Nothing is Kenyan quite like a nicely done barbecue; meat that is sweet, tangy-glazed with a tinge of smoky taste, to crown it all. That is what Kenyans are all about and it does not matter whether it is beef, goat, or chicken because if it is nicely done over an open fire, then diners will stream in be it by a roadside or drive for miles for it.
I was on a quest for this special treat when we walked into the PrideInn Azure on Nairobi’s Rhapta Road Westlands.
At this hotel, the meat does not have a severely charred look or taste. Chef Ken Okall has opted for juicy and tender. On the meat platter, it had everything from chicken, chevon, lamb, and calamari.
The is an open kitchen and so I was able to see how the meat is prepared as a wafting aroma tingles my appetite. I choose to start with the goat short ribs that are glazed with sauce. The embers of the open fire give the meat a smoky taste. I lick my finger afterward.
I finish and move to the juicy lamb. It does not disappoint either; soft that it falls off the bone. I am not a huge fan of lamb, but I loved it.
The two pieces of chicken, brownish coated from the open fire are moist and so soft. The flavours burst in my mouth. Immediately, I declare the chicken the winner of the platter. Of course, not loudly.
I move the pieces of onion rings aside. I am trying to create space for the calamari that is staring at me. Space in my stomach, not platter.
The platter is for two but food pickers will find it hard to finish. I take a breather, chat with my companion, just for the rest of the meats to digest and I eat the calamari.
While calamari is mostly rubbery, this one is just right; soft enough to chew. Chef Ken says he cooked the calamari on high heat to make it less rubbery.
For carbs lovers, the platter comes with French fries or roast potatoes and sauces. I loved the specially prepared chilli sauce.
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