We tried The Pearl for Sunday lunch, when most of Jinja seemed to have the same idea. The place was packed; families squashed onto wooden sofas, and backpacker couples snuggled on love seats in the corners. On the walls hung sculptures fashioned from old mechanical parts, while the outside tables on the street terrace were taken up by groups of friends.

The menu looked promising. It includes starters such as homemade creamy pumpkin soup and an avocado and walnut salad. Mains, which start at USh18,000, include Ugandan stews and staples such as matooke (boiled and mashed green bananas), posho (grits made from maize), kalo (a type of millet mash) and pumpkin. There’s also a pizza menu featuring the usual favorites, from USh10,000.

We ordered a salad, and waited and waited and waited for it to arrive. Eventually, after an hour or so, the waitress brought over a vegetable omelet and fries. Well, it wasn’t what we’d asked for, but the entire restaurant was so busy that we understood. Still, the omelet was a little on the soggy side, and we wound up leaving hungry.

Not everyone’s experiences at The Pearl are as disappointing as ours, but Jinja locals agree that it’s primarily a place to come for a drink. There are certainly better places to come for Sunday lunch. That’s a shame, since the sleek, creative décor and great vibe should make this an ideal weekend lunch spot.

Far better to come on over in the evening; there are regular comedy and quiz nights, and charity auctions for great local causes including orphanages and grassroots NGOs. And when it is time for drinks, you’ll find everything from Ugandan beers to cold glasses of freshly squeezed passion fruit juice.