Yet another tick for Café Javas

The triumphant march of Uganda’s Café Javas (CJ) into Kenya’s once-frosty food scene must be giving founder Omar Mandela the kind of quiet business satisfaction that only a well-seasoned restaurateur can savour.

Today, CJ counts 10 outlets in Kenya (seven in Nairobi, two in Mombasa, and a freshly minted branch in Lavington) – edging past its home base of nine in Uganda (eight in Kampala and one in Entebbe).

For a brand that cut its teeth in Kampala’s café culture, overtaking the mother market is more than a numerical victory; it’s a statement of culinary intent. Mandela himself has often hinted that such success demands a restless creativity, innovation on tap, with a new menu indulgence and changeover every three or four months. Enter the latest temptation: deep-fried breaded fish fingers.

Presented as a regiment of seven golden batons, each finger is cloaked in a crisp, bronzed breadcrumb armour that shatters gently under the bite to reveal tender, pearly flakes of fish within.

They arrive with a silky tartar sauce, whose tangy creaminess provides the perfect counterpoint to the fish’s warm crunch, and a bright coleslaw that adds a cooling, cabbage-kissed crunch of its own.

Diners can choose the classic fries for the purist, Mexican rice for a hint of fiesta, buttery mash for the comfort-seekers, or plain steamed rice for the minimalist.

Like many of CJ’s celebrated creations, the thrill of discovery gradually softens with familiarity. After three or four indulgences, the magic taste settles into comfort rather than surprise.