Kosupa Travel

In my previous article, I introduced you to Sina Village, a place where visitors can experience traditional Ugandan culture and nature. Today, I’ll share my evening adventures dining with the local youth in the area.

Exploring Mpigi Town

As evening approached, I ventured into Mpigi with some of the young village residents. Mpigi is a small town just a five-minute motorcycle ride from Sina Village. We caught one of the motorcycle taxis (boda boda) parked in front of the village and squeezed three people onto it for our journey into town.

Mpigi features various establishments including supermarkets, restaurants, and bars. We decided to save the bars for later and check out the supermarket first.

Visiting a Local Supermarket

Patrick led me to explore a local supermarket. The products were quite different from what you might find in Western supermarkets. While I was intrigued by the variety of unfamiliar breads on display, Patrick advised against buying too much since dinner would be served back at Sina Village.

Instead, Patrick recommended I try some locally produced Ugandan yogurt for breakfast the next day. It’s apparently very popular among locals, so I decided to buy one.

The supermarket offered a wide variety of products including vegetables, fruits, rice, flour, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, condiments, snacks, and beverages. One notable characteristic was that everything was quite affordable by international standards.

Trying the Famous Ugandan “Rolex”

After leaving the supermarket, we spotted a street vendor with a sign that read “Rolex.” Patrick quickly jumped in with the classic joke: “In your country, Rolex might mean a watch, but here in Uganda, it means this!”

As it turns out, Rolex is a beloved Ugandan street food that’s considered a must-try for tourists visiting the country. I decided to order one, and watched as the vendor skillfully prepared it.

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While I unfortunately missed getting a photo of my own Rolex, it’s essentially a chapati wrap filled with an omelet and vegetables – quite filling even with just one portion. Interestingly, unlike some other African cuisines, Ugandan food tends to be mild rather than spicy. The typical ingredients include eggs, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, and carrots. It’s a very approachable dish that would appeal to most international palates.

Enjoying Traditional Ugandan Dinner at Sina Village

After finishing our Rolex, we returned to Sina Village. By this time, night had fallen and it was dinner time. I had heard we would be having traditional Ugandan home cooking, so I hurried to the dining hall with anticipation.

Patrick guided me to the village dining hall, where dozens of village residents had already gathered. Everyone lined up with their plates to receive food from the serving staff, cafeteria-style.

The meal served was beautifully simple and traditional: seasoned rice, mashed plantains, and stewed beans with salt. While it might seem basic to those used to more elaborate cuisines, it was exactly the authentic local experience I was hoping for. The mashed plantains were particularly interesting – they have a unique texture that takes some getting used to, but I enjoyed every bite of this nutritious meal.

The young residents of Sina Village were clearly accustomed to this fare. Given their robust health, it’s clear these traditional dishes provide excellent nutrition.

Final Thoughts

Today, we explored the rural town of Mpigi and tried the local street food specialty “Rolex” with the youth from Sina Village. Street food is indeed one of the best ways to experience local culture, and the Rolex is definitely a must-try dish when visiting Uganda.

After dinner, we headed to a nightclub in Mpigi to try “Waragi,” Uganda’s famous distilled spirit. If you’re interested in learning more about my experience drinking Waragi with local youth, you can check out my previous article about it.