ComFood – Feel-Good Food for the Community

Category: Eating Out

Written by Husen Fulhu

Though I try to be in the know when it comes to dining out, the existence of this bite-sized café on Burevi Magu eluded me till quite recently. I only came across it because a friend wanted to meet a friend there.

“Com food?” I asked.

“Yes, haven’t you been?” He seemed genuinely surprised. “It’s near Raalhugandu.”

I told him I’d avoided Raalhugandu since the whole bridge business began.

“Great place to unwind, good coffee, good prices,” he said.

On my first visit, I just had a cup of tea. Nothing particularly impressive but the waitstaff was so friendly I wanted to drop by again.

So, this time, I go during lunch hour. Right now, you won’t be able to get to ComFood directly in a taxi because of roadworks. But don’t be daunted, it’s just a short walk from the Ooredoo outpost on Majeedhee Magu, near the artificial beach.

Photo: Mariyam Nilu

First impressions matter, but I value second impressions a tad more. I love their wooden signboard; a funky blue one shaped like a sperm whale. It hangs cheerfully from a piece of driftwood, a happy sea-mammal welcoming you to this little café. I think it says something about the kind of people these guys are. Fun-loving, imaginative, thoughtful.

There’s a concrete and glass counter with the day’s offerings scribbled on the pane. A guy stands behind the glass to take your order and that’s pretty much the whole enterprise. They bring in the food from elsewhere.

Photo: Husen Fulhu

I order a boava wrap, a valhoamas wrap, and a passionfruit drink. These set me back by about 120 MVR. Mint!

I take my food over to the goalhi by the café, part of its premises. It’s one of those quaint Male’ goalhis with colourful walls and potted plants running along its side. What’s missing is a sandy floor; the ground is paved. It’s so pretty, though, reminding me of old-school Male’ and my childhood, when we’d run barefoot in places not too different from this.

With these thoughts, I sit on the bench and bite into my boava wrap. It’s shaped like a keemiya, just a bit bigger. Though there’s a little faru taste, which you sometimes get with seafood, it’s not too strong, the boava isn’t rubbery and I really, really like the spicy tomato-based sauce.

Now for the valhoamas wrap. It’s more like a big masroshi but it’s good and easy to eat. Tastes like seeni sambol, so you’ll love it if you’re into that Sri Lankan treat. An interesting and enjoyable take on valhoamas, to say the least.

To wash it down, the passion fruit juice. It’s simple, fruity, not sugary and there’s plenty; perfect for a hot afternoon. I sip at a very leisurely pace, drinking up not just my beverage but also the ambiance, which is utterly unlike anything you’ll find at a café here in the city.

Meanwhile, some old surfer friends drop by and we have a little chat. This is kind of their hangout now, with Raalhugandu beyond their reach. And I meet the café’s owner, Ahmed Abdul Azeez (Ammaday), a young man who seems pretty chilled out.

“ComFood is about easy, feel-good food that won’t hurt your wallet,” he explains, telling me they opened in March this year.

“So far, we’ve been doing quite well,” he adds. “So well that we’re going to open up a new place very soon.”

For now, the café is frequented by the surfer community, the people in the neighbourhood and tourists. But this little gem deserves to be known by all. So, the next time you feel like having something cool, cheap and local – think. Think how nice it will be to sit with a valhoamas wrap on a bench in a bright little goalhi, getting old-Male’ feels in the company of pretty potted plants. ComFood is a place where you can be by yourself and not feel alone. You’ll be part of a community that values good food, good vibes, and of course, having a good time.

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