The Space is a delight!

Category: Eating Out

Written by Marjan Thuthu

The Space is one of the newest additions to Male’s budding food scene and it’s been a while since I’ve been meaning to drop by.

My friend and I get there around one, very hungry, and just in time for lunch. At the glass door, before we even open it, pops of orange catch my eye. I am no colour pro but I think they call the shade apricot; and I am a sucker for shades of orange.

We step in, it’s cool inside, and I find something else I like, peace lilies, growing in a row behind the seating together with the plant they call ‘kalhu ka’lha.’ With its concrete floors, bare walls and wooden furniture, I have to say The Space is a good looking place.

Jazz music wafts in the air and as we take our seats a waitress brings us the menu. She’s friendly.

I decide on their chummy chicken, an ice vanilla chai latte, and my friend wants to have a margherita pizza.

It didn’t take long for my drink to arrive and The Space scores a point for the metal straw and also because there’s a filtered water option. Seriously, a lot of plastic that we use are just not necessary.

As for the vanilla chai latte, I like that it isn’t sugary or even heavy. There’s a good amount of vanilla flavour, hints of cinnamon too; I think I could use a little more chai in there, but on the other hand I am into drinking really strong teas, so you shouldn’t be trusting me on this one.

My chummy chicken arrives and it’s a looker! Really, just take a look at the picture. Also, it’s the best lunch I’ve had in ages. Here’s why: the rice is flavourful with a good hit of garlic, the salad has radishes and cherry tomatoes in a nice dressing that isn’t overly acidic, and the chicken is succulent. I’ve had my fair share of dry and rubbery chicken breasts and I am always pleased when my chicken is juicy. And the sauce, it’s just damn delicious and tastes like actual mushrooms.

I am preparing to gobble down the last bits of my chicken when my friend’s pizza arrives. My nose picks up on the freshly baked pizza smell and when I sample a slice, I find myself liking it because the crust is slightly crunchy. My friend tells me he thinks it’s pretty good but at that point, for me, nothing can beat my chummy chicken.

We decide to conclude our meal with a brownie; one that we’d share. You can get it with ice cream, but we decide to get it without. And what a wonderful brownie it is. It’s chocolaty; not that sugary kind of chocolaty but the deeper richer kind, it’s got a nice soft centre and the best part of it was the sea salt sprinkles on top because chocolate plus sea salt always equals love.

The meal costs us three hundred and sixty something rufiyaa. Pretty reasonable I think compared to the quality of the food we had. If you haven’t already been to The Space, I do recommend you do it soon. The food’s superb and the place is lovely.

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