June - July 2015

108 142

WINE&DINE
108 Jun-Jul15
TheTasteTest
Hidden away in a side alley off Wan
Chai’s Landale Street, Djiboutii is a little
hard to find, but that hasn’t stopped it
from becoming one of the area’s most
popular nightspots.
Billed as a “Ghetto-Fabulous Urban
Sanctuary,” this relatively new venue
was packed and pumping by 7.30pm
on the Wednesday night we visited,
which is always a good sign. We started
with drinks, ordered from the signature
cocktail menu. Unfortunately, our first
choice, the Mi Casa Es Tu Casa was
not available as they had run out of their
five homemade juices – it’s obviously a
popular drink. The Djiboulini was lovely
Djiboutii
2 Landale Street, Wan Chai
9449 0777 |
and refreshing, while theDjBluTea, with
lavender-infused vodka, cranberry tea
and berry liqueurs, was a little too sweet
for a pre-dinner drink.
The food is based on Mediterranean
and middle-eastern cuisine, with a focus
on barbecued meats and traditional
small bites. Based on our waitress’s
MUST-TRY DISH:
Djiboutii Platter
recommendations we ordered a quinoa
salad, which was small but fresh and
flavourful. The quarter roast chicken
was beautifully marinated in lemon and
garlic, and was very tender and tasty. We
also shared a Mix-Grill – three different
skewers served with tzatziki – and a
Djiboutii Platter, with dips and Za’atar
flatbreads. It was just enough food for
two people, and all of it was very nice.
We finished up with the only dessert
on offer, the homemade chocolate
cookies, which were wickedly delicious.
There weren’t many patrons eating
on the night we were there; most had
come in for after-work drinks, giving the
restaurant the definite vibe of being the
starting point for a night out. The menu
is limited, so it’s perhaps better suited
for snacking and drinking, rather than
settling in for a substantial dinner.
This hip little hangout gets extra
points for having a handbag hook under
the bar, lovely decor (turquoise tiles,
vintage leather stools, and Moroccan-
style hanging lights), and a super-
cool bartender who clearly loves
his work.