuri said as my friend and I tucked in. We laughed to brush off his tip, keen to clear the dish.
Next, the main meal arrived, based on different orders. The waiter first brought fish lobster and prawns on a sinia and everyone picked as much as they wanted. It smelt delicious on plate and in my mouth, so I asked for seconds.
Unforunately, a partner couldn’t handle the taste of the prawns and one was even allergic to them. One man’s meat is another man’s poison! She began itching profusely, which worried everyone, but she just added the wali wa nazi and roasted chicken and all was well.
They also served us roasted bread as well. I hesitated, wondering how toasted bread goes with the seafood, but then I just went along and ate with the others. Afterwards, Waka Waka expresso was served, which comprised lemon, ginger and roasted coffee, which I didn’t try out.
Hot coffee in a hot afternoon was not my cup of tea, so I settled to watch the traditional dancers – the oldest being 56 years old— shake their waists as they belted out Giriama tunes. They sang about harvests, which we enjoyed as they interchanged with the male dancers.
It was impressive watching the wazungu tourists attempt to dance despite having two left feet. Prepared to exit, we thanked our hosts by tipping them and clapping. And since I buy souvenirs whenever I travel, I treated myself to one.
