I always expect better from Esella 

Famed for work retreats, Esella Country hotel in Najjeera can sometimes falter to deceive.

Just like their occasional visiting good customer care (staff can have the worst ‘I don’t care’ attitude on their bad days), the food can be good at times and terrible other times.

The Ugandan-themed buffet is charged Shs 30,000 per plate with a ‘complimentary’ soft drink. They may call it a buffet, but it is far from that as the staff jealously guard – literally cowling over – the chicken, fish and meat chafing dishes, never allowing a diner to serve to their wishes.

The chicken and fish are also cut into the tiniest pieces you can ever imagine. Even then, within minutes, these dishes will run empty and there will be reluctant half-refills before eventually running out irrespective of the number of remaining diners.

The chicken pieces can easily pass off as meat pieces while the meat pieces (very fresh from the butchery) are cut as if they were meant for broth.

The groundnut paste – on all the times I have tried it – is light and loose, burnt and not well salted. The Irish potatoes are always perfect and so are the vegetables and salads. The kalo (millet bread) is made with the Tooro finesse and is one of the food items you will definitely enjoy at Esella. The beans… the least said about them the better.

But if you are into boiled cassava, I don’t know whether they have their own garden or use the same supplier, but it is always fresh and smooth. Good luck with the sweet potatoes though. For dessert, it is no more than pineapples and watermelons, which you will definitely miss if you come 30 minutes into lunchtime.

fkisakye@observer.ug