I am normally wary of restaurants with more than three cuisines. Tacos do not belong on the same menu as pizza and pasta. However, Burlington's Kismayo Kitchen is an exception, where Philly cheesesteaks share space with samosas and pasta with Somali beef. And, by God, it works.
I went into the little red-shingled restaurant at 505 Riverside Avenue to find a filling counter-order lunch. The Kismayo Sandwich ($10.99) was just that: Served hot, it was piled on a cloudlike eight-inch roll with juicy, vinegary halal chicken thighs, sautéed onions and peppers, iceberg lettuce, tomato, and a generous amount of undisclosed house sauce that I would gladly bathe in. To complete my meal, I sipped on a homey Somali tea ($2.50), a milk-based black spiced chai that satisfied my sweet tooth.
Kismayo Kitchen is largely run by women, namely owner Anisa Mohamed, her sister-in-law Asha Omar and several nieces — Amina, Bahja, Qamar and Safiya Ibrahim — who cook and serve. Mohamed is the widow and Omar is the sister of Kismayo's previous chef-owner, Ahmed Omar, who died unexpectedly last year. The team of women reopened the small restaurant eight months ago to help keep his legacy alive.
Almost every menu item falls below our $12 Dining on a Dime limit without skimping on portions or quality ingredients. Next on my list to try is the bowl of chicken coconut stew ($10.99) paired with two crispy beef samosas ($5.99).
There's a reason the community keeps showing up for Kismayo Kitchen. Mohamed's soft smile greets a wide mix of customers — sweaty children post soccer game, couples on awkward first dates, ski bums, DoorDashers, solo diners — as they step into the restaurant. Sandwiches are served in nostalgia-inducing red plastic fry containers, while tables are covered with perfectly sticky checkered tablecloths. Wafts of searing meat fill the air. Kismayo Kitchen has something for everyone, from a no-frills potato salad ($5.99) for the picky eater to Somali goat served over rice ($18.99) for the adventurer.
I chatted with Mohamed about her chicken sandwich, which the self-proclaimed "bread gal" described as born from her love of crusty bread. "We want the bread to be dry but also something you can eat" and the flavors to be "familiar but a little bit different," she said.
From the affordability to the wide-ranging menu, Kismayo Kitchen is the definition of a restaurant that reflects a diverse community. Eating at the eclectic Somali-inspired café felt like sitting at my mother's kitchen table — as if someone were holding my hand while I tried something new. That's intentional. "Everyone who comes to our restaurant that is new to us gets tea for free. That's what Omar used to do," Mohamed explained.
Her own ideal lunch order? It's the pasta with Somali beef ($13.99) made spicy — and, of course, a cup of tea.
Dining on a Dime is a series featuring well-made, filling bites (something substantial enough to qualify as a small meal or better) for around $12 or less. Know of a tasty dish we should feature? Drop us a line: food@sevendaysvt.com.