5 /5 Richard W: Excellent Kenyan restaurant. If you’ve never had Kenyan food before, you must try this place. Every single dish was delicious. African cuisines are often deeply spiced with similarities to Indian cuisine, but they’re separate things. I’m definitely coming back to learn more about Kenyan culture.
Kenyan pilau’s flavor profile was unlike any similar rice dishes around the world like pilaf, biryani, or kabuli. It has four principal spices: clove, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin. Each spice asserted its individual presence while blending into a warming and earthy cohesive whole. It has few ingredients as far as a spice mix goes, yet it’s complex and addictive—why is this flavor profile not more common around the world? Just be careful of the dab of chili peppers on the side, especially if you have a low spice tolerance.
The samosas had a stretchy chewy skin, more similar to Arabic motabbaq than pastry-like Indian samosas. The tomato-based goat stew was super tender with concentrated umami, made even more intense with the jollof rice and sweet plantains that had crispy bits and edges. Chips masala tasted like Indo-Chinese dishes such as Chili or Manchurian.
These dishes felt like a window to a part of the world many of us will never get to visit. And most importantly, the food’s delicious. I’m excited at what dish I’ll get to try next. I urge everyone to go here.
