Izi Brizi

One day left in Tanzania before we carry on to Cape Town.

We have been too lazy and it has been amazing!! After all the drams in Egypt over eating, Tanzania has been easy breezy!!! One of our fav spots here at Paje is the local goodness. Jonathan and I were just strolling down the beach one day, and we saw this sign in the sand with a menu on it. We decided to walk up to it and check out the spot. The restaurant is a lil off the beach which is a good thing, as when the tide comes in it swallows all the sand with it, practically leaving no space to even walk. The little sand entrance is next to all the fishing net used for their daily catch: string up on wood pillars jammed into the sand. The nets have old flip flops attached to them for floatation. It is a neat image..the blue and green net dotted and sparkled with red, green and yellow flip flops cut in half dripping and draping on sun bleached wood.
Once we have stepped over 2 logs in the white soft sand we are ofically in the dining room of Cham's Restaurant. There are 3 tables with sandy table clothes and kerosene lamps. The chairs are made of sticks and branches that had been wet and stretched so that they curved, and the actual seat and seat back is tight animal hide. The seats freak me out a lil, bit they are the local look everywhere we go. The ground of course is that comfy cozy sand, and when you sit, the chair sinks in as much as you weigh into the softness.
They have a menu at Chams, but after you eat there once, they basically will make you anything you want as long as they can get it. I am not a seafood eater..but I am sure it could not be any fresher than at Chams. The first night we ate there I had a tomato vegetable curry with rice and Lover had a chicken curry. They served Chipati with our meal which is traditionally Indian, but their version is more like fried dough and delectable. The price was right as well..about half the price of any other food here in Paje, and that's including drinks.
At night its completely dark except for the timid glow of the 2 Kerosene lamps, and a flashlight they use in the kitchen. The kitchen is just a white washed coral hut with palm leaf roof, and a small triangle in the wall where the food comes out. On our second night eating there we went by earlier in the day and requested a special meal not on the menu. I was dying to have Wali na maharagwe na michicha {rice with beans and spinach} its a local dish and totally delish. I know it sounds boring, but its not, the spinach is cooked to perfection, and you all know how I love my spinach!! They also serve this dish with a stunning salsa and the chipate which just takes it over the edge of goodness. After an amazing meal and hanging out with Omar, the guy who owns it, I asked if I could look into the kitchen through that silly little triangle.
I was in disbelief. There was practically nothing in there!!! I am serious. There was a woman sitting on the earthen floor who rolls the chipati right there on a metal plate, 2 guys hanging out, one small shelf with some bowls, spices, and really not much else. Oh...and no electricity. None!! They make everything with one measly flashlight!!! The grill is out on the side of the hut. I cannot express to you all how good their food is. I am too happy to be enjoying local goodness, and hanging out with the local people. They are so happy every time we show up, and just sit at our table and hang out with us. We love it! We share english words and phrases with them, and they return the favor with Swahili bits for us. Omar fell in love with my easy breezy and even wrote it down so he would remeber it : Izi Brizi he wrote. Amazing.
ok..more later..
xoxoxoxo
Alicia Claire