Boma (The Place of Eating)

When asked where to go for dinner in Vic Falls, the answer is universally, “Boma”. It’s located at the Safari Lodge where we originally wanted to stay, so we went for drinks before dinner. The lodge is the tree house every kid wants, an open air log and thatch structure overlooking a large watering hole on the edge of the Zimbabwean bush. Two drinks in and with dusk approaching, we had seen only some warthogs and some vultures. Then someone shouted “buffalo!”, and a seemingly endless herd of cape buffalo filtered in along the water’s edge. Fifteen minutes later, two huge elephants and a smaller juvenile strolled in. We were very happy to get our seats before the crowds pushed in.

The Boma experience begins with a decorative swath of fabric being tied over your shoulder, followed by a little face painting (dots for ladies, stripes for dudes). Drummers announce your arrival. The restaurant itself is a humongous hut with seating and food stations surrounding a central performance area. You order an appetizer from a menu, but everything else is buffet style. I enjoyed my impala knuckle starter (a lot like venison- duh), and the sweet potato soup. From the grill, I had ostrich skewers, kudu (like an elk) and marinated warthog, though the less adventurous can order steak and chicken. Great stuff and all highly recommended.

During appetizers, Marnie spotted a fella on his own and invited him to join us. Turns out our boy Lawrence is an Irish journalist on assignment. He provided great insight into the “Troubles” and other stories he’d done, and is a great guy all around.

Around eight some traditional dancers emerged, but with the majority of the crowd still plowing through their dinner, the performers were irked with their lukewarm reception. The interactive drumming afterwards was much more raucously welcomed, followed by some dancing (we did not participate). Storytellers, fortune tellers and face painters all circulate offering their services. The whole thing is a bit cheesy, but in good company is great fun.