Looking for a rainbow from The Rainbow

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Simujinga restaurant is a fairly modern establishmnent located in Victoria Falls. Our travel plans through the resort town meant that we were visiting Simujinga after the breakfast rush and before the lunchtime rush. This gave us an opportunity to sit and relax and enjoy our meal. The restaurant is attached to the Rainbow Hotel, which […]

Simujinga restaurant is a fairly modern establishmnent located in Victoria Falls. Our travel plans through the resort town meant that we were visiting Simujinga after the breakfast rush and before the lunchtime rush. This gave us an opportunity to sit and relax and enjoy our meal. The restaurant is attached to the Rainbow Hotel, which is conveniently situated just on the edge of the town centre.

By Le Connoisseur Victoria Falls is a busy tourist venue and I welcomed the opportunity to remove myself and family from all the tourists touring and tour operators plying their trade.

  Through a set of large windows and French doors, the restaurant overlooks a pool which has the rather unique feature of having a bar built into the side of it; nothing like mixing alcohol and water!

  You cannot actually see the Falls from the restaurant, but there is a set of stairs leading up to a magnificent lookout point from which you can see the spray. I was hoping to see a rainbow, albeit from quite a distance, but the sun was not in the right place, and alas I did not manage to see a rainbow from a Rainbow.

  The restaurant is just off from the reception. Hanging on the walls are some very colourful pictures with a more local flair. At this time the restaurant was empty, and although we could have gone outside by the pool, we decided to sit inside and take advantage of the exclusive treatment.

  We placed our orders and then the kids went exploring. With our timing being slightly irregular, the food did seem to take a little while. The wait was punctuated by the arrival of Fanta Floats for the kids which kept them occupied for a short while.

  The best judge of a family restaurant is the ability to keep children occupied during interludes. The lookout and pool area just managed to hold their interest and curiosity long enough for the food to arrive. My partner and I enjoyed our meals while the kids ate theirs which is always a bonus!

  The setting and food was pleasant enough and I had no complaints with our waitress, who managed to arrange the Fanta Floats which she had never heard of before. I did however get a feeling that our inappropriate timing between scheduled meal times presented an ever-so-slight hint of inconvenience.

  I found this surprising given that the restaurant is attached to a hotel where people must come and go all the time. I suppose that by sitting in the restaurant, as opposed to being by the pool, I expected a little more attention.

  Had we been by the pool I think my expectations would have been different and I would most probably have walked away with a slightly higher opinion. We set off before the lunchtime rush, which I assume was by the pool, because the restaurant was now empty, having achieved what we came for.

  There are many places to eat in Victoria Falls and although I would not rule out Simujinga as a possible venue, I do feel that it has resigned itself simply to feeding its guests more than providing an unusual or entertaining setting for a meal. Remember that just a staircase away is possibly the only place in the world where you could see a rainbow from a Rainbow.

Family Restaurant 3 Plates Expect to spend US$10 – US$20 per head Rainbow Hotel Mercure, Cnr Park Way/Selous Avenue, Victoria Falls.