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Mercado Central - Pemba

Pemba, my absolute favorite city in the province of Cabo Delgado, but also the most expensive! It's not easy having expensive taste but every once in a while you can find great things at very low prices…if you know where to look. Such is the amazing Mozambican food at Mercado Central in the baixa (downtown) area of Pemba. It's easy to get to and you can see & experience the liveliness of a northern bazaar (market). Amongst all the capulana, calamidades & electronic lojas there is a part of the market strictly for food, a kind of food court of sorts brimming with cultural charisma rather than capitalist attempts of immitation. This area isn't huge but it fits about 5 to 6 different little kiosk type restaurants that all pretty much serve the same menu. This Mozambican medley consists of white rice, matapa (similar to collard greens), beans, salad & your choice of fried fish, grilled chicken, fried squid or stewed beef. Sharing is a big thing in Mozambican culture, up here in the Northern provinces mostly everything is shared... And I mean everything... But food is what is shared the most! In most small food kiosks the option of sharing a big plate of food is very common & you'll see most Mozambicans do it since it comes out to be the cheapest option. One large plate for two people is about 250 mtz and a solo plate comes out to 150 mtz. Now the prices are very low but the food per serving size is not for the faint of heart. In Mozambican culture eating small portions is weird to be honest; the idea of dieting isn't really a thing. This makes sense when you consider how much a normal day for an average Mozambican is filled with such extreme physical activities; being a very agriculturally predominant country. En fin, if you're looking for a cheap yet delicious food coma come to Mercado Central & if you're lucky, as I was today, you'll even be able to find a perfectly ripe avocado to accompany your meal! It's the small stuff that counts, happy eating! :D

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556 Restaurant - Pemba

Restaurante 556… Oh what a paradise to be found. This place is a pork heaven for any and all pork lovers who find themselves wandering in Pemba, the provincial capital of Cabo Delgado. If you’ve done any research what so ever on the country (which any mindful & straight up smart person would do before traveling anywhere!) you’d know that the northern part of Mozambique is predominantly Muslim. What does this mean to any pork aficionado? It means pork meat of any kind is scarce and very difficult to come by, let alone for it to be actually good when you do come across it. This lovely South African restaurant/bar is situated in between the main hospital in Pemba & the industrial port of the city. Once you walk in you immediately forget you’re in Mozambique, having a western pub vibe which includes local beers on tap. The restaurant is divided in two areas, the bar section which is also the smoking area and a separate dining area. While enjoying an amazing meal, you can also enjoy a marvelous view of the Pemba Bay (go around sunset, it’s stunning and a bit romantic 😉).

The menu of this establishment is as breathtaking as the view, with a wide variety of high quality options from the aforementioned pork, chicken tenders, burgers, you name it. Yes I’ll be upfront, eating here will cost you a pretty penny, so it’s definitely a great choice if you’re in a “treat yo self” kind of mood but rest assured that after the first bite, money will be the furthest thing from your mind. We loved this place so much that during a 2 week period we ate there 3 times; we were hooked to say the least.

During our visits a couple of items from the menu were sampled, these were:

Pernil de Porco Fumado - I was literally dying and found heaven with this dish! Pernil is the hind part of the pig, mainly around the leg and thigh area. This miraculous cut of meat is amazingly seasoned, smoked and slow cooked to perfection. The meat literally falls off the bone, no knife is necessary. Being Hispanics, our pork standards run extremely high; this baby met all the qualifications for suckling deliciousness in our book! I would have to admit that my favorite part of was the crunchy chicharrón (Spanish word for crunchy pork skin) and the piri piri, Mozambican hot sauce, they give you on the side made it all come together, a pairing made in paradise. I personally ordered the pernil with a side of salad and tomato rice that made me feel like I was not missing out on my traditional Puerto Rican Christmas meal; you can also order it with a side of fried potatoes which were exceptionally crunchy, completely different to how Mozambicans fry theirs! In short this meal made me feel like I was back in the magical realm that is the Caribbean, amazing pork, great beer & just an overall laid back ambiance.  

MZN 700.00

Entrecosto de Porco – Racks on racks on racks of ribs! These bad boys have a very hearty amount of meat on each succulent rib and the serving size is anything but conservative. Can be picked to be smoked or not but either way hearts will be popping out of your eyes like something out of the Looney tunes. These ribs are prepared in a way that crisps the outer edges while leaving the deeper meat juicy and full of flavor. Can be chosen with the same option of sides as the pernil so it’s dealers choice on which culinary adventure to take. Honestly a barbeque dish unlike any other that I’ve had in this country thus far.

MZN 650.00

Filete de Porco – Definitely not as much as monster as the pernil, the filete is the epitome of suave and delicious. Very subtle in appearance with 2 to 3 chunks of well seasons pork fillets covered and glazed in this ludicrously good savory meat sauce. It’s a bit more reminiscent of that fancy night out rather than the latin family barbeque associated with the pernil. Every bite will scream of class and specialty while at the end the patron is left with the ability to rally and turn their night a bit more rowdy if they so chose without the sometimes bothersome effects of food “itis” and being short an extra 200 mets.

MZN 550.00

Costeletas de Porco - Obviously you can see that we weren’t joking about our love or appetite for pork. For the individual with a more level head when it comes to that savory swine the pork chops are an excellent choice. Two thick and meaty chops seasoned in a traditional South African barbeque style make for a great lunch or dinner that won’t have you glued to your seat clutching your stomach and begging for the sweet release of death.

MZN 550.00

Hamburger de Bife/ Galhina – We have ranted and raved about the pork preparation at the wonderful 556 but it is here that we draw the line. 556 takes the cake in regards to their Carnes menu, no doubt about it in our eyes. But when it comes to the burgers at this establishment we found them to be wanting heavily. Maybe it was because of the pork that we held the entire menu in such high esteem but now we know for sure. The beef burger is quite a large serving on some toasted bread slices, decked with the classic lettuce onions and tomatoes. Where the thing unravels is at the beef patty. Instead of one thick slab of ground meat, it’s a pounded up conglomeration of mince meat that just doesn’t do the archetypical burger justice. Taste lacks in being savory and the texture of it just crumbles and falls apart sadly, making for a very sad ordeal halfway thru the meal. The chicken burger is a little better in the sense that it will actually stay intact as you eat it but although very well breaded, the chicken meat reminds you of those cheap chicken pattys that were always ever so popular during middle school lunches. We love you 556 but if you’re jonesing for a good burger 556 is not the place for you (but Sail Café probably is)

MZN 400.00

Tiras de Galinhas – Fucking amazing! As an entrée or a starter, these chicken strips will blow your mind back to that awesome diner down the street. No bones, cartilage, or tendons; these strips have nothing but pure well breaded chicken breast that is infused with a pinch of piri piri spice (that can be asked for on the side for you faint hearted patrons). Fried to perfection and paired with the wonderful condiment combination of mayo and ketchup this plate makes for the perfect culinary escape. And if it’s ordered between two people the starter will sometimes be the same as the entrée with a side of salad and fries as well as a hefty portion of strips; the starter will normally be just a handful of strips for larger orders. Odd we know, but as we were lucky enough to reap the benefits of this strange occurrence not too many questions were asked.

Starter MZN 300.00

Entrée MZN 500.00

^^^Pernil Fumado in all its glory with a side of tomato rice

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Sail Café - Pemba

This is one that will undoubtedly keep you second guessing yourself until your seats have been taken. Located way off the beaten path in the city of Pemba, this little nook is, almost expertly, well hidden amidst a foray of factory buildings and hills of dry shrub. Closest point of reference is the industrial port on the Pemba Bay, but even with that in mind you will think you are lost throughout the entire journey. Once there it feels as though another dimension has been breached. The empty rustic surroundings give way to a quaint deli, keep walking through that and the café has been officially found.

Food quality at Sail Café is pretty fucking exquisite to be honest but be prepared to drop at least MZN 400.00 if you want any sort of substantial meal. Burgers range from MZN 360.00 – 420.00, with sandwiches being only marginally cheaper on that spectrum. Menu also includes Salads, Breakfast options, Pastries, and even specialty fruit juices that are mixed in-house, but nothing other than the juice or the pastries drops under the MZN 300.00 mark.

Pricey it may be but when you take your first bite you’ll be begging to sign away your first-born for another. The food also pairs quite nicely with the marvelous view of the Pemba Bay that surrounds you as you dine on such culinary excellence. The café is set up to fully appreciate this view with both a dining and lounge section, I even think you can swim in the bay from there if you really want to, honestly it’s like going to lunch in paradise.

In this little adventure we sampled:

Bacon & Blue cheese Burger – A juggernaut of a burger even by international standards; a lightly toasted bun secures the lettuce tomato and onion along with the thick juicy patty of real ground beef (which is as rare as experiencing a cold day in this country), topped with two pieces of the crispiest bacon I’ve been privileged to have in Moz, and smothered with a sultry layer of real blue cheese so delicious its almost sinful…if you’re into that sort of thing. The plate also includes an above average side of fried potatoes and a little coleslaw salad, which was pretty good coming from someone who has a natural dislike for coleslaw. To literally top it all off, the burger is skewered through to hold not one but two enormous onion rings over it. In the 8 months of living in Mozambique only one burger has crossed my path that outranks this one, but even with that being said, Second place has never tasted so good.

MZN 380.00

Roast Vegetables & Pesto Grilled Sandwich – Vulgarity pressed in-between two toasted bread slices. A perfect pairing of roasted beets, carrots, onions, peppers, and pesto; all glued together with the beautiful adhesive that is melted cheddar and mozzarella. They say size doesn’t matter but this monster of a sandwich did not leave me wanting…let’s just say, satisfaction was acquired. Coming with the same side of fried potatoes and coleslaw as the aforementioned burger, this meal is not for those who are of a faint stomach. It takes more than wide eyes and a watering mouth to finish off this leviathan reminiscent of the super size me culture of Trump supporters. I recommend taking full advantage of the lounge couches after this bad boy.

MZN 340.00

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New Marisqueira Café - Nampula City

Leisurely located near the very well known Ruby's Hostel, New Marisqueira Café is a combination of post colonial vibe & the amazing food that only forced imperialism can provide. Jokes aside, the atmosphere is reminiscent of that old European Café down the block, brimming with the smells and sounds of contemporary Mozambique. Reasonably priced, snacks range from under MZN 100.00 for sandwiches & pastries to about MZN 400.00 for a full entrée. The menu has an interesting intermingling of traditional Mozambican and Portuguese cuisine. On this particular venture we sampled:

Frango Zambeziano - 1/4 of grilled chicken marinated in a delightful coconut sauce (traditional to the province of Zambezia) with a side of salad, rice, and fried potatoes. MZN 400.00

Frango Shawarma Sandwich Completo - Decent sandwich decked with the usual lettuce onion and tomato also accompanied by my source of protein for the day, chicken prepared á la shawarma and a fried egg to top it all off. Also with a side of fried potatoes worthy of any meal with “completo” at the end. MZN 250.00

Sande de Ovo - your typical tasty egg sandwich on “pan criollo” as we call it in P.R. full of all the nutrients that any starving volunteer is desperate for! MZN 90.00