Kafe Utu is a uniquely African café and lounge celebrating the diverse flavors and dishes from a vast and culinary exciting continent, mixed with breakfast, brunch and tapas favorites from around the world. They even sourced for their own furniture and some are even specially handmade. It brings about a very tribal and african ambiance.
Their menu is filled with african dishes with a twist of local flavors yet retaining the beauty of african impression. Good variety of tapas, cocktails, desserts and mains.
Malindi Croquette ($12) – Very unique flavor of croquette, filled with creamy mashy cassava leaves with lingering herby taste. A little picante from the habanero pepeprs kind of brought a different layer of taste to the food.
Roasted Pumpkin Kale Salad ($20) – Very unique kind of salad, crunchy kales with sweet soft pumpkin and caramelized onions. All natural flavors.
Pan Cote Tomate with House Smoked Anchoives & Garlic ($18) – Simple it may looks, but the taste was deceptively amazing! The tomato soup was refreshingly cool and light while the sourdough was like crispy cheese toast with the devil surprise of smoked anchoives that could just blow your mind off in a pleasant or unpleasant way depending how receptive you’re towards smoked anchoives!
Liberian Peanut Chicken Stew ($28) – What makes this dish really stands out is none other than its peanut butter flavor. What really complemented it was the coconut basmati rice, with such fragrance and distinct grains.
West African Charred Aubergine Stew with Angus Beef Cheek ($30) – Another of my favorite! Smokey and well seasoned with herbs and spices where the beef cheeks were so soft and melty in your mouth. Another serving please!
Beef Onglet Skewers – Off the menu specials! The charred beef was so tender and marination was superb. Wrap it with the thin layer of chapati skin and some pickled cucumber and salsa, it’s like a play of some oiliness, crispness and lightness all in that simple wrap. Simply delicious!
Grapefruit Negroni ($16) – Beside off the menu cocktails, they do offer customized cocktails at about $30 odd. Negroni by nature it’s a little bitter but with the grapefruit, the bitterness was intensified but it was a bittersweet kind of taste with hints of grapefruit smell.
The menu was really interesting and the ambiance was very cozy! Definitely a good nights out with great company! Burn to pocket was rather reasonable for the unique dishes, on average it’s about $18 for Tapas and $28 for mains. Best deal is to go with a group of friends, and you can go for variety!
Address: 12 Jiak Chuan Rd, Singapore 089265