08/17/17
Wow... I almost cried at this meal. I've been going to Uganda since 2012 and it holds a special place in my heart, so when I searched for "African restaurant" on Google Maps and a Kenyan restaurant called "The Palace International" popped up, I checked out their menu and immediately knew that I had to go.
I can't describe how awesome it felt just being here. It really felt like an East African restaurant. Everything on the menu was quintessentially African. They had samosas (delicious little meat pies) and even chapati (their tortilla style bread). But these paled in comparison to the main course.
I ordered the Dovi Chicken mainly because it has groundnut (what they call peanuts) sauce and I absolutely love that stuff. It was the best meal that I have had during my short time in North Carolina so far. And obviously, I'm totally biased towards this style because it has a lot of meaning to me. But the combination of flavors was just awesome. Groundnut sauce is essentially a peanut butter sauce which they make (here at least) with, from what I could tell, a tomato-curry sauce mix. The perfectly cooked chicken was absolutely drowned in it and it was killer. Like...probably the best pairing since Stockton and Malone. The chicken, which is marinated overnight in tropical juices, was fantastic on its own. It was very juicy and flavorful. But I could write a 10 page essay of adjectives trying to describe the dish as a whole. The sweetness of the peanut flavor paired with the savory-sweetness of the curry on top of the savory flavors of the chicken was magical; a dream team. It also came with a side of sweet potatoes which was the best complement to this dish that I can think of. They were also perfectly cooked, firm outside and soft inside, and were a great taste to have alongside the savory and slightly spicy flavors of the Dovi Chicken. I can honestly say that I have never had a chicken dish that I've enjoyed more than this. For many reasons, but more than anything because it's so freaking tasty. This was immediately inducted into my Hall of Fame and I will definitely be visiting the Palace regularly.