An open, airy, and fresh aura is what hits you first once you set foot at the Flute Wine Bar and Kitchen, in Gishushu. The spanking new facility is located in the same building that once housed the former Trophy’s Sports Lounge, down the road below RDB and slightly past Question Coffee. From the new, pristine and spanking look, it is obvious the owners reached deep inside their pockets to give the new facility its latest look. A calming white, green and brown color theme with a dash of gold gives Flute a more sophisticated look than the previous tenant. It is not a very big space, and with large French windows that are always fully open, it exudes an outdoor feel. Coupled with the large potted plants dotted around the main seating area, it almost feels like a mini hanging garden. Flute’s doors swung open to the public sometime in March, and if you haven’t yet heard of the place, it may well just not be for you. If you know, you know. Cocktail drinks on display. From the almost discreet signpost in tiny fonts hanging off the first floor balcony, it is obvious that this is not a place that is screaming out for attention. Talking of the signpost, the name Flute is spelled with a Champagne glass in the place of the letter ‘u’, giving it an elegance of its own. The flute, which is a type of champagne glass, was actually the inspiration behind the name, Flute Wine Bar and Kitchen, according to the ambitious young lady that runs the place. Visiting for the first time on Thursday evening, what I had in mind was a place with wines, wines and even more wines. I was pleasantly surprised to learn it’s about wines and much more. Patrons having a great evening at the launch of one of Kigali’s latest exclusive dine outs. A look at the bar counter quickly revealed an almost equal presence of the usual cocktails, liquors, whiskies and vodka. After a few glasses of some of the premium red wines on offer, it was time to get a little more familiar with what else is on offer. Their wine selection is quite extensive, with up to 40 premium wine brands from around the world represented for each category (sparkling, rose, white, and red). A glass of good wine will set you back about Rwf6,000, rising to the Rwf12,000 mark for the vintage brands. For those that want to buy by the bottle, prices range from around Rwf30,000 to Rwf120,000 for some of the super exclusive brands. Since the name is Flute Wine Bar and Kitchen, there was need to explore the ‘kitchen’ side of things as well. On the owner’s recommendation, I and my two guests settled for a starter of Spanish tapas, and what’s more, they were served hot. After the tapas we dug straight into the chicken brochette that came tender, fresh, and hot. The Spanish-leaning limited menu serves up on lots of Spanish inspired food, with a touch of the local, as with the chicken we settled for. They also do grilled tilapia. As a bonus, the chicken came with some tomato and onion cubes (kachumbari), served hot. The kitchen could best be described as mixed inspiration and eclectic – a Rwandan touch, Spanish tapas touch, a Moroccan treat here …, whatever is likely to pair well with your wine. Starting Monday, the facility is introducing some lunch specials to test the waters, although we are likely to see the food policy grow and evolve with client tastes. The clientele is largely well-heeled middle aged Rwandans, expats, and young Rwandans with disposable income looking for new experiences. editor@newtimesrwanda.com
