Around the World in 7 Days

The festive season is around the corner and with international travel still somewhat sketchy, 2021 was another year – hopefully the last – in which my wanderlust will have to be quenched by Windhoek’s destination restaurants and international eateries. If you close your eyes, chew slowly and savour the experience, here are seven city spots to taste the world in 7 days.

MONDAY

Mondays in Bangkok have the hustle of New York. Business is back on, although in truth, it never left. The traffic is thick, the aircon is arctic and the city’s wealth of delicious street vendors tease a smorgasbord of street food. In Windhoek, a taste of Thailand can be found at Cassia Thai Restaurant where your Tom Yam Goong, Pad Thai Gai and mango sticky rice dreams can become a transportive reality. Summon the land of smiles at Hidas Centre.

TUESDAY

A squeeze of lime and a flourish of fresh cilantro, what a thing to imagine Mexico. Though my dreams of visiting Frida Kahlo’s iconic Casa Azul must wait for a time less riddled with the plague, a local taste of Mexico is easily and perhaps obviously enjoyed on Taco Tuesday. Happily, Windhoek has a few options. Café Prestige serves them juicy, by two and filled with slow-roasted brisket. Olivia’s Kitchen will impress you with gorgeous presentation and extras of avocado and crisps and El Tigre shines in their authentic notes of coriander and salsa verde.

WEDNESDAY

A Wednesday in Montmartre is as grand a day as any. The Sacré-Coeur blesses each sacred heart. Moulin Rouge spills tourists into the bustling streets and the parade of patisseries and boulangeries is an absolute dream. To get you through the midweek slump, I recommend the marvel of macarons. At Little Paris Patisserie they are as dainty, prettily prepared and flavourful as you please. But if you are a little hungrier, try their French breakfast or filled baguette and end with a cherry and chocolate crêpe or chocolate mousse.

THURSDAY

To conjure New Delhi’s colourful markets, swish of saris and endless exhibition of eats, try Garnish Restaurant’s signature flavours of india. Available for Indian food lovers in Windhoek and in Swakopmund, Garnish’s mutton saagwala never disappoints and I recommend the aloo paratha as a hearty alternative to the popular garlic naan. If there's a sweet spiral of jalebi or their creamy cardamom kulfi anywhere to be seen, dig into the dietary abandon of travel and just do it.

FRIDAY

Small plates and a sexy spot for sundowners is just the ticket for summer in the city. At Isabel’s Table, you can pair a selection of petiscos for a plush taste of Portugal at Windhoek’s vibey The Village. Petiscos are small plates of Portuguese dishes ideal for tasting a variety of items and flavours with friends and family. Imagine sips of port from Porto and picturesque cobbled streets as you wind down here after a long week.

SATURDAY

Saturdays are for sushi and a decadent taste of Japan. Though my first sight of cherry blossoms and a mission to Mount Fuji isn’t currently on the cards, at Daisho Sushi and Wine Bar, one can sip sake and imagine the heady speed of Japan’s famed Shinkansen (bullet train), the beauty and the majesty of Sensō-ji and the absolute inspiration of Tokyo’s street style.

SUNDAY

With Monday about to rear its killjoy head, Sunday is well spent sitting at home and munching on MeatPoint. Namibia’s take on Middle Eastern cuisine, MeatPoint serves dishes from a variety of locales and presents a flavourful feast of shawarma, falafels and their ever-popular beef laffa. Toppings include tabbouleh, Turkish salad, aubergine and matbucha and, for a sweet treat, a square of baklava is instantly uplifting.

Just a wee world tour around our sweet city, this little list is bound to stoke your wanderlust, feed your travel bug and inspire adventure.

Martha Mukaiwa is a columnist and writer based in Windhoek, Namibia in between spirited sojourns around the world. Her narrative nonfiction, personal essays, travel writing and short stories have appeared in Travel Africa, Quartz, Fields & Stations, Holiday, The Africa Report, Truthdig, Matador Network, Africa is a Country, The Namibian & The Kalahari Review. Martha is an honorary writing fellow at the University of Iowa. Read more at marthamukaiwa.com.

Photography: Martha Mukaiwa