SUSAN EATS
TEXT
SUSAN WONG
PICTURES
KARAN KHALSA / EATOUT
I miss this
soup when
I wake up in
unfamiliar
beds at
beautiful
hotels in
Europe.
– it’s true, ask my colleagues. I think
of Kienyeji Chicken Soup fondly, no
matter where I am in the world.
LUNCH
“Roooosieeee.” “Roooosie…
matumbo na chapo.””ROOOSIIEEE
stew na ugali.”
Until I started dining at Petma
Restaurant on Kaunda Street, located
on the ground floor of Traveler’s
Building, I’ve never heard the name
Rosie called out so many times in
my life.
Meet Rosie: The chef of Petma on
Kaunda Street (there are three
locations in Town), and probably
Nairobi’s most famous Rosie. The
30-something chef stoically serves
up some of Town’s tastiest Kenyan
classics at incredible fast-food
speeds despite the chaos that
surrounds her.
Burnt orange paint, exposed air
ventilation ducts, French bistrostyled tables without the marble
or the charm, music blaring from
the ceiling speakers, two large
televisions dedicated to Nat Geo and
a local news channel, and waitresses
calling out their orders to Rosie with
their squeaky voices– the heaving
atmosphere of Petma during lunch
service is not for everyone.
My usual is Matumbo (tripe) with
Mbuzi (goat) soup – make sure you
ask for it otherwise you’ll get a
reddish gravy that tastes like Royco
and food colouring - but what keeps
me coming back is the vegetables!
Sukuma Wiki perfectly sautéed until
tender but still dense and crisp
with every bite, and its lush deep
shade of green preserved. Don’t
you hate it when vegetables are
overcooked to a tasteless pulp? In
fact, the only vegetable that should
be overcooked, which Petma does so
well, is Managu (solanum).
A word of advice; to get a seat,
make sure you head to Petma right
before the lunch rush begins to
ensure you’ll be served the best or
“top layer.” If you’re in a bad mood
or have a headache, the controlled
chaos will probably make it worse, so
go another day.
DINNER
If you find yourself still in Town after
the last two culinary gems, head
to Kaldis Coffee House on Kimathi
Street for some of the best steak
around. The first step to cooking
any great cut of meat is to first buy
a great piece of meat and at Kaldis,
they do, considering I still thoroughly
enjoyed my tasty Sirloin even when
it was severely undercooked and
on another occasion, overdone.
They still need to work on their
understanding of doneness. That
being said, the little bit of charring
and the chef’s plentiful seasoning
adds a delicious crust that keeps
the meat juicy and tender at the
center, making this one of the most
delicious and affordable steaks in
Town.
I would stay away from the curries
as they taste of uncooked spices,
leaving a grainy texture in your
mouth. Most of the drinks, except
for the iced teas, are incredibly
sugary. In some cases, specifically
the mocktails, you’ll even see a
layer of settled brown sugar at the
bottom of your tall plastic glass.The
rest of Kaldis’ menu reads like most
other cafés, but they offer larger
portions for a cheaper price. The
décor experiments in earthy and
dark themes. Tall ceilings welcome
diners and service is usually fast and
charming.
DINING IN TOWN
In my perfect world, Town on a
weekend would be transformed into
an urban haven where pedestrians
and cyclists share the street with a
vibrant farmers market - highlighting
the best in arts and crafts - and the
air filled with aromas of titillating
street foods and delicious restaurant
offerings. All of this in front of a
backdrop of some of Kenya’s most
historic buildings.
Town is the last frontier for Nairobi’s
culinary scene. Though many
business owners are abandoning
Town in favour of new glitzy
buildings in up-and-coming urban
neighbourhoods, some recognize the
opportunity in reinvesting in tired
restaurants.
Restaurant owners in Town have
made significant changes in the
last few years through modernizing
menus and building brand-new
interiors, whilst maintaining
consistency in their prices and
offerings. People may still think this
part of Nairobi is the “dark” side
where nothing is ever going to be
good, but the resilience of these
restaurant owners proves otherwise.
On your nex Ё