A Sneak Peek At Two Rivers Kenya: The Largest Mixed Use Development Complex In Sub-Saharan Africa…

So there I was minding my own business last week when a friend called me up and requested that I accompany them on a site visit to Two Rivers.

For those who are not aware, Two Rivers is a fascinating complex set on a whooping 100 acres just after Runda which is gradually coming into shape after years of planning. Upon completion, the structure will boast 8.9 Million Square feet of available space.

So we jumped into the car and sped down Limuru Road and made our way to the development. You know things are serious when they design an underpass for access to the mall separate from the main Limuru Road and a roundabout to access the mall from the Northern Bypass

We parked the car in the vast parking space (over 3,500 spots!) after which I got a quick tour of the complex. Interestingly, there are tenants who are ready to receive customers even with the final phase of the construction going on…

With a green angle in mind, Two Rivers’ plan is to install one of the largest rooftop solar panels in Africa. 80% of the water used within the complex will be recycled while over 30% of the development will be set aside for parks and natural spaces.

What makes Two Rivers different from all the other malls/developments in Kenya?

1. Two Rivers will have a whole new lineup of shops/retailers which are setting shop in Kenya for the first time ever. These include:

a) LC Waikiki

Turkish LC Waikiki is an international clothing line with over 600 stores in more than 30 countries.

b) Carrefour

Carrefour will be opening the first hypermarket in Kenya at Two Rivers. With over  1,600 hypermarkets and a presence in over 30 countries worldwide, Carrefour just stepped up competition in Nairobi with their Karen branch already in action.

2. Accommodation Options: Two Rivers will not only have residential apartments, but they will also have jogging and cycling lanes for tenants and guests. City Lodge Hotel will open a three star hotel within the compound which will have 170 rooms…

3. Movie Lovers Heaven! Vox Cinemas is setting up a 10 Screen theater with an offer on VOX Max, VOX Gold VOX 3D and VOX 4DX. You all know where to find me from November!

5. Public Event Spaces: I must admit that I am impressed by Two River’s plan to have public event spaces. All other malls in Nairobi have their parking spaces as the main event space.  Apart from the galleries and movie theatre, there are two specific spaces of interest:

a) CK Square: The square will hold more than 2000 people and will have an LED outdoor screen.

b) Amphitheatre: With a capacity of 3,600 seats. The amphitheater will also have a live studio, an outdoor video facility and VIP corporate boxes. It can host an event every day of the year.

4. The sheer size of it. The complex will have 18 escalators, 22 lifts and 4 travelators.

Well ladies and gentlemen, I await your feedback of the mall once it opens in a few weeks… Meanwhile, I leave you with a couple of pictures of this interesting development…

The Best Nine Course Meal of My Life… Thanks To The Wet Lounge, Nairobi

Yes, I have been called easy to please on several occasions, however, nothing prepared my gastrointestinal system for the Wet Lounge’s food tasting when I accepted Karima’s pleasant invitation.  The food tasting session was so divine that I had to find an excuse to do it again, hence Fabrizio and I found ourselves at Karima’s generous table again.. 🙂

I shall attempt to walk you through the culinary experience we had, even though I am acutely aware of the fact that my pictures and words do not do this experience half the justice it deserves. My dear reader, you simply must stop by the Wet Lounge and sample their delicacies, once their door open this weekend…..

Once we sat down, a fascinating set up was placed in front of us….

Upon closer inspection, the delicious looking pink thing turns out to be a Watermelon and Feta Cheese sandwich…(Yes, I did think it was raw tuna at first..)

And beneath it steaming up the wine glass is the Goat Cheese Walnut Samosa…

The two items combine and introduce us to the meal, the amuse bouche. The term is French, literally translated as “mouth amuser”.

As we were still savouring these initial flavours with our amused mouths, the second course was already on its way to us. This was the White Tomato Soup with Crisp Popian Prawn…

The crispy prawn went down very smoothly accompanied by the white tomato soup which had a distinctive spicy flavour.

Next up was one of my favourite vegetarian options, the Spinach and Almond Tikki. This comprised of Tamarind Sorbet (cold), Sweet Yoghurt and Nylon Sev (hot). Why was this one of my favourites? Because:

1. The combination of hot and cold in different layers was genius and quite an amazing feat. Even as the cold sorbet sat on top of the hot core, it did not melt.. (I must speak to the Chef about the science behind this!)
2. The layering of the different items resulted in a combination of different textures in your already salivating mouth (resulting in a harmonious orchestra which left you yearning for more..) I should stop there.. we still have more courses to go!

Halfway through I remembered to take a picture for you, my dear friends who missed out.. 🙂

Remember I mentioned that I had the pleasure of having this experience twice? Well, the next item was on the menu the first time (Which was in the evening hence the darker pictures..)

This was the Red Carpet Chicken. The presentation was pretty awesome. There was a chilli pipette which you could squeeze to discharge the contents onto the chicken. The chicken itself was sitting on cauliflower and saffron cream (Drool!) Everything was topped off with Pistachio dust….

By this time we were in a place where we were undergoing an overwhelming sensory response to everything we had just partaken of. In order to bring us back to the basics (and prepare us for what was coming) we had the Guava and Chilli Sorbet interlude…. Absolutely incredible!

After taking a stroll to the balcony of the lounge, comparing notes with fellow diners and letting the first couple of courses settle, we came back for more….and we definitely got it!

Coming up next was one of Fabrizio’s (and mine) favourites…OK, who am I kidding, I loved everything I tasted that day! Fabrizio was completely blown by the Chilli and Basil Lobster…

The lobster was sitting on Broccoli and Ginger Kichadi (an East Indian comfort food that features rice and lentils) The reason why this dish was so delightful was because it was a very vibrant twist to a traditional Indian meal (in this case, the Kichadi.)

The climax of this course was the dust topping made up of lobster reduction, cocoa and cinnamon dust and broccoli flour. Mind blowing.

Nope, we are not yet done!

The next plate to hit the table was the Slow Cooked Lamb Shank, served with Mushroom Upma and Coconut Vegetable Lemon Foam..

The lamb was so tender, to the point where it started melting as soon as it got to your mouth…

Eventually it was dessert time! On both occasions, there was a slight variation in dessert….

Think Chocolate Cigars (Chocolate spring roll) Chocolate Samosas (I had no idea this was possible!), White Chocolate and Rosemary Kulfi, Homemade Caramel ice cream… all the things a dessert lover cannot resist… 🙂

I definitely look forward to your feedback on the Wet Lounge’s outstanding menu!

Cool New Places to Hang out In Nairobi in 2015….

As of late 2014, a couple of venue owners to be had spoken to me about their upcoming bars and restaurants. Every time I met friends they would ask me what is new in Nairobi and I would run through the list again and again.. And then I remembered that I had a blog I could send them to with a list of places to check out in 2015. Here is the list, party people!

1. The Wet Lounge & Grill

This venue is set to open in a couple of months. The owners are a lovely couple who invited me for a private viewing yesterday.. I liked what I saw.

The Wet lounge will be for the grown up crowd, with food available too within the premises. I will add further details the closer they are to opening.

2. Caramel Restaurant & Lounge

Caramel Lounge opened its doors in 2014 to a great reception in Nairobi. They are now have special offers which include the Happy Hours from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. There is also a ladies night every Wednesday evening with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine for ladies followed by half off on all signature cocktails all night…

3. Gossip Ultra Lounge and Fusion Restaurant.

I am really looking forward to the opening of Gossip Lounge. The dynamic pair behind this lounge are Barry and Samia. You may have seen them cruising around Nairobi in their Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls Royce or Hummer… This couple is keen in turning up the heat in the Nairobi nightlife 🙂

4. Budhaa Bar & Lounge

Avi invited me to check out Budhaa Bar way before it opened. I liked the concept. Little did I know Dom Pérignon Champagne would be keen on getting involved too. Now Nairobi has its own exclusive Dom Pérignon affiliated Bar in the heart of Westlands. Check it out guys!

5. The Juniper Kitchen

I am yet to set foot in Juniper Kitchen. The main reason it made it to this list is because of the raving reviews I have heard from my friends who have been there so far. They love it! Stop by and let us know what you think of the place!

6. Florida Nightclub

Ok, so this is not a “new” venue in Nairobi. Florida is Nairobi’s oldest nightclub. They reopened earlier this year at a new venue one street away from the older venue. The management is keen on giving Nairobi a fantastic nightclub experience seven nights a week…. Here are pictures of the new venue..

7. Marina Bay Lounge

My boy Amor Thige is in the process of setting up the Marina Bay Lounge in Mombasa. It is located within the luxurious English Point Marina. This will be the place to be in Mombasa when it opens…

8. Unnamed Club/Lounge (Coming Soon!)

A dear friend is finalising on yet another lounge in Westlands. The project is about four months away. I will definitely let you know about the club once they are almost open.

There you go! Let me know if I left out any new places in Nairobi and Mombasa….

Have You Been to Budhaa Bar Nairobi Yet?

2015 will be an interesting year for Nairobi’s nightlife. With quite a number of new places opening, we have an exciting array of options to choose from. I begin this nightlife journey with the first place to open in 2015, Budhaa Bar.

Just to be clear, this Budhaa Bar is a stand alone venture, not affiliated to other Budha Bars worldwide, well, for now.

Budhaa Bar is located in Westlands, within the Delta Corner complex right at the main Westlands roundabout. It seems there are other venues coming up within the complex, including a new Mercury Lounge.

Delta Corner Towers

Once you step into the Delta Corner Towers compound, walk around until you spot this smaller building on the side. This is where Budhaa Bar is located…

Stroll in through the glass doors and make your way up the flight of stairs until you see the light at the top of the staircase 🙂

True to its name, there is a “Budha”theme in the bar…

The colours are neutral and the place quite neat. There is an island bar style which means that you can order for a drink from any corner. Here are more pictures of the interior…

Dom Pérignon Champagne have a heavy presence at the venue. Now you know where to go for that special occasion which requires you to pop bottles 🙂 🙂

Naivasha’s Best Kept Secret: The Delightful Ranch House Bistro

A couple of weeks ago, a couple of us piled up in a car and sped off to Naivasha for a pleasant weekend away from Nairobi.

Upon arrival, Chris was kind enough to host us for the weekend. We then proceeded to cause chaos in his beautiful house by the lake. In order to have some peace of mind, he suggested that we check out the latest addition to the restaurant line up in Naivasha, the Ranch House Bistro for lunch.

This sounded like a solid plan. We hopped into the car and headed down Moi South Lake Road. Of course we raced right past the sign, screeched to a halt, reversed and then turned right into the gate. Apologies for the poor quality pictures, I did not have my Canon on me… 😦

Upon driving in through the gate we thought, for  a split second, that we were lost…..

We passed this interesting scenario and came across a staircase..

There it was, The Ranch House Bistro….

As my crew settled down an a table on the well tended grass, I walked around the restaurant, appreciating everything I saw…

I found my way back to the table and had a look at the menu which is seasonal…

 

We each ordered something different so that we could try out as much as we could in one seating….

Everything was delicious! I must say that the banana and Nutella crepes were exceptional. We ordered two more of them just because we could not have enough. Here are more pictures of the bistro and its surroundings.

It is customary to judge a restaurant by it’s bathrooms.. And I give the bathrooms at Ranch House Bistro two thumbs…. up!

The next time you find yourself in Naivasha, make a point of stopping by the Ranch House 🙂

40 Cork Road Kwamambo, Easily One Of The Best Restaurants in Harare, Zimbabwe

After losing data and images courtesy of a few disappointing hard drives, I decided to take up Flickr’s offer of 1 Terrabyte of free space to back up  my pictures. In the process, I came across pictures of my Zimbabwe trip (courtesy of one Sue Deiters who we still miss in Nairobi to this day.)

I will do a few blog pieces of the trip so that I can share with you a side of Zimbabwe which the world rarely gets to see. What better place to start than my favourite restaurant in Zimbabwe, 40 Cork Road, Kwamambo.

The restaurant has parking outside.

You walk in through the main gate and immediately encounter sculptures of various sizes spread out throughout the restaurant’s lush garden.

It also doubles as a gallery with art pieces, hand painted ceramics and Teak furniture on display for sale. Kwamambo is open Monday to Saturday between 8:30 to 4:00pm and closed on Sundays.

We had three different main courses which comprised of fish, avocado salad and chicken. I must say the food was outstanding. They also have a Gelato section shop with really good ice cream.

I liked their bathrooms with the Africa themed signs and ceramic washing bowls. They also have wireless internet connectivity which those who frequent Africa know is quite the bonus.

The next time you are in Zimbabwe, stop by 40 Cork Road and have a cup of coffee as you enjoy the sights and sounds of Harare. Their phone number is +2634253585

A Glimpse of 88, The Pan Asian Restaurant and Tambourin at Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi

Last Thursday Miranda and I were really excited as we set up our first Nairobi InterNations get together in 2014. We held it at 88, The Pan Asian Restaurant and Tambourin at Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi. This lovely restaurant officially opens next month (February 2014) with a selection of Vietnamese, Cantonese, Japanese and Thai cuisine. Allow me to share some pictures of our delightful evening with you…

The restaurant has a warm welcoming feel with different seating options on two sides once you walk in through the main door…

The staff took care of our every needs during the event. They were exceptional… we even had a pleasant lady from the spa who gave us amazing shoulder rubs as the event was ongoing…

The man who stole my heart in the course of the evening was Chef Tyrone and his team.. The food was outstanding with a selection of vegetarian and sea food rolls, prawns, humus and Vietnamese spring rolls.

Overall we had a great time at 88, and we will definitely do it again once the restaurant opens officially. Here are more pictures from the event…

The Grand Opening night of Seven Grill & Lounge, Village Market, Nairobi

Seven Grill & Lounge, Village Market opened its doors last Saturday with an event full of enthusiastic fans. The invite only opening was simple yet elegant. For those who are unaware, the first Seven restaurant, Seven Seafood and Grill opened a while back in ABC Place and has successfully gained popularity as the ultimate sea food restaurant in Nairobi.

Seven Grill & Lounge is predominantly a steakhouse serving beef aged from 21 to 38 days. They had samples of the steak for guests to taste as the opening took place. I love good meat, and the waiter serving us can testify to this fact. Riz (Kenya Nights), Patrick Mwangi (Heineken), Miranda Ransley, Shrina and I collectively ate a whole cow 🙂

The meat is served rare, medium well and well done (or any other way you like it).

Kiran, one of the owners of Seven, was kind enough to show me around the kitchen despite the busy opening night.

I caught a glimpse of the hanging meat as it ages in a closely monitored environment..

We bumped into some charming young men on the way out or the kitchen back to the party.

There is a lounge where you can have drinks before or after your meal.

The next time you are in the Village Market area pop in and check out Nairobi’s first official steakhouse, Seven Grill & Lounge.

 

For more information, have a look at their website.

Kaldis, A New Entry in The Nairobi Coffee House Market

Once every two weeks I head down to Kimathi Street in Nairobi’s Central Business District to get my locks twisted by Steve, the best loctitian (Yes, this is a legit title) in Kenya. On the way out of the salon I run into Amar and Eli, two of the coolest people I know. They are so cool that if they are hanging out somewhere, it deserves to be mentioned, Kaldis Coffee House..

Kaldis opened its doors about a month ago. The have a good menu and decent prices.

As is the norm I had my usual hot chocolate and carrot cake 🙂

The carrot cake was good. It was moist enough and not too heavy. I definitely heading back there in two weeks time 🙂

For more information, email info@kaldisafrica.com or have a look at their facebook page

Furusato, My favourite Sushi Restaurant in Nairobi

My best friend and I yesterday stopped by Furusato for lunch. It is located in Westlands down the road from Nakumatt Ukay.

I had the tuna avocado soyuae as my starter and she had chicken wings.

Tuna Avocado Soyuae

She had the thunder rolls as her main course while I had the Philadelphia rolls (thanks to Lina who made me fall in love with them).

Thunder Rolls

Philadelphia Rolls

We skipped dessert because we had rush to our next meeting…. 😦 I did like the art around the compound…..