Bored of seeing usual menu card in the restaurants and the usual decor? How about the ambience of an African jungle? Towards this and add to the enjoyment of eating outside Barbeque Nation has launched its "Hakuna Matata" African food festival across its nine outlets in the city.
"Every second or third month, we do some food festival to break the monotony of the restaurant. We change the usual look of the restraunt to make it more refreshing for the guests," Suraj, business manager with Barbeque Nation, told IANS.
"Hakuna matata" is a Swahili phrase meaning "no worries." "The festival menu is only available for dinner and for the Sunday lunch," he said.
"In the recent times, we have done events like the Persian Food Festival, Seafood Festival and Grand Trunk Road Food Festival. Each time we the change decor to match with the theme of the festival," Suraj noted.
This is the second consecutive year that the restaurant chain has organised an African food festival in Delhi. In 2010, it had organised a similar festival in Bangalore.
There are four African starters in the menu, three African dishes in the main course and two African desserts.
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"Apart from regular food, these African dishes are being liked by customers," Suraj said. Dishes like Chicken Malay Sosatie - triangle shaped chicken cooked in African style or Waka Waka Tofu - soya paneer in waka waka sauce or Fish in African Peanut Sauce or Prawns Al Jambalaya are a hit.
"We have seen atleast 10-15 pecent increase in footfalls after this festival started," he said, adding that each restaurant's interiors have undergone a makeover to give customers an African feeling.
The lights were dimmed and lots of bamboo shoots and thatches are used to give it a "jungle-lke" ambience. Even the main gate of the restaurant is covered with green leaves.
"Our staff uniforms have also been changed and they are wearing tiger stripe shirts. They are also dancing to the tune of African songs twice during the dinner time.
The restaurants are also offering long African caps to the guests, which they can wear while dining just to add to the ambience.FAQs:
Prices: Buffet vegetarian - Rs.742 per person
Buffet non-vegetarian - Rs. 866 per person
Menu:
Fish In African Peanut Sauce
Moroccan Harare soup
African chicken soup
Jerk Caribbean Mushroom
Waka Waka Tofu with Tangy Sauce
Cajun Spice Potato
Fattoush Salad
Leafy salad
Coleslaw Salad
Kimchi Salad
Prawns Al Jambalaya
Chicken Malay Sosatie
Hakuna Matata Seekh
Dessert
Orange Africana
Saibariyan Dessert
(Aparajita Gupta can be contacted at aparajita.g@ians.in)