Ni ladha. 27 Gem Str. By Csar Hernndez.

In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lions sleep tonight, and going out to get a hint of the
real savannah's flavors couldn't be more appealing. Ni ladha, a recently opened ethnic-food
restaurant, located by the central train station, presents a wild, albeit refreshing taste - in a
classy presentation -. Naasir Idi Ladha, born in the former Republic of Zambia and owner
of the restaurant, states: I wanted to bring the flavors that reminded me of my hometown -
the struggling of my family in my early years- to a new environment, an environment
where business are made. There is no doubt that Ladha has comewhelmed a long way,
before becoming the mind behind the pot and the creator of what he calls: "home concept-
made food"; although it is not really clear what ithe means, it is clear that Ladha, a
professional graphic designer, has thought of it all.
Behind the giggling, voices and dishes noises, the restaurant has an is themed with the
invigorating sound of the African balafons, the dun dun drums, and djembe hand drums;
Ladha defends that "a person can't have the real taste of Africa, if his food is not
accompanied by her (Africa) music". The tall soft cream colored walls of the place reflect
cleanness and sophistication, smartly decorated with real African paintings and wooden
sculptures, which Ladha assures he has been collecting through many years and are his
personal favorites.
Through the menu, the door to a gastronomic trip experience is open, flavors from north to
south of the continent have been carefully selected, the plates are created while a loud -
French accented- laugh escape once in a while from the kitchen. The result, an impeccably
served fufu accompanied by grilled meat and sauce; simple as it sounds, there is a choice
for the more adventurous palates, a variety of game meats are offered as well, ranging from
warthog to antelope, and the house specialty: crocodile. For the not so perilous diners,
combinations of Mediterranean spices with chicken and vegetables, together with
delicately-prepared sea food, represent a more suitable alternative, without leaving behind
the unique African seasoning.
When the experience is over, there are some people who would think that they wouldshould
have rather traveled to Africa themselves, it is not only because to sit in Ni lahda can cost
up toget to cost some hundred dollars, but also because of the warmth and good service
they offer, making you feel as if you were a guest of some kind of African palace. Ladha
usually says "I was meant to achieve this, since, if you write my name you will find it
delicious (ni lada means "is delicious" in Swahili)", he had tryed to design a complete
experience, and he actually did. (Open from 10 A.M. to 11 P.M. daily. Entre $45-$80)
Formatted: Highlight
Comment [c1]: Open?
Comment [c2]: Good paragraph
Very good, Be careful your pronouns.you have some verbs with no pronoun, like in
Spanish.