On our first night in Namibia, we ended up at Joe's Beerhouse for dinner. Known to be a "Windhoek institution," Joe's was recommended by a few people, including the people working at the B&B where we were staying.
We had heard only that it gets packed and we'd need a reservation, which we figured was a good sign. But we still had no idea what kind of food people ate in Namibia and thus didn't know what to expect.
Luckily, it was only a 10 minute walk from the B&B and they made the reservation for us. Still jet-lagged, doe-eyed travelers, we made our way to dinner, attempting to look natural although I'm sure our eyes were darting all over the place.
When we got to the restaurant, I was excited to see a huge outdoor seating area with funky African decor everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Covering the walls, in the center of all open areas, hanging from the bar and even on the ceilings.
Joe's has a very cool ambiance and the menu to match. Their eclectic mix of options includes everything from burgers to local game meat. It turns out that Namibian food is generally hearty, meat-and-potatoes dishes, often with a German flair (the lingering influence of German colonization from 1884-1915).
Mike, feeling more adventurous, ordered the Bushman Sosatie game meat kebob. Flustered by my inability to make a decision, I ordered pork schnitzel. (This was the first of many times to come that Mike "out-ordered" me.)
While waiting for our food, we chatted with a friendly german couple seated next to us at the picnic table - that's another cool thing about Joe's, most tables are community seating, so it's basically guaranteed that you'll meet and mingle with fellow travelers. They were celebrating their last night in Namibia after a three week trip and told us that they'd eaten at Joe's on the first night and loved it so much that they came back. Another good sign!
The schnitzel was tasty but covered in a thick, too-rich sauce and the portion could have fed a family of four. Mike and I both tried each kind of game meat - zebra, crocodile, kudu, oryx and springbok. The crocodile was our least favorite - it was sort of like chewy, slightly fishy chicken. But the rest were quite tasty and not game-y at all, especially the kudu and oryx, both of which we'd eat again and again in the following weeks.
Not only are there interesting things to read and look at all over the walls, they can also be found in the menu. I love the following story because it really captures the spirit of travel. Things don't always go right, but you usually walk away with more than you expected.
"THE TALE OF THE PORTUGUESE TRAVELLERS
In August of 2009, two brave Portuguese adventurers attempted a mission to drive across Africa in an old Mini. Ricardo Mota and Adalberto Salveira had a dream of proving just how tough the petit Mini is, and this adventure would be their way of paying tribute to the tiny car.
They bought an old Mini in Durban and immediately headed to Maputo in Mozambique. From there, they would drive from the Indian Ocean across Africa all the way to Luanda on the Atlantic coast.
The two intrepid adventurers left Maputo on the 3rd of August, traversing Africa's rough roads in their little Mini. Mota and Salveira travelled about 1,000km per day, crossing the northern part of South Africa and heading into Botswana before making it to Namibia.
Although they didn't encounter any serious problems, the trip was not without its challenges. A couple of flat tyres caused minor problems, but the weak headlights on the old Mini made driving at night challenging, especially with huge swarms of mosquitoes getting in the way!
When they finally made it to the Angola border for the final part of their trip, Fate dealt them a cruel hand. Due to visa problems, they would not be allowed into the country. Mota and Salveira were devastated - their dream lay in shards just a few hundred kilometres from their final destination.
But Fate had another plan in store for them - turning around at the border and heading south through Namibia, Mota and Salveira arrived at Joe's Beerhouse. Here, the two adventurers regaled guests with their tales of adventure on Africa's roads, sipping cold beers and getting the occasional opportunity to converse in their mother tongue with other Angolese visitors to Joe's.
So impressed were the two with the hospitality (and cold beer and delicious food) that they donated their now-legendary Mini to Joe's Beerhouse. Today, Joe's Beerhouse is proud to have been part of this amazing tale of adventure, and our owners eagerly retell the tale of Ricardo Meta and Adalberto Salveira to anyone who asks about the old Mini standing outside."
If you ever find yourself in Windhoek, a stop by this joint to exchange travel tales, sample tasty game, or at the very least enjoy a cold beer, is a must.