Place: Slim's Restaurant
Location: Corner of Ralph Bunche Road and Lenana Road Opp. Hutchings Biemer
Ambiance: Pretty Good
Service: Awesome
On Saturday after I made a random stop at WAPI [British Council], I politely asked my buddy to take me for lunch at a place I had yet to go to. That place was Slim's Restaurant. Granted, I had driven by the place a couple of times and to me, it looked like a clandestine-esque place. Sorta like Annie Oakleys.... so I did not know what to expect. Can I just say that I was pleasantly surprised? On walking in, there was a bar in the middle and booths all around. BOOTHS Y'all!! Maybe I should mention this..... I love sitting in booths!
Sidebar: The waiter was nothing short of amazing. Like seriously.... that dude was off the wall! I have not had such an attentive and superb service in a while and can I say: Impressive.
I was pretty hungry and the menu was too tempting but I did not have time to ponder and wonder........We ordered some buffalo wings for starters. I had lamb chops for my main course and my buddy had chicken. There is a *zing* that is in buffalo wings that these wings were missing. I cant say that they were not good, because they were....... but they were not buffalo wings......
However, the main course was too nice. That lamb was cooked to near perfection. The vegetables were just right and the fries were just fries.
The prices were reasonable. The wings were Kshs. 450, the chicken was Kshs. 550 and the Lamb was kshs. 650.
Do I recommend this place? Like Duh! DEFINITELY!
Other than Master Wok's at Capital Center..... this is the only other place that has jazzed me kiasi.
NB:
A beer is Kshs. 160, Sodas are Kshs. 80
Monday, December 10, 2007
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Train Ride to Mombasa
This review is by Bankelele.
Train travel to Mombasa is something i used to do a lot as a kid, but decided to do this month for nostalgia reasons. It's a colonial era service and an experience that is world famous – the railway is the reason that Kenya attracted such British interest (actually it was Uganda, but thank them anytime you meet them at a fabulous wedding)
I decided to post about the trip for those have taken or never tried the train ride. I'll only post about 1st class, since that's what I expect a young blogger to take. First class here is not first class of a plane, but you'll understand why When i was a kid it used to be a 13 hour journey, what's changes (i) goes to coast 3X week and returns same (ii) train stops everywhere, first stop is Nairobi east and makes about 15 more (though these only affects 3 rd class passengers commuters (iii) slower, scenic.
Duration: Nairobi to Mombasa train (7PM to 10 AM), the returning journey train arrived at 11 am in Nairobi
Full 3,375 shillings (full service; beddings, dinner and breakfast) 2,160 (beddings, no meals), 1,900 just you (no beddings or meals)
If you've never been on a train, it's an experience to try. First class is a double Decker cabin. You get as much privacy as you want, though it's good to interact. If you're a group of say 4, you can ask for facing cabins and slide open a door between the two cabins to create a large sitting room
The moment of the train, might take a few minutes to get used to the rocking movement, and crossing between coaches e.g. to get to the dining car.
Toilets: are found on each end of a coach, on one side, they are normal sit toilets, but on the other side, is a long drop (straight to the rails – which is why they tell you not to use it while the train has stopped)
Scenery: nice except near Nairobi and Mombasa; the smell of dumpsite trash at makupa causeway at the Coast and and in Nairobi where passing the Mukuru kwa Reuben slum gives tourists a view of a side of Nairobi, only seen in the Constant Gardener. in masaini area saw some ostriches and giraffes, but no legendary man eating lions
service: dinner is a really heavy meal, but leave that to tourists. Skip it and carry your own (some Japanese tourist brought their own nandos pizza on board). Opt to buy the breakfast: - it's a full meal fried egg, sausage, bacon tomato, coffee/tea, juice toast plenty (they can even buy more if it runs out), all for 475 bob extra. Another good thing about the dining car is that it has the best view i.e. you're able to look out of both sides of the train simultaneously
Cabins; quite good, varies from cabin to cabin, and improving. A Few moths ago they used to handout lamps, but now all cabins are fully lit. Trains are old and you may find some small things like mosquito screen missing, or fan broken, but. If it's a major problem ask the steward and they may move you to another cabin
Customer service; very good, a manager comes round to greet passengers and answer any dumb questions. As soon as the train starts dinner is served (steward comes round with a xylophone to announce meals)
Beer costs 100 bob and soda 30
Safety: always after, recent horror stories. Police are on board the train and it travels quite close to the Nairobi Mombasa road in most places also for most parts of the line [in case any sh* happens] . Safaricom service is ok on most parts of the jounrney (about 80%) including gprs
Verdict: Support the revival of the railways. and take the train for the experience; it's a long journey but can be fun. Carry dinner of your own, but buy their breakfast as the journey is long.
Train travel to Mombasa is something i used to do a lot as a kid, but decided to do this month for nostalgia reasons. It's a colonial era service and an experience that is world famous – the railway is the reason that Kenya attracted such British interest (actually it was Uganda, but thank them anytime you meet them at a fabulous wedding)
I decided to post about the trip for those have taken or never tried the train ride. I'll only post about 1st class, since that's what I expect a young blogger to take. First class here is not first class of a plane, but you'll understand why When i was a kid it used to be a 13 hour journey, what's changes (i) goes to coast 3X week and returns same (ii) train stops everywhere, first stop is Nairobi east and makes about 15 more (though these only affects 3 rd class passengers commuters (iii) slower, scenic.
Duration: Nairobi to Mombasa train (7PM to 10 AM), the returning journey train arrived at 11 am in Nairobi
Full 3,375 shillings (full service; beddings, dinner and breakfast) 2,160 (beddings, no meals), 1,900 just you (no beddings or meals)
If you've never been on a train, it's an experience to try. First class is a double Decker cabin. You get as much privacy as you want, though it's good to interact. If you're a group of say 4, you can ask for facing cabins and slide open a door between the two cabins to create a large sitting room
The moment of the train, might take a few minutes to get used to the rocking movement, and crossing between coaches e.g. to get to the dining car.
Toilets: are found on each end of a coach, on one side, they are normal sit toilets, but on the other side, is a long drop (straight to the rails – which is why they tell you not to use it while the train has stopped)
Scenery: nice except near Nairobi and Mombasa; the smell of dumpsite trash at makupa causeway at the Coast and and in Nairobi where passing the Mukuru kwa Reuben slum gives tourists a view of a side of Nairobi, only seen in the Constant Gardener. in masaini area saw some ostriches and giraffes, but no legendary man eating lions
service: dinner is a really heavy meal, but leave that to tourists. Skip it and carry your own (some Japanese tourist brought their own nandos pizza on board). Opt to buy the breakfast: - it's a full meal fried egg, sausage, bacon tomato, coffee/tea, juice toast plenty (they can even buy more if it runs out), all for 475 bob extra. Another good thing about the dining car is that it has the best view i.e. you're able to look out of both sides of the train simultaneously
Cabins; quite good, varies from cabin to cabin, and improving. A Few moths ago they used to handout lamps, but now all cabins are fully lit. Trains are old and you may find some small things like mosquito screen missing, or fan broken, but. If it's a major problem ask the steward and they may move you to another cabin
Customer service; very good, a manager comes round to greet passengers and answer any dumb questions. As soon as the train starts dinner is served (steward comes round with a xylophone to announce meals)
Beer costs 100 bob and soda 30
Safety: always after, recent horror stories. Police are on board the train and it travels quite close to the Nairobi Mombasa road in most places also for most parts of the line [in case any sh* happens] . Safaricom service is ok on most parts of the jounrney (about 80%) including gprs
Verdict: Support the revival of the railways. and take the train for the experience; it's a long journey but can be fun. Carry dinner of your own, but buy their breakfast as the journey is long.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
BLANCO’S: ALMOST PURE BLISS.
Finally! He he...This is the review for Blanco's exactly as it appeared in the Sept-Dec issue of Kenyan Kitchen.
I’m solar powered. This I discovered much to my chagrin in the last 2 months. Thanks to the reluctance of the sun to grace us with its presence, I have found myself sniffling my way into June, July and even August. Talk about Winter Kenyan style. Suffice to say that finding a place to appease my taste buds this last month or so has been nothing short of an uphill task. You see, for me eating out is figurative. A place where I can sit out in the sun, or shade when it’s too hot is as close to bliss as I can get.
And this is how I stumbled on Blanco’s. After much persuasion by a friend I agreed to go eat at the said place with threats to storm out as soon as there was a hint of cold. Located on the ground floor of Timau Plaza, the new building off Arwing’s Kodhek road, Blanco’s is not hard to find. I’m not sure if it was because both times I’ve been to this establishment it’s been early evening, but we found ample parking. A small steel staircase on the side brings you to the entrance of the restaurant, which is warm and welcoming. Earthy tones greet you as you’re ushered in by the hostess and it’s immediately evident that you can comfortably stop by Blanco’s for a casual drink, as you would for dinner.
The waiter/s, attentive and courteous are at hand with napkins and the menus which contain a different special for each day. The dishes are in Kiswahili, with an English translation, and the reason I now know that starters are called Viamsha Hamu and desserts Vitinda Mlo. As usual, my first option (call me unadventurous if you will) is Fish Fillet. Our waiter, very well versed in how they make Sarara ya Samaki, approved of my choice and recommended that I order my fish with Blanco’s Special Source. I like to be surprised so I settled on Chipsi za Mseto, a very interesting sounding medley of arrowroots, cassava, sweet and regular potatoes. My dinner companion, who believes the proof is in the beef ordered Char grilled Fillet Steak, with the day’s mashed potatoes (aside: if you're looking for a more authentic African taste, matumbo ya kukaangwa (stir fry tripe) is a perfect choice). After the excitement of making our orders, we sat back and truly appreciated the relaxing ambience; from the rich colors, metal sculptures, wall murals, everything blended together perfectly. The main dining areas can comfortably sit parties of two, even up to 10, and they are arranged such that privacy is guaranteed. There are also a few tables on the outside, the perfect place to sit when you want to feel a bit of breeze on your face or when the sun makes its advent.
In no time, our food is ready and we have accumulated enough of an appetite to dig in straight away. And we are not disappointed. To start with, the chef must have flair for detail; the dish is so visually appealing that you want to just look at it and not spoil the perfect symmetry. But my hunger pangs remind me yet again why I’m here. My Fish Fillet, fresh and soft, is a dream to dig into. And I am truly pleasantly surprised by the medley of arrowroot, sweet potato and cassava chips, it must be the most enjoyable plate of chips I’ve ever had! Special Blanco’s sauce and some greens and parsley on the side, and I’m heartily tucking into my meal. The stir fry tripe, served steaming hot with spring onions, string beans, ginger, and soy and accompanied by rice is also quite tantalizing. Blanco’s definitely have a way of making even bland meals (at least I though tripe was bland) with a twist to bring out a great taste. The beef, served with an interesting mashed potatoes that have a hint of ginger, sweet potato and margarine is also quite rich. We however recommended that the chef use butter instead of margarine as the latter taste can get a bit overwhelming. I love that Blanco’s pay so much attention to the main meals and the accompaniments alike. Dessert comes too fast, as it is with the nicer things. I settle on a fruit salad, and this is probably my only disappointment. Opting not to have ginger syrup, the fruit is a bit bland; apple, pineapple, melon and slightly bitter mango. My friends have chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, and I end up eating half of theirs after snubbing my dessert.
Sitting back with the freshest passion juice I have drank yet, and listening to the strains of piped jazz, I’m pleased with myself. Will I be coming back to Blanco’s? Most definitely. Lovely ambience, great service and reasonable prices; you can get a great dish for 1000 bob as well as one for just below 500, a place you can easily hang out with friends, or with your whole family. Or you can just go in for coffee while waiting out Nairobi traffic. Really, what’s not to like?
Jade on Patrol, Kenyan Kitchen Sept - Dec 07
All rights reserved.
Additional info: There's also a Blanco's lounge, which is separate from the restaurant, but they serve alcohol in the restaurant too. Prices for beers range about 120-150, cocktails 300-450, hot and cold beverages 150-300. Basically, the drinks prices are pocket friendly.
I’m solar powered. This I discovered much to my chagrin in the last 2 months. Thanks to the reluctance of the sun to grace us with its presence, I have found myself sniffling my way into June, July and even August. Talk about Winter Kenyan style. Suffice to say that finding a place to appease my taste buds this last month or so has been nothing short of an uphill task. You see, for me eating out is figurative. A place where I can sit out in the sun, or shade when it’s too hot is as close to bliss as I can get.
And this is how I stumbled on Blanco’s. After much persuasion by a friend I agreed to go eat at the said place with threats to storm out as soon as there was a hint of cold. Located on the ground floor of Timau Plaza, the new building off Arwing’s Kodhek road, Blanco’s is not hard to find. I’m not sure if it was because both times I’ve been to this establishment it’s been early evening, but we found ample parking. A small steel staircase on the side brings you to the entrance of the restaurant, which is warm and welcoming. Earthy tones greet you as you’re ushered in by the hostess and it’s immediately evident that you can comfortably stop by Blanco’s for a casual drink, as you would for dinner.
The waiter/s, attentive and courteous are at hand with napkins and the menus which contain a different special for each day. The dishes are in Kiswahili, with an English translation, and the reason I now know that starters are called Viamsha Hamu and desserts Vitinda Mlo. As usual, my first option (call me unadventurous if you will) is Fish Fillet. Our waiter, very well versed in how they make Sarara ya Samaki, approved of my choice and recommended that I order my fish with Blanco’s Special Source. I like to be surprised so I settled on Chipsi za Mseto, a very interesting sounding medley of arrowroots, cassava, sweet and regular potatoes. My dinner companion, who believes the proof is in the beef ordered Char grilled Fillet Steak, with the day’s mashed potatoes (aside: if you're looking for a more authentic African taste, matumbo ya kukaangwa (stir fry tripe) is a perfect choice). After the excitement of making our orders, we sat back and truly appreciated the relaxing ambience; from the rich colors, metal sculptures, wall murals, everything blended together perfectly. The main dining areas can comfortably sit parties of two, even up to 10, and they are arranged such that privacy is guaranteed. There are also a few tables on the outside, the perfect place to sit when you want to feel a bit of breeze on your face or when the sun makes its advent.
In no time, our food is ready and we have accumulated enough of an appetite to dig in straight away. And we are not disappointed. To start with, the chef must have flair for detail; the dish is so visually appealing that you want to just look at it and not spoil the perfect symmetry. But my hunger pangs remind me yet again why I’m here. My Fish Fillet, fresh and soft, is a dream to dig into. And I am truly pleasantly surprised by the medley of arrowroot, sweet potato and cassava chips, it must be the most enjoyable plate of chips I’ve ever had! Special Blanco’s sauce and some greens and parsley on the side, and I’m heartily tucking into my meal. The stir fry tripe, served steaming hot with spring onions, string beans, ginger, and soy and accompanied by rice is also quite tantalizing. Blanco’s definitely have a way of making even bland meals (at least I though tripe was bland) with a twist to bring out a great taste. The beef, served with an interesting mashed potatoes that have a hint of ginger, sweet potato and margarine is also quite rich. We however recommended that the chef use butter instead of margarine as the latter taste can get a bit overwhelming. I love that Blanco’s pay so much attention to the main meals and the accompaniments alike. Dessert comes too fast, as it is with the nicer things. I settle on a fruit salad, and this is probably my only disappointment. Opting not to have ginger syrup, the fruit is a bit bland; apple, pineapple, melon and slightly bitter mango. My friends have chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, and I end up eating half of theirs after snubbing my dessert.
Sitting back with the freshest passion juice I have drank yet, and listening to the strains of piped jazz, I’m pleased with myself. Will I be coming back to Blanco’s? Most definitely. Lovely ambience, great service and reasonable prices; you can get a great dish for 1000 bob as well as one for just below 500, a place you can easily hang out with friends, or with your whole family. Or you can just go in for coffee while waiting out Nairobi traffic. Really, what’s not to like?
Jade on Patrol, Kenyan Kitchen Sept - Dec 07
All rights reserved.
Additional info: There's also a Blanco's lounge, which is separate from the restaurant, but they serve alcohol in the restaurant too. Prices for beers range about 120-150, cocktails 300-450, hot and cold beverages 150-300. Basically, the drinks prices are pocket friendly.
Savana: The Coffee Lounge
Place: Savana: The Coffee Lounge
Location: Loita Street Opp. Barclays Plaza
Ambiance: Cozy
I had one and a half hours to kill before a meeting on loita street and decided to check out this new place, Savana [Since I am still boycotting Java due to the hair in the pie incident, I needed new places to take coffee]. I was welcomed into this huge place with armchairs, which I thought gave it a pretty cozy, lets do business, kind of atmosphere. The lady serving me was pretty amiable which I thought was a breathe of fresh air since service in Nairobi borders on deplorable. I ordered a macchiato and a cheese pie. Let me mention here that I had just had a macchiato from Dormans two days prior. She brought me the Macchiato in an espresso cup. It went downhill from there. Do you know how small an espresso cup is? Think of a sake glass….. yep… that’s what they served the supposed macchiato in. I asked her if this was how they served their macchiatos and she assured me that it was. On tasting it, it was definitely NOT a macchiato. The coffee was too bitter and there was no milk in sight. What the? They gave me an espresso when I specifically asked for a macchiato. Maybe they don’t know the difference. The cheese pie was alright, really nothing to write home about. I read my book and did not touch the drink and waited for the time to pass by.
When it was time to pay the bill, I asked her what coffee brand they used to brew and she informed me that it was Sasini [I was later to learn that the company is behind the lounge]. I informed her that I was not satisfied with what they called a macchiato [which cost Kshs. 150, the cheese pie was Kshs. 200]. She offered her apologies which I thought was pretty decent and she allowed me to write my complaints to the General Manager. I had to mention that they needed to learn how to brew whatever it was they had in their menu. Going to Dormans would be a good idea as well.
Do I recommend it? No. I think the prices are way too high and my experience was too negative to even fathom a repeat visit. I believe that if a place is going to charge such exorbitant prices, the least they could do is hire or train staff to know the difference between an espresso and a macchiato.
Later during the day, I went to Pasara and enjoyed a Café Vanilla.
Location: Loita Street Opp. Barclays Plaza
Ambiance: Cozy
I had one and a half hours to kill before a meeting on loita street and decided to check out this new place, Savana [Since I am still boycotting Java due to the hair in the pie incident, I needed new places to take coffee]. I was welcomed into this huge place with armchairs, which I thought gave it a pretty cozy, lets do business, kind of atmosphere. The lady serving me was pretty amiable which I thought was a breathe of fresh air since service in Nairobi borders on deplorable. I ordered a macchiato and a cheese pie. Let me mention here that I had just had a macchiato from Dormans two days prior. She brought me the Macchiato in an espresso cup. It went downhill from there. Do you know how small an espresso cup is? Think of a sake glass….. yep… that’s what they served the supposed macchiato in. I asked her if this was how they served their macchiatos and she assured me that it was. On tasting it, it was definitely NOT a macchiato. The coffee was too bitter and there was no milk in sight. What the? They gave me an espresso when I specifically asked for a macchiato. Maybe they don’t know the difference. The cheese pie was alright, really nothing to write home about. I read my book and did not touch the drink and waited for the time to pass by.
When it was time to pay the bill, I asked her what coffee brand they used to brew and she informed me that it was Sasini [I was later to learn that the company is behind the lounge]. I informed her that I was not satisfied with what they called a macchiato [which cost Kshs. 150, the cheese pie was Kshs. 200]. She offered her apologies which I thought was pretty decent and she allowed me to write my complaints to the General Manager. I had to mention that they needed to learn how to brew whatever it was they had in their menu. Going to Dormans would be a good idea as well.
Do I recommend it? No. I think the prices are way too high and my experience was too negative to even fathom a repeat visit. I believe that if a place is going to charge such exorbitant prices, the least they could do is hire or train staff to know the difference between an espresso and a macchiato.
Later during the day, I went to Pasara and enjoyed a Café Vanilla.
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