Hunger Games: Finding our favorite restaurants in Maputo

Since we both work during the weekdays, we try to go out to eat in the evenings when possible. Dan's office is just a short 5-7 minute walk from the hotel. I work either in the hotel room, in the cafe downstairs, or in the small business center just to change my scenery around when I can. All this means is that we try to go out to eat off the property when we can. We've tried a few restaurants around town so far, but there are still plenty to explore. Luckily, Dan's coworkers here are friendly and kind enough to offer up some recommendations.

Our first night in Maputo we went to Maputo Waterfront. Dan had a seafood rice dish that was a bit like a cioppino. I had some tasty red snapper with potatoes and veggies. The takeaway from the first night was: "oh thank goodness, the wine is better here." Suppose when you're a former Portuguese colony who sticks with the language and culture, the wine ought to be of Portuguese standard as well.

Sunday, we ran some errands... found the local supermarket and got some snacks to have in the room on days when I don't feel like going to the cafe or breakfast buffet. That night, we ate at the cafe downstairs and watched the Cowboys/Packers game on the computer via Slingbox. (And no, we shouldn't discuss Dez Bryant's probably-should-have-been-a-catch-to-likely-win-the-game-but-some-stupid-rule-says-it's-not.)

Monday, we tried a sushi joint that Tripadvisor had dubbed the best sushi in Maputo. Let's just say we hope it's not the best sushi in Maputo. If it is, we will be looking forward to our return to Accra where we have at least two sushi restaurants that are significantly better :)

Tuesday, was our most interesting find. A place called Wine Lovers (right up our alley, right?). A tapas style restaurant with a wide selection of bottles and an extensive menu. Biggest challenge? Servers only speak Portuguese and menu is in Portuguese. So we took a stab at it and ordered a few dishes and some wine and had a nice evening.

On Wednesday, we decided on a more casual vibe and went to Mundo's. It had come highly recommended by Dan's coworker, Driaan. Considering that he's "melanin-deficient" (aka white) and from South Africa, we trust his expat tastes. Upon pulling up in the taxi, we quickly learn that Mundo's is a HUGE, open-air Sports Bar. Way to go, Driaan! So we had some beer and wings and pizza and watched some soccer. I forgot to take pictures that night (whoops) so here's the logo for Mundo's:

Thursday was a quiet night at the hotel restaurant as I had some work that went into the evening and needed to stick close to home.

I'd say there's one major food takeaway so far: everything, and we mean everything, comes with french fries. While that was fun for about 3 days, we are totally sick of them on every level. Thus, one of the first Portuguese phrases we have perfected (along with thank you, good morning, and big bottle of water) is "sin batatas" or "without potatoes". We get some surprised looks for rejecting the fries but it's better for our health in the long run. Looking forward to seeing what else this city has in the gastronomy department. More foodie posts to come, I'm sure since this was only the first week's recap!