Nyala African
Level 1, 356 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
03 9419 9128
African
$$
Food
- Kuku Na Nazi
- Nyala Special
- Rice
- Injera
The Good
Nothing.
The Mediocre
The Kuku Na Nazi was akin to any other chicken curry. The chicken within wasn't the juiciest or freshest. However the sauce was well accompanied by the Injera. Spice level was rather toned down for a Western palate.
The Bad
The Nyala Special was downright disappointing. As opposed to having soft, fall-apart and succulent chunks of protein, the beef within was tough, dry, and probably about 5 hours over cooked. Not only did the beef lack in taste or aroma, the sauce itself also lacked depth in flavour, which resulted in a rather bland and generic sensory experience. There was absolutely nothing special about this.
The side of vegetables may as well not been served. Butter baked broccoli and carrots? Which part of this dish is traditional and authentic African?! Are you kidding. I can make this in a microwave.
The cleanliness of the cutlery and dishware left a lot to be desired. Remnants of a previous meal are definitely not what I wan
The Verdict
The spices within each dish have been toned down to a fraction of their original form. The execution was far from perfect, and anyone with a slow cooker can dish up far better slow cooked meats. The food, was far from authentic. The result was a very mediocre meal in all respects.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Given the increasing choices in authentic African cuisine, Nyala is far too mediocre to warrant a revisit. They may have been the only 'exotic' cuisine around back when they first opened in 1988, but a lot has changed since then.
The poor food, dirty cutlery, and dated decor. The only reason for their survival may be thanks to the hipsters in Fitzroy.