RESTAURANT REVIEW
TEXT
SUSAN WONG
PHOTO
LUCAS NDETO
Some of the thrills
on the menu are
subtle, others are
scene-stealers
a touch of whimsical charm to the
place, the decor at Ocean Basket
is picture-perfect. On the other
hand, the neon-lit signage which
ensure that patrons won’t get lost
in the restaurant, clearly guiding
guests to areas such as the sushi bar
and takeout counter, is a bit of an
overkill.
Though the décor carries a
striking resemblance to Ocean
Basket restaurants in South Africa,
this one definitely feels more
intimate and chic. Perhaps it’s the
location – nestled in a relatively
quiet commercial building instead
of a busy massive mall (where
South African Ocean Baskets usually
are in) – or maybe it’s the soonto-be completed wine bar on the
expansive patio, which undoubtedly
adds a touch of sophistication that
Nairobians can’t seem to ever get
enough of. The wine bar also gives
the restaurant a pulse that even in
its current concrete state cannot
be missed. Once the champagne
and oyster Sunday specials begin
in the coming weeks, heading to
Ocean Basket will probably become
a weekly pilgrimage for shellfish and
bubbly aficionados.
The menu at Ocean Basket is
not overcomplicated or fussy. No
other restaurant in Nairobi makes
the simple cooking of mussels and
prawns seem so delicious with
opportunities for excitement. My
companions and I began with the
Fresh Raw Oysters served on crushed
ice and simply garnished with dill
and lemon wedges. A large bottle of
Tabasco followed. As I indulged in
the subtle mineral taste of the divine
sweetness of a creamy and plump
oyster, a couple of my companions
froze while they swallowed their
first slimy mouthful of the ocean.
Needless to say, they were dramatic
raw oyster virgins.
The selection of tapas, many
vegetarian, matched well with their
house bread. A mousse of roasted
eggplant with rosemary and thyme
was deliciously aromatic and packed
a lot of flavour despite it being
relatively light. The Roasted Mixed
Pepper with Feta Cheese simply
dressed with garlic and olive oil
arrived colourfully and with balanced
caramelised sweetness. My favourite,
the sautéed Mussels in Lemon
Garlic Sauce, neatly arriving in a
pan, were fragrant and plump. The
buttery sauce pooled in the shells
just enough to complement the juicy
flesh and succulent taste of the light
mussels.
The signature Prince Prawns
arrived on a large platter: twelve
perfectly cooked prawns in lemon
garlic butter with a healthy serving
of spiced rice. Far from being
rubbery, the meat of the prawns
were firm, juicy and tasted of the
sweetness of the ocean. Then there
were the King Prawns that arrived
with a velvety butternut squash
mash and rich creamed spinach – the
crowning moment of the evening.
The big question is will people
in Nairobi get tired of a seafood
restaurant? Well if you’re asking
this question, then clearly you’ve
never eaten at Ocean Basket. Some
of the thrills on the menu are subtle,
like the diverse vegetarian options
that include fried goat cheese
and a grilled Haloumi salad with
Portobello mushrooms. Others are
scene-stealers, like the mussels and
prawns. A few are flat-out luxurious
such as the raw oysters, served only
a few hours since being harvested
off of the Namibian coast.
To be honest, I was quite nervous
ahead of dining at Kenya’s first
Ocean Basket. I’ve eaten at Ocean
Basket in South Africa countless
times. The restaurant chain has
enjoyed enduring success and
has a proven winning formula that
keeps diners loyal. But would the
consistency, quality of the seafood,
and value for money – pillars of the
Ocean Basket brand – also translate
to its Kenyan location?
I’m glad it has. From the décor to
the pleasant service to the execution
of the menu, I no longer need to
be in South Africa to get my Ocean
Basket-fix. Most importantly, I
won’t be missing the abundance of
seafood in Canada. This Canadian
has found a substitute in Nairobi.
21.