Skip to main content

Another 20 Desserts, Dishes and Drinks in Nairobi You Must Try

As promised, here's part 2! Haven't checked out part 1? Do so here!

Incidentally, this happens to by my 250th published post!

1. Bhajias from Bhajia Corner? Maru Bhajia Place? (no one could remember the actual name) in Diamond Plaza. There seems to be unanimous agreement that the best maru bhajias in town are from this little place in Diamond Plaza. Yes, we may not remember the name. but those of you who've been to Diamond Plaza know EXACTLY what I'm talking about! To those who haven't yet been - once you go to the food court, you'll be swarmed with lots of waiters trying to get your to order from them. However, just ask for the maru bhajia place and you'll be directed accordingly!

2. Nyama choma at Njugunas Place. Is there any food that's as quintessentially Kenyan as nyama choma (literally, roast meat) is? Njugunas is reputed to have the best in town - soft, perfectly done, and flavourful. No more chewing one piece for five minutes!

3. Heavenly beef at Zen Garden. In case you couldn't tell already, Zen Garden is one of my favourite restaurants in Nairobi. I love going there, but at the same time, whenever I go, I want to eat EVERYTHING! Unfortunately, that hasn't been physically possible... yet! This beef is lovely and perfectly cooked with teriyaki sauce. If you're making a list of the things you can't miss out on in Nairobi, this HAS to be on it!



4. Chicken biryani from Khazana at Village Market. Despite not being a dish of Kenyan origin, biryani has almost become a staple for us!



5. Tres leches cake at Mercado. Tres leches is a cake that's been soaked in three types of milk. Not only is Mercado one of the only places in Nairobi that does it, but they also do it well!



6. Tagliolini al nero at Lucca (Villa Rosa Kempinski).



7. Frozen key lime pie from About Thyme. I know, I know, frozen key lime pie? Doesn't sound the most appetising, right? Trust me though, this is AMAZING. Very light and refreshing, with a perfect blend of flavours. I first tried this on recommendation from About Thyme's owner - then fell in love, and dragged my best friend over to the restaurant to make her try it too!



8. Fresca y menta margarita at Fonda. Thank GOODNESS we have more options for Mexican food in Nairobi! Long gone are the days where you order a burrito at a regular cafe. And of course, you can't have Mexican food without (hopefully giant) margaritas!



9. Palak paneer from Chowpatty.

10. Fried chicken and waffles from Nyama Mama. Technically, Nairobi IS south of the Mason-Dixon line, so this makes total sense (as does the enduring love of country music in southern parts of the country).



11. Grilled lobster at Osteria.

12. Cheese pie from Spring Valley Artisan Cafe. I am actually SO glad I don't work close enough that I can stop by this place everyday, because I'd order their cheese pie whenever I could, and I'd easily be thrice my size! The pastry is just right, the flavour of cheese is perfect (but not overwhelming), and it doesn't drip with fat which can be such a turn off.



13. Thai red curry from Zen Garden. I usually get this with chicken, but you're free to experiment! Red curry is the epitome of Thai food for me, and I honestly believe that Zen Garden does the best red curry in town. Perfectly complemented by their jasmine rice, this curry is rich, hearty and comforting - exactly what a curry should be!



14. Chicken salad with strawberry and poppy seed dressing at Java House. One of the best things about Java is the fact that it has such a variety and can cater to so many different types of cravings. Want something decadent? Go for the chocolate fudge cake. Something hearty? Get a steak. Something light? This salad is perfect for that!



15. White sangria from Tapas/ Artcaffe. I've tried the white sangria at both places MULTIPLE times, and I can honestly say I can't tell the difference, which is why they both made it on the list ;) Red sangria is more popular (at least in Nairobi), but anyone who's tried this white sangria can attest to the fact that it is, indeed, perfect.



16. Chorizo from hell from La Tasca Spanish Corner. This is one of those I haven't tried yet, and I'm almost afraid to - it looks like pure fire! However, it comes highly recommended by a friend and fellow food blogger.



17. Crispy duck wonton with fresh mango salad and plum sauce at Pan Asian Yao. Done by the same group that brought us Nyama Mama, Pan Asian Yao is a newer Asian fusion restaurant in Nairobi. This dish has been described as 'to die for' - so what're you waiting for?!



18. T-bone steak at Trattoria.



19. Zinger strips KFC. Okay, okay, stop laughing. Yes, KFC isn't Kenyan, but their zinger strips are amazing, and had to make the list!!

20. Funghi pizza from 360 Degrees Artisan Pizza. I have it on good authority that when this pizza is made, angels sing in the kitchen to make it even MORE amazing.


Liked this post? Please let me know - and SHARE :)


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Five years of The Kenyan Nomad: Looking back

How time does fly! I can't believe that my little blog is five - what a journey it has been! I thought it would be fun to look back on a few posts I've done over the years. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My first post  was an attempt to restart a blog that I had started writing four years ago - back then, it was more of an extended, and public mailing list. This was a week after I turned 20, and I think the 'new decade' brought me some inspiration to write that I'm still going on! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A few months later, I shared some pictures from a trip to the Masai Mara. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- During the spring semester that year, I did a few posts from a series I had posted

Amani ya Juu: Restaurant Review

Although Nairobi is definitely a greener city than many others, it can sometimes feel like we are surrounded by concrete and construction, and personally this can be overwhelming at times! This is why I love going to restaurants like Zen Garden and the Arbor - the outdoorsy ambience serves to remind me that Nairobi is STILL more than your average concrete jungle. I was super excited to learn that there's yet another restaurant I can add to my beautiful ambience list - Amani Ya Juu  (or Amani Garden Cafe, not sure which is the correct name :) ). Amani ya Juu literally means 'peace from above', which I think is quite beautiful.   When a friend suggested meeting here for lunch one warm Saturday, I naturally jumped at the chance! To drink, I ordered their iced tea, which was quite lovely and refreshing in this weather! Also, my new thing is iced tea, especially flavoured. For mains, I ordered a cup of tomato soup and grown up grilled cheese (it had salami, pesto and mozzarella)

Restaurant Review: Christmas at the Arbor

Happy holidays, everyone! As I write this, I'm sitting in the U.S., having travelled here to spend time with family (and see friends if I get lucky). Saturday the 17th of December, however, found me in a food coma after a delicious Christmas meal with Darshani (of Cupcakes to Curry) at the Arbor in Lavington, Nairobi. The Arbor has a very laid-back, chic outdoor ambiance, well-suited to Saturday brunch or a dinner out with friends. Darshani and I were there to do a review for a podcast, and thus ended up having a multi-course meal at 10 am on a Saturday morning (accompanied by various cocktails, of course, much to the envy of the other diners)! The weather was perfect December weather - warm and sunny, forbidding any sort of indoor seating at all. For my non-Southern hemisphere readers, you'll just have to visit Kenya to know what I mean when I say 'perfect December weather' and 'warm' in the same sentence. It was started about two years ago by Shamini, original