Zanzibar food; Mombasa meaning

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

   Greetings from Zanzibar.  This place has a Havana feel to it.  It seems like nothing has been built here in the past 50 years.  The tiny library has no computers and old books.  The one cookbook (I was looking for old books here) I was shown was the one I had just bought.  So it looks like any real research on the food of this region of the world will have to wait until I get back home to the NYPL and Library of Congress.


MOMBASA--My Fort Jesus tour guide said that there was a miscommunication with the Portuguese when they asked what the name of the place was.  The response was something like "Mombasa"--"I don't understand what you're saying."  I've heard similar stories with other placenames.  I haven't checked "Mombasa" in a web search yet.

DINERS DHOW FOR COASTAL DISHES--Masala chips, Chicken tikka kebabs, minced pizza, mishikaki.  (From a Mombasa restaurant sign--ed.)

AFRICAN DISHES--Mitaha, Sima, Ndundira mkindani.  (From other signs in Mombasa--ed.)

TALK CARD--"Calling Card" in Mombasa.

  SIGNS FOR THESE VARIOUS ITEMS IN MOMBASA:
KITENGE
KHANGAS
KIKOYS
KILIM
PILI PILI BEDS
SWAHILI BEDS
TSAVORITE
ZANZIBAR CHESTS, BENCHES, DINING-TABLES
LAMU CHESTS, BEDS, COFFEE TABLES
MAKONDES  (OED?--ed.)


   _ZANZIBAR FOOD_

_DOLPHIN GARDEN RESTAURANT_
BOLOGNESE ARABIATA (CABONARA)
STEAK--PEPPER/GARLIC/MISHIKAKI
MSETO--rice and green lentils with fish in coconut sauce
SAMAKI WA KUPAKA--grilled whole snapper covered in coconut sauce
CHUKUCHUKU
OCRA (lady's finger)

_FANY'S RESTAURANT_
ZANZIBAR CHICKEN PINEAPPLE PIZZA--t-sauce, chicken, pineapple, green pepper, cheese
Traditional Zanzibar Breakfast--Maandazi or Chapati

_THE AFRICA HOUSE HOTEL_
PILI-PILI CRAB--fresh crab sauteed in garlic, chilli and Zanzibari spices
MISHIKAKI (succulent fish, beef or chicken kebabs)
PESTO ALLA ZANZIBARI--fresh basil and garlic
TOASTED--toasted sandwich with your choice of filling
KATLERI--potato croquettes filled with your choice of meat, vegetables or fish and served with pili-pili sauce (OED for "pili-pili"?--ed.)
VEGETABLE OR MEAT SAMBUSA
CHUKUCHUKU YA KUKU NA WALI--chicken casserole cooked to a traditional recipe
MBATATO NYAMA--delicious Zanzibari dish of meat, potatoes and spices

_DHOW RESTAURANT_
PRAWN KEBABS PILI PILI
(Salad) TRADITIONAL KACHUMBARI
(Dessert) TRADITIONAL "KAIMATI" IN CARDAMOM SYRUP

_SERENA HOTEL RESTAURANT_
ZANZIBARI PIZZA--finely ground beef delicately filled into a spicy dough served with kachumbari
PASTA MDELE--tossed with spring vegetables or Queen prawns
   Appetizers
CHILLED CHICKEN TIKKA SERVED ON A BED OF GREENS
LENTIL AND POTATO BHAJIA WITH GREEN CHUTNEY
SMOKED SAILFISH PANCAKE WITH TAMARIND AND COCONUT SAUCE
   Soup
SWAHILI SEAFOOD CONSOMME WITH MILD CHILLIES, CORIANDER AND LEMONGRASS
   Spice Island Specialties
GRILLED BABY EGGPLANT MASALA
ZANZIBARI VEGETABLE LASAGNA
KAMBA CHUKU CHUKU--steamed tiger prawns in ginger-wine and Zanzibari "pot pourri"
KUKU WA KUPAKA--grilled half spring chicken simmered in coconut and exotic spices
CHILLED MARINATED ROCK LOBSTER SIZZLED IN COCONUT, TURMERIC AND CORIANDER
DUCK BREAST FILLED WITH DATES AND NUTS SET ON A PEPPERED CRANBERRY SAUCE
   Desserts
CARROT HALWA WITH SPICY ICE CREAM
APPLE RINGS COATED WITH CINNAMON SET ON VANILLA AND CARDAMOM SAUCE
SWEET POTATO PIE WITH A SCOOP OF BUNGO ICE-CREAM

_LA FENICE RESTAURANT_
   _Menu Swahili_
SUPA YA BOGA--pumpkin soup
CHICKEN MASALA
SEMBE KWA MCHUZI WA NYAMA--beef and vegetables stew with sembe (maize flour)
PWEZA ZANZIBAR--octopus with coconut sauce and Swahili spices
PILAU YA SAMAKI KWA KACHUMBARI--spice rice and fried king fish
NDIZI MBICHI YA NAZI KWA SAMAKI--green banana with fish in coconut sauce
JAHUZI CICALE (with spinach)--lobster
DESSERT SWAHILI--sweet banana in coconut and spices sauce