Famed for its juicy burgers, this local bistro offers so much more
Things aren't always as they seem; this is especially true when it comes to Maputo. The seemingly modest coastal city is decorated with culinary marvels. I got my hands dirty enjoying some of the finest prawns I've ever had at the humble Maputo Fish Market. Silvia, of Soul Gourmet, made a banana and chia seed bread worthy of the gods. So it broke my heart when she closed her doors in August 2018.
Finding the delicious treasures buried within Mozambique's capital really is like going on a treasure hunt, which is why I was so pleased when - with the help of a renowned local foodie - I happened upon Txhapo Txhapo.
Txhapo means 'fast' in Changane, and perfectly describes how long it took me to fall in love with the charming eatery and its talented chef.
We arrive on a tropical Thursday night with high hopes and hungry bellies. I've reserved a table for three. Myself, my dinner date and a fellow foodie plan to pick each others brains while we peck at plates of food. My goal is to get food blogger Karyn's take on the most underrated and equally overrated restaurants in Maputo. When me and my date arrive, Chef Marcelino takes a break from the busy kitchen to greet us.
"We are your guests. You feed us what you think is best," I assure the Italian-trained chef. With a mischievous chuckle, he says that he is going to start us off with a round of Berry Collins cocktails while we wait for the last member of our party.
My first sip of the gin-based cocktail lasts longer than I'd anticipated. Liquored handsomely, I can identify the bitters but can't seem to put my finger on what gives the drink its distinctive colour and tangy taste.
Karyn arrives while I am investigating my second cocktail. Because social circle are so small here, she shares that she's met Chef Marcelino before. They greet each other and catch up in Portuguese - a language I decide I need to learn if I'm going to be spending as much time in Mozambique as my calendar suggests.
It doesn't take long after Karyn has sat down before a tasting of starters arrive at our table. First, we apportion the grilled eggplant dish onto three separate plates.
My taste buds appreciate the earthiness of the hummus. Creamy but not a shop-bought paste, the chickpea dip provides a delicious foundation for the dish as you cannot eat the aubergine without a smear of hummus on it. The crumbed feta cheese that sits atop the baked aubergine offers all the salt this starter needs. A rocket and red cabbage salad, with a balsamic reduction, add texture and sweetness to the dish.
Next: Teriyaki beef skewers.
Garnished with blades of chives, the succulent beef melts in my mouth. By the end of the skewer, the smiling faces piled into the restaurant make sense. Chef Marcelino has a great appreciation of flavours and commands them onto the plate with skill. Our last starter is a portion of spicy pork ribs.
The charring Chef Marcelino has achieved adds to the depth of flavour cultivated in the seemingly simple dish. Eat bite treats me to the caramelisation of the meat and the heat coming from the spices.
I'm thoroughly impressed. "I told you the food here was good," Karyn teases as I struggle to keep my sobs of pleasure silent. 'Good' doesn't even begin to describe how I'm feeling, and before I attempt to put it into words, our hosts flanks our table. He asks what we might want for the second act of this delicious show he is putting on. Again, I insist, "I'm here to have the best that you have to offer."
Secretly, I'm hoping to try one of the famous Txhapo Txhapo burgers but Chef Marcelino knows his own menu best. Dealer's choice will suit me fine. "You want to try one of the burgers? Maybe the rump bur-," "yes, that one," I say, interrupting him. The other two opt for the salted cod ravioli.
My entrée is the first to arrive, and as we wait for the fishy mains to follow, I try (and fail) to control my salvation. "You can go ahead, no need to wait for us," I hear. I'm ashamed to admit that I don't know who the compassionate voice belongs to but I follow their directive and get started. It's still a little pink on the inside, which suits me just fine. I'm grateful that Chef Marcelino chose to toast the bun because it's catching all the delicious resting juices without making the bottom of my burger soggy.
The succulent burger goes down a treat. The tangy relish keeps a low-profile but has just enough sweetness for the salty rump patty; there's a crunch to the lettuce that's managed to keep composure during the construction of the dish. Not wanting to betray my relationship with fries, I decide to give the crisps a skip. I've never liked them much anyway.
My plate arrived looking like the average burger, but it gave me more than I'd ever expected.
I manage to negotiate a few forkfuls of the salted cod ravioli.
The chef's Italian training comes out in this pasta dish as the ravioli is cooked just how I like it. Al dente certainly isn't for everyone but it's firm to the bite, which is something I appreciate texturally because the cod filling is quite soft and flaky.
The dish lived up to the adjective in its name - which is why I avoided it. The saltiness of the fish coupled with the saltiness in the Parmesan shavings used to finish the dish was a little too much for me. But a squeeze of lemon quickly balanced it out.
Even if I'd wanted to, my body wouldn't allow me to have dessert. It's pretty late but the popular eatery is still buzzing. By now we've moved from cocktails to beers. We thank Chef Marcelino for the wonderful spread he's prepared for us. We've really settled into his hospitality so leaving is the last thing on our minds. We amuse ourselves talking current affairs and gender politics - our spirited debates rambling late into the night.
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If you're thinking if taking a trip to Maputo, I highly recommend that you stay at the award -winning Catembe Gallery Hotel. You'll certainly be glad you did.
There's no point going to this wonderful city if you don't know where to go. Check out my Live Like a Local piece for all the fun activities, must-do restaurants and hidden gems of Maputo.
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