I’ve been in Nairobi for two weeks already, and yet I have seen little of the city. I commute between my apartment and my job, 300 yards away, and my greatest excursions are to the supermarket or Ya-Ya center. Once I went downtown. It’s sad.
Fortunately, our colleague Lee came to my rescue and that of my friends Luke and Avi last night. He decided we had to sample Nairobi fare outside our little district, and took us to the Indian part of town. On the way we saw a couple of amazing looking temples. Our destination was Diamond Plaza, a little, very informal open-air small mall that offers a myriad of restaurant stands that serve you while you eat in the semi-open air or in your car. Most of the offerings are Indian – though there is also Chinese, ice cream and a couple of juice stands.
I can’t recall the name of the stand from which I got my food – I can only tell you that its waiters wore bright yellow jackets. I can also tell you that my chicken korma (Ks. 350 – $5.25) was delicious, not as sweet as other kormas I’ve had, but with depths and vibrancy. The portion was very generous and I endeavored to eat it all. I also got some naan (Ks. 50 – 75c), which I used to scoop the chicken. Kenyans are not big on eating utensils.
Avi got a bunch of south Indian snack food from another stand. Most of it was quite good, he never gets to eat this type of food at home, so he was quite happy. Luke got a mixed grill from yet another stand, and he was happy with it – though he confessed his food wasn’t as good as mine. I had a bite of a marinated kebab, and I liked the strong flavor and the fact that the meat was actually tender, but it was too spicy for me. Lee had a scrawny looking chicken tikka leg, he didn’t mention whether he liked it.
We loved the atmosphere, the lights and the people – but it was a Thursday night and comparably quiet. It’s supposed to be a mad house on weekend nights, so I wouldn’t try it then.
Diamond Plaza
Parklands
Nairobi
Kenya
Year: 2008 (Page 17 of 19)
I ended up at Alfajiri Bar and Grill Tuesday night. I’d asked my Kenyan colleague, Lee, to meet over dinner to give me some background information on Kenya. I’m here, after all, but I still know so little about the country. He was nice enough to come and bring a couple of friends with him – I brought Luke and Avi myself.
Alfajiri was Lee’s idea, and I wondered if the restaurant was mostly geared towards a Kenyan clientele. Its menu, on the other hand, was quite eclectic and international – it had everything from steak dianne to lamb korma to steak fajitas. Indeed, it was the steak fajitas that I went for. I’m not sure what I was expecting but what I got was a tortilla-like-wrap (but not quite a tortilla) filled with marinated meat. The meat was tasty, though it had an African rather than Mexican flavor. I couldn’t quite recognize the spices, though.
I tried the samosas and they were very tasty, a bit spicy but nice.
I didn’t ask my friends what they thought of their meal, but I guess everyone thought it was good enough.
We all had a couple of beers with dinner, and the whole bill came to about Ks 1000 – $15 each, not the cheapest place around, but not that bad.
The restaurant itself is a bit disconcerting. It has a few rooms inside, the one we originally chose had banquettes and low tables, but with music and the TV on, it was too loud to carry out a normal conversation. They also have a patio area, as well as some tables dispersed throughout the lawn. We chose one away from the music and were able to enjoy our conversation.
Service was pretty good.
Alfajiri Bar and Grill
Malim Juma Road
Nairobi
Kenya
I liked The Hood restaurant. It reminded me of the modest parrillas you can find throughout Argentina and other Latin American countries. It’s mostly an outdoor restaurant, with a plethora of tables situated in a lawn under tents and hatches. There is some inside seating too (and given that the rains are coming that’s probably a good thing).
They specialize in grilled meats, though they also had other more elaborate dishes (which I can’t remember now). It’s moderately priced – dishes averaged $6 or so -, lunch for two was Ks 860 – $13, including three non-alcoholic drinks).
I went with Luke, a team member and new friend, and we had a nice time talking in the fresh air. What we did not enjoy was waiting for over an hour for lunch. Not only were we hungry, but we did have to get back to work! So my advise is to go here only if you are really not in a hurry.
As for the food, Luke got the grilled goat and I had the grilled beef. A chunk of bone-in meat is bbq’d whole and then the waiter (or actually, someone other than the waiter) cuts it into bite-size pieces tableside. Both the goat and the beef were quite good, the goat in particular, and they both were pretty tough. The beef was quite fatty as well. You are meant to eat the meat with your hands, and they bring a kettle with warm water to wash your hands before lunch, but we decided to go western and use forks and knives instead. It helped for cutting the fat. I have yet to encounter tender meat in Kenya. The meat was well done – I’d forgotten at first to ask for medium rare, and later I thought that I might as well not chance it anyway.
I had fries on the side, which were good. Actually all fries in Kenya taste pretty much the same way, they must be cooked with the same oil (I must inquire as to what they use). They are usually not very crispy, but tasty.
In all it was a good meal, in pleasant – if not elegant – surroundings.
The Hood Restaurant
Kasuku Road Kilimani
Nairobi
Kenya
2371410
1731181
We’re lucky that our apartment is situated in an area where there are several restaurants. We eat out practically every night, and it’s good to have variety. Last night it was our turn to try Ethiopian food – and Red Sea in particular. It was quite good.
I went with Paul and Avi, two of my colleagues, and both Paul and I had the mixed meat plate. This includes 4 different meat “stews” and a hardboiled egg with sauce. There is also some veggies and cheese. The whole thing is served on a huge platter, on top of injera. A couple of the stews were spicy (but not very spicy) and the other two were mild. They were all very good, among the best ones I’ve had at Ethiopian restaurants.
Avi, on the other hand, was less lucky with his fish. He ordered something that looked like fish sticks with a sauce. He wasn’t that pleased with it.
Service was good and friendly.
The restaurant itself has an outdoor bar area – where we ate – which is rather informal, there is even a TV, but can be pleasant on a warm night. There is also an indoor dining room which I didn’t check out.
The meal, which included a few non-alcoholic drinks but no desserts (all they had were fruit salads, came to about Ks 2200, $33.
Red Sea
Lenana Road
Nairobi
The Java House is a little mall restaurant in the Ya Ya center serving coffees and pastries, as well as sandwiches and burgers and breakfast foods. The prices are the same or a little bit above what you’d pay in America – and the food can be pretty good. I’ve been there twice, already, and we’ll probably go back again.
On my previous visit I ordered their BBQ beef sandwich. I wasn’t incredibly happy with it, the sandwich was pretty dry and the bbq sauce scant and not that tasty. I wouldn’t order it again. Today I had their cheeseburger (Ks. 380 – $5.70) and once again I wasn’t happy. The hamburger was well done and very, very dry. I guess I could have ordered it less cooked, and that would have helped, but I’m not sure that I want to eat ground beef in Kenya that it’s not well done. Not that I have any reason for this prejudice. The flavor was good enough, but I wouldn’t order it again. It came with fries which weren’t particularly crispy – all the fries I’ve had here have been on the soft side – but were tasty.
My colleague had the double chicken sandwich (Ks. 580 – $8.70). He thought it was very good.
We took home an avocado, cheese and tomato sandwich for another colleague (Ks. 300 – $4.50), and I hear these are quite good.
Java House is part of a Nairobi chain.
Java House
Yaya Center
Nairobi
http://www.nairobijavahouse.com/
I will finish my restaurant blogging for the night by mentioning The Cedars, a Lebanese restaurant located a few hundred feet from our apartment building. I haven’t there yet, but last night we ordered their Mezze for Two platter (I think Ks.2600, $40) and I was quite impressed with the quantity and quality of the food – enough to feed 3 with leftovers. I can’t quite remember everything included but the meal consisted of little containers of mini cheese and meat empanadas (slightly sweet), kofta, hummus, babaghanoush, yogurt and pita bread, potatoes, a tomato salad, dolmas, vegetables, and a bunch of other things. Most of it tasted quite good, the kofta were particularly tasty.
The Cedars supposedly does not deliver, but my team mate Martin is so amazing, he can get most people to do anything for him, so they did bring us the food.
I’m sure we’ll order from there again, and I’ll comment about it below.
The Cedars Restaurant
Lenana Road
Nairobi
02-710399
I’ve been in Nairobi for about 10 days, and I’ve eaten food from Osteria del Chianti already 4 times. It’s not so much because it’s a favorite of mine, but because the people I’m with really seem to like it. They also have the incredible advantage of delivering (I’m not sure what their delivery area is, we live within a few hundred meters).
The menu includes pizzas, pastas and meat dishes. The pizzas are all individual size and Roman style – the owner is indeed Italian. They have paper thin crusts, a lack of abundance of cheese but fresh, tasty toppings. The prosciutto in the raw prosciutto pizza tastes Italian, and the abundant arugula in the gorgonzola and arugula pizza is clearly very fresh. In all, if you like Italian-style pizza (and I’m becoming a convert), they are pretty good. If I well remember they average about Ks. 600-700, $9 – 10.50. They are not really big enough to share.
I’ve had both their gnocchi and their meat lasagna so far, and both were OK. I liked the somewhat heavy consistency of the gnocchi, but the sauce needed bolder flavors. Abundant Parmessan cheese helped. It was a very generous portion.
I’m not sure what I didn’t like about the lasagna – other than the fact that the noodles were cooked al dente and that it could have used more cheese. I guess the sauce just didn’t buy me over. I’ve had better and worse.
I’ve only eaten at the restaurant once, and it was a very pleasant experience. It has a large patio, with shaded tables – which makes for a great dining experience in a warm day. Alas, the March rains have arrived in Nairobi, so eating inside may be a better option now. Their dining rooms are quite elegant.
I am sure that I will eat at the Osteria del Chainti again, and I’ll probably comment here about those meals.
Osteria del Chianti
Lenana Road
Nairobi
2 72 31 73
I just came back from dinner at Misono. Ok, I /think/ I just came back from dinner at Misono. I did go to dinner at a Japanese restaurant – I don’t know the name, but given that it’s close to where we are and Misono is located on Lenana road, I’m willing to bet that’s the one I’ve been to. It was quite good.
Misono offers a variety of dining options. You can have sushi (though its menu is quite limited), teppanaki (meat or veggies fired grilled as you watch, a la Benihana – a complete meal starts at around $25 pp), or order from the main menu. That’s a much cheaper option, and we decided to go for it.
I had the chicken katsu and while I liked the tender fried chicken, the sauce itself was too thick and tasted too vinegary and ketchupy. The chicken was definitely better without it. It came with a salad, too vinegary for me to eat. The portion was a good size.
Unfortunately our conversation was too interesting for me to even remember to ask my colleagues what they thought of their food (one had sushi, the other steamed dumpling looking spring rolls and fish), though they made approving noises. The consensus was that we’d go back.
It’s a bit disconcerting being attended by so many bowing Kenyans, but you can’t help but applaud their spirit.
Misono
Lenana Rd.
Nairobi
(254) 20 – 3868959
The Ya Ya center is an unbelievably modern luxury shopping mall, featuring all sorts of western and Kenyan stores selling all imaginable kinds of products. If you want a brand-new camera, a safari outfit, a carved bedroom set or a violin, this is the place to get it. Expect to pay around the same than you would at home (though it could be more, specially now that the dollar is so weak).
It also features several restaurants. Saffron is its Indian offering. We went there for lunch today, and I was pretty impressed. The food was quite good, the service was excellent and the company, of course, was great. The restaurant itself is open to the mall, so it doesn’t have much on the way of atmosphere, but it’s nice enough.
The menu features many dishes that are familiar to western Indian food aficionados. There is chicken korma, tikka massala and tandoori. There is rice and naan. There are plenty of vegetarian offers. They have lassies (Ks100 – $1.50) – though my sweet lassi was too sour and not sweet enough – and massala tea (Ks 90 – $1.35). In other words, if you are in the mood for Indian food, chances are you can find something here to fit your mood.
I was about to play it totally safe and order the chicken korma, my favorite, but decided to go for the Kashmiri lamb curry (Ks 450 – $6.75) instead. It was quite good, sweet and with balanced flavors. I’d been concerned about the tenderness of the meat, but it was cut in very small portions and it wasn’t at all tough. The portion was quite generous (as were all), specially when eaten with rice (Ks 170 – $2.55). I did ask for the curry to be “medium” spice, but it was pretty mild. If you like a little fierness, go for hot.
One of my colleagues had chicken naji and another had the fish naji (Ks 550 – $8.25 each). I didn’t try the fish, but the chicken was moist and while the curry was a little too tame for my taste, it was very pleasant, with sweet, soft flavors. My colleague really liked it.
The naan (Ks 60 – $1) was fine, your typical naan, as was the pappadum (Ks 40 – $.60). The sweet and sour sauce had a nice punch.
In all the lunch was very pleasant, we spent quite a lot of time over it, and I’d definitely go back. Lunch for three, including drinks and tax, came out to Ks 2560, $38. It seems expensive, but Nairobi is quite an expensive city.
Saffron
Yaya Center
Argwings Kodhek Road
Nairobi
387-7236
I’ve been in Kenya now for 2 1/2 days and four meals. Not enough to say much about the local cuisine, but lack of information has never stopped me before.
My first lunch here consisted of stewed beef served with cabbage and chopped tomatoes over rice. It was pretty good, reminding me of a homemade stew that could have come from anywhere in the non-eastern world (by which I mean, it wouldn’t be at home in the cuisines of the subcontinent and of north and southeast asia). It was tasty and familiar food, and I enjoyed it. And it’s a good thing I did because it seems that the variety at the kitchen that serves the building where the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (where I’m working) is located, does not serve a wide variety of food: beef, vegetable curry, bean curry and rice and beans seem to be the extent of their menu. It is, however, super cheap. I think we got two beef curries and three soft drinks for $6. One single sandwich at a local delivery place would have cost at least that much. The one thing I do have to note is that the meat is pretty fatty and tough – no idea why that should be so.
I made a similar discovery that night, when we got together with a group of people from work. One of them, a Kenyan, had brought some roasted goat that he had made – and once again it tasted very good but it was tough and fatty. It was accompanied by what seemed to be a non-spicy red pepper and vinegar sauce, which also was very tasty.
The rest of the meal consisted of filled pastries bought at the supermarket. I had half a beef pie and I didn’t think it was very good, though other people enjoyed it. I didn’t partake of the samosas or eggrolls (at least they looked like egg rolls). A couple of pretzels where chewy and not too tasty.
What was much better was the pizzas we ordered. Thin crusted, Italian style, the cheese and toppings were flavorful and tasty. I don’t want to know how much they cost, however 🙂
Yesterday we had leftover pizza/focaccia for lunch and Nico, the head of the No Peace Without Justice operation – who have brought me here – made pasta with tomato sauce. He is Italian 🙂 It was quite good – though he complaint he didn’t have the ingredients for it.
I will write more about my adventures eating in Nairobi, though it doesn’t seem like the food will be too adventurous. It does seem like western food will be quite expensive, however. Yesterday I went to a couple of cafes in downtown Nairobi (not the nicest area of town) and a capuccino and a banana milkshake came to $6. Pretty western prices.
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