Soulful food has been a core passion for both Brian and Mona Zulu, who having left Zimbabwe to broaden their horizons, travel the world and experience different types of food, returned in December 2018 to begin building their dream – a relaxing vibrant setting focused on soulful honest food in a location that would assist in expanding tourism to the rural communities to aid in the rural tourism economy development.
Having established and opened “House of Zulu” in December 2019 in the heart of Monde Village, Brian and Mona also began to offer visitors a “Quad Biking Village Discovery” tour, an experience which allows adventure seekers and families the opportunity to explore local villages and the scenic landscapes on the outskirts of the tourism Hub of Victoria Falls, an area which is largely unexposed to visitors and authentic in terms of a rural Zimbabwean setting.
Shortly after, in March 2020, the COVID pandemic forced the couple to close their doors, and in an effort to survive whilst continuing them dream of delivering soulful food to the community and visitors, Brian and Mona adapted and began to offer ‘Caribbean Delight’ – a Jamaican food delivery service which was exceptionally well supported by the local Victoria Falls community throughout the first lockdown.
Speaking to Brian and Mona on the reopening of “House of Zulu” yesterday, they expressed their pure excitement to once again be opening their doors to visitors and residents alike. “It feels wonderful to be fully back at work and doing what we love,” says Mona, “In addition, our values are deeply routed in giving back to the communities we work with and so we look forward to following through on this part of our purpose now that we are reopen.”
At “House of Zulu”, the open plan gazebo set-up surrounded by gardens is a perfect offering for open-air and socially distanced sit-in meals. They also offer special arrangement picnics in their gardens, and will in the near future be offering deliveries of their wholesome, fresh and soulful food. Their menu is a balanced blend of local ingredients and dishes combined with flavours of many of the dishes they have experienced around the world, and their extensive menu caters to a large variety of dietary requirements.
The reopening of “House of Zulu” adds to the growing diversity of restaurant options and settings in and around Victoria Falls, and the restaurant combined with their village Quad Biking tours is certainly a boost to supporting the growth and development of the rural tourism economy.
