FREE COPY
yummy
SANDWICH HEAVEN THE BURGER DON
BÁNH MÌ
WORLD CLASS
Mulunda Kombo gets in the mood for Burger Fest
Sinking our teeth into this Vietnamese classic
Proud of this Kenyan mixology champion
Vol. 4.7 July 2018
FOOD. DRINK. LIFE.
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EDITOR’S YUMMY NOTE
IN VINO BREAKING VERITAS
CRUSTS
You don’t have to be a wine expert to enjoy a good glass of wine, argues Katy Fentress, who is happy to have passed the responsibility of curating this month’s wine section to someone unarguably more qualified than her.
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am fourteen years old and have somehow managed to land myself a summer internship at the then famous Colors Magazine. Every morning for a month, I walk through the cobbled streets of the historical centre of Rome, to the office on the second floor of a building a few blocks away from the iconic Spanish Steps. At lunchtime, I saunter downstairs and to a nearby Alimentari (Deli) and order a sandwich. Every day that month, I order the same thing: a crusty rosetta (Rome’s quintessential sandwich bun, a round and knobbly vessel that loosely resembles a hollowed out rose) with pecorino cheese and grilled aubergine slices. The piquant tang of the pecorino cheese, mixed with the rich bitterness of scorched aubergine that has been macerating with garlic and parsley in olive oil, gives so much tingling satisfaction to my taste buds, that I never once stop and think that it might be lacking anything. Fast forward four years, and I am attending a summer film school in New York. I am living in Queens and,
on one of my first days in the city, decide to go and get a sandwich at the local Italian deli. I order a cheese and ham ‘hero’ and am shocked when my order is placed on the counter. How am I supposed to even get my mouth around this immense beast of a sandwich, I think to myself, before heading home and carefully cutting it into bite-size pieces. The sandwich takes two days to finish. Even now, looking back, I can't understand how Italians went from this less is more culture, in which two slices of cheese and a vegetable stuck in a bun amply suffice as a meal, to this more is more culture in the USA, in which it is perfectly normal to make your ham filling two inches thick, your yellow processed cheese also two inches thick, and to just keep piling on the ingredients until you might as well have just put them on a large plate and eat the bread as a side. These are of course problems that here in Kenya we do not share. If anything, the local sandwich culture is completely the opposite. I’m going to take a stab at saying that
this is because the bread that was introduced by the British who thought industrially-made sliced bread was the best thing since, well, sliced bread, and had never conceived of it as a vessel for multiple sandwich fillings (they had pies for that). As a result, British sandwiches have never really been elevated beyond snack status. This point is driven home twice in the magazine: once when Winnie Wangui interviews the Executive Chef at ArtCaffe [P.36] and once when we talk to the owner of Nairobi’s newest sandwich shop, Stack and Squeeze at Lavington Mall [P.45]. Thank heavens for the French though, if it weren’t for them, we would not get to partake in the delicious bread, that is now available at Le Grenier a Pain on Riverside [P.34] or, for that matter, in the delicious national sandwich of Vietnam, the Bánh mì which, we discover, is now being served fresh at a most unlikely of spas turned Vietnamese restaurants in Karen [P.42]. Burgers, the messiest of all sandwiches, also take pride of place
in the issue in the run-up to the third annual Nairobi Burger Festival and as such, we thought we’d treat you a delightful Q&A [P.28] with everyone’s favourite meat man Mr. Mulunda Kombo, who created three special burgers exclusively for our shoot. Elsewhere in the magazine we talk vegetarian sandwiches in Wanja Wohoro’s new column “The Cool Veggie” [P.39], Susan Wong tells us what her top three places to eat a light lunch are [P.26] and Jackson Biko [P.50] really wants everyone to know that he doesn’t eat sausages. Especially not when he’s up a mountain. Follow Katy on IG: @ lakitchenwitch
Katy Fentress Editor In Chief
Katy Fentress Editor In Chief
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JULY 2018
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CONTENTS FINGER ON THE PULSE
THE BURGER DON
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It took some convincing but eventually we managed to get the self taught meat chef extraordinaire Mulunda Kombo to create some special burgers just for us!
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New and Events
New Restaurants Social Scene: Bastille Day Kahawa Allstars: Eric Wainaina Anyiko's List: What's Hot Foodies We Love: Kaluhi Adagala
TRIED AND TESTED 28 Susan Eats: Light Lunches 4 Wine Corner: Sandwich Truck 53 Man About Town: Mountain Climbing 40 The Cool Veggie: Goodbye Salami 45 In a Pickle: Added Crunch DIGGING IN Guide to Bread: Le Grenier 36 42 Spotlight: Bánh mì 47 Q&A: Stack and Squeeze
38 COVER SHOT AT ARTCAFFÉ
FLAWLESS SANDWICH
By Peter Ndung'u
Artcaffe group were the first to really up the Nairobi sandwich game, so we asked them to tell us what the secret to a good one is!
YUMMY Vol. 4.7 · July 2018 · PUBLISHED BY EATOUT, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED MANAGING DIRECTOR Mikul Shah GM Michelle Slater EDITOR IN CHIEF: Katy Fentress STAFF WRITER Winnie Wangui CONTRIBUTORS: Jackson Biko, Josiah Kahiu, Marah Koberle, Anyiko Owoko, Wanja Wohoro, Susan Wong DESIGN John Njoroge, Brian Siambi DIGITAL TEAM: Fred Miwthiga, Sylvia Onsoti David Olillo DISTRIBUTION Leroy Buliro SALES, MARKETING & OPERATIONS Susan Gathara, Gilbert Chege, Daniel Muthiani, Jane Naitore, Angela Omondi, Joy Wairimu, Vanessa Wanjiku PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Ndung’u, Karan Khalsa, Brian Siambi IT Douglas Akula, Erick Kiiya, Asim Mughal SALES INQUIRIES 0711 22 22 22 EMAIL info@yummy.co.ke PRINTED BY English Press
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@EatOutKenya
@eatoutkenya
MEET THE WINNERS
PETER NDUNG’U Winner of the 2018 Kenyan Daily Photography Award, Yummy’s in-house photographer Peter believes that if he were reincarnated as a burger, he would be a dripping beef burger covered in molten gouda cheese slathered in barbecue sauce. If he were ever stranded on a desert island he would like to have a map, any map, to give himself the impression that there was a way out and would spend his time reading Jackson Biko’s book “Drunk”. Peter enjoys dining at local holes in the wall, but is happiest when trying his hand at making pasta back home.
PATRICK MUTUA Since winning the prestigious Diageo World Class Kenya mixology award, Patrick has been on cloud nine and has hardly had time to find his appetite much less think about what kind of a burger he would like to come back as. When pushed, however, he says he’d probably be a double chicken cheese burger. In the unfortunate event that he was stranded on a desert island without his golden cocktail shaker, he would hope to have a copy of the Bible with him to make the time go by faster and would definitely miss eating at the mouthwatering little dining joints he so loves to visit in Nairobi.
KALUHI ADAGALA After winning the best food blog category at this 2018 BAKE awards for the third year in a row, internet sensation Kaluhi Adagala has had little time to rest or answer phone calls. Being stranded on a desert island doesn’t actually sound like such a bad idea, although she confesses that she would find a way to bring her laptop and modem, despite the obvious lack of connectivity on the aforementioned desert island. When not whipping up a storm in the comfort of her picture perfect kitchen, she loves to eat at her favourite local hole in the wall.
LUCKY WINNER! Hands together to this month’s winner Judy Kerubo, who won a lunch voucher for two at The Grove on Riverside Drive, for being the top EatOut App user of all times. She has been a loyal Yummy card user since it came out in 2015 and loves taking advantage of the discounts on the EatOut app. Today she gets to enjoy the benefits of being part of #TeamEatOut and will be heading to the Grove accompanied by her sister. “The EatOut App is very convenient” she tells us. “If I go to a place and want to grab a bite I just search for the nearest restaurant and what cuisine I want, not forgetting the amazing offers and discounts. I feel I can rely on the app.”
MONTHLY GIVEAWAY 12.
How much did you enjoy your burger? Share your #BurgerFest and #NBF2018 photo and review to win@eatout.co.ke and you could win an exclusive Burger Festival Hamper!
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NEWS AND EVENTS
HEAVY LINE UP Koroga, Music and Friends
Koroga Festival is back for the 23rd Edition on the 21st and 22nd of July at Two Rivers. Performances from Kansoul, Tunji and Dj Joe Mfalme are lined up for Saturday and Tanzania’s Harmonize, Kenya’s Blinky Bill and South Africa’s Big Nuz will perform on Sunday. Tickets at the gate are going for Ksh. 1,500 on Saturday and Ksh.3,000 on Sunday. Gates open from 2pm to 12am on Saturday and 12pm to 7pm on Sunday. facebook.com/KorogaFestival
ALL THAT JAZZ
The AfroSynthesis Experience at Nyama Mama The AfroSynthesis Experience is a musical celebration of modern Afro-Urban culture, a Jazz party that presents music around an ecosystem embodying icons of our own mixed urban culture such as Kenyan cuisine, Matatu culture, Benga and Sheng. Guests will also be treated to a prelude of Shamsi Music’s sophomore album and special appearances by June Gachui and Chris Adwar. Gate tickets are Ksh.1,500 per person, Ksh. 2,500 for two people and Ksh. 6,000 for five people. eatout.co.ke/events/afrosynthesis
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NEW RESTAURANTS
TIGHTLY WRAPPED Burrito Goodness Hits the Alchemist Burrito Bar has moved location and is now at The Alchemist, Westlands. This Mexican restaurant serves freshly made burritos, churros, nachos and tacos. They open every day from 12pm to 10pm. Make a date with a friend and chomp down on these mouthwatering treats. eatout.co.ke/burrito-bar
NOT JUST KAHAWA For The Cuppa Located in the CBD, Gloria Jean’s Coffees is the perfect spot for a quiet evening after work, a business meeting or even a coffee date ! Espresso Chillers, Specialty Chillers, Iced Tea and Fruzies are some of the beverages that you will find on their menu. Drop by and get a cup, or two. eatout.co.ke/gloria-jean-s-coffees
BIG HARVEST It’s a Trademark Trademark Hotel has recently opened at Village Market and it comes along with a spanking new restaurant called Harvest. Their creatively crafted menu includes a variety of dishes such as Coquillettes Pasta, Genoa Style Minestrone and the special Harvest Salad. Pop in and give it a try. eatout.co.ke/harvest Check out the EatOut app for more information on these and other restaurants in the city and remember to claim your discounts!
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SOCIAL SCENE
VIVE LA FRANCE The newly opened Embassy of France at Peponi Gardens, hosted a grand ball this 14th of July in honour of their yearly Bastille Day celebration. Guests, who were dressed to the nines, were greeted by flowing champagne, cognac, crepes, beef bourguignon and ratatouille. Hopefully though, despite the merrymaking, no one was too hungover to enjoy their big World Cup win the next day.
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EATOUT PICKS
HOW TO CLAIM A DISCOUNT ON THE EATOUT APP • Open the restaurant’s page on the app • Click claim % discount • Click proceed - A notification SMS is sent to the waiter • Show the reference code sent to your phone to the waiter. • After confirmation, the waiter will incorporate your discount to your bill
DISCOUNT CITY We love eating out and we definitely enjoy it more when there are offers and discounts that come along with our meals. Have you downloaded the EatOut App? If you haven’t, you are missing out on amazing discounts from a wide variety of restaurants and bars. Visit these restaurants to enjoy 20% discounts on your bill total. ARBOR PLACE The homely aura at Arbor Place is ideal for when you want to escape into a serene location. Various meals are available, with options such as sandwiches, salads and breakfast dishes, to heartier meals including burgers, pasta, vegetarian dishes and delicious Malaysian staples such as the Laksa noodles and Nasi Pattaya. ASIAN GARDEN Enjoy sushi and sashimi, teppanyaki, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Indian cuisines at this restaurant in Gigiri. If you are needing a curry to warm you up, their chicken, fish and mutton selections will hit the spot. Freshly prepared salads include: murg malai salad, chicken tikka salad, seekh kebab salad, fish tikka salad and more BONDS GARDEN African and Continental dishes are what you’ll find at this restaurant in Upperhill. The greenery surrounding the alfresco dining area create a
tranquil ambiance for you to indulge in their fried or grilled meats and other local delicacies. Whether you work or live within the corporate village that is Upperhill, this is a restaurant worth your visit. CIPRESSI This newly opened Italian restaurant opens from 11:30am to 10:30 pm, every Tuesday to Sunday. Their Tuscaninspired menu is specially crafted by their 2-star Executive Chef, Silvio Morelli. Sample on delightful dishes such as Mezze Maniche alla Luciano Pavarotti and enjoy a discount with your meal. THAI VILLAGE Located at the Village Market food court, Thai Village serves up delicious Thai dishes. From steamed vegetable and meat dumplings, to bok choi and seafood delicacies, this restaurant serves up hearty meals at an affordable price. Head over and enjoy a 15% discount through the EatOut App.
THE SHACK This recently opened restaurant at Nairobi West’s Magharibi Place is popular for their tasty burgers. Their signature mouth-watering burgers include Shack Tower, the Cuckoo Shack and the Paneer Shack are guaranteed to satisfy your burger cravings.
UTAMU AT IBIS STYLES Just as its name suggests, Utamu Restaurant located at Ibis Styles along Raphta road Westlands is the home of sweet dishes at pocket-friendly prices. Not only do you get to have a taste of exquisitely prepared meals but you also enjoy a 25% discount on your bill!
MAMA WARIDI PARADISE Located at the Waridi Paradise hotel in Hurlingham, Mama’s dishes are reminiscent of a home- cooked meal. Their menu features a wide range of African and International cuisine dishes. The African theme is perfect for families as well. KHAZANA Tuck into their warm velvety naan breads, hearty gravys, savoury meals including kebabs with chilli paneer or Indian tofu and enjoy Indian cuisine perfection. Their location at Galleria Shopping mall gives a warm welcoming atmosphere.
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KAHAWA ALLSTARS
TEXT LEROY BULIRO
ERIC WAINAINA From the mean streets of Nairobi to the equally mean but somewhat more glamorous stages of New York’s Broadway, Kenyan superstar Eric Wainaina’s career in music and theatre has come an incredibly long way. In this month’s Kahawa Allstars, we sit down with the multi talented artist, for an exclusive chat about his musical journey, his transition to theatrical musicals and his new album “Dreams in Stereo” which is set to be released this 27th of July. If you were to sing about coffee, what would you say about it? I have a song off my new album, "Dreams in Stereo" launching on 27th July that comes to mind. The title is "Found Me A Lover" and one of the verses reminds me of someone I know, but it also reminds me of coffee—full of crazy, fun, energy. So, coffee must also be a woman!
Will you be relocating to New York? Yes, we are moving there for the month of October. (*Sings "New York, New York"). In addition to performances, I will also have a short residency at Yale and NYU. This really will be a fantastic launch pad for everything I am doing right now. My musical DJ Lwanda is being workshopped at NYU. Can't wait.
She falls asleep to television She lives her dreams in stereo She swears up a storm in traffic Singing loud to the radio
What inspired you to expand your artistic repertoire into theatre and musicals? I am deeply fascinated by live theatrical performances. When I was at music school at St Mary's we had an annual musical and I took part in all but two in my 12-year stint there. In Boston we caught a lot of theater, I took some musical theatre classes and I have been inspired ever since. It has taken some time to get this off the ground, but now this is definitely a fixed part of my career moving forward. The energy of producing, acting and singing on stage in a dramatic context is exhilarating. I feel most alive in that environment because it is a collaborative effort allowing myself to work with a lot of different artists and creatives, some of whom are often better at their
Has coffee ever come to your rescue? Oh, many times! Every day in fact. My studio always has a fresh pot on the go. Many projects of mine are fueled by late nights and a good cup of Joe. Besides, how else am I supposed to wake up in the morning? Tinga Tinga tales at Broadway! How did that happen? Claudia Lloyd, the director, sent off a demo to The New Victory Theater in NYC. They loved it. That being said we're still looking for a bunch of cash—so if you've got some zeros lying around add them to the end of a cheque and send them through.
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craft than I am. And this forces me to evolve and grow and get better. Any other theatrical productions in the pipeline? When do Kenyans get a chance to enjoy your next musical? Well, we just had the NBO Music Theater Workshop at The Elephant in June. Two amazing professors from NYU facilitated a group of nearly 50 artists collaborating in groups poring over 15 individual productions at various stages of development. This space is going to explode big time in 2019. In November 2020 we'll have the inaugural NBO Musical Theatre Festival. Watch this space. Your new album, Dreams In Stereo, has a personal touch to it. Tell us about what inspired it. Dreams is a first for me in many ways. For one it explores a lot of personal music influences: traditional Black Gospel; Blues; R&B; Funk, even Reggae. It is also a purely internationally produced album. We worked with an amazing producer in LA, Will Kennedy, and he brought in collaborations from all over the world. So technically I think it is one of my best efforts and musically it expands the repertoire in a big way.
On a personal level, it speaks to universal rites of passage like love, loss, betrayal and redemption. And it's my first record since 2012, so long overdue. I'm back! How would you describe your musical journey over the years? External to personal. In the recent past through previous albums, I was really honing what it was to be a Kenyan and African artist and the sound of that period really reflected that. Today I am exploring a more international musical palate. And this current album reflects more of that journey. If it wasn’t music, what else do you be doing? I would make animated movies or teach, or maybe grow flowers! Any pearls of wisdom you would like to share with aspiring musicians? Everyone is creative by nature and can produce great art, but many suppress this side of themselves for various reasons. So polish your talents and don't be afraid to put it out there. Criticism is often the fuel to greatness. Learn more and collaborate widely and freely.
KAHAWA ANYIKO' ALLSTARS S LIST
COOL RUNNINGS This month, Publicist to the stars Anyiko Owoko attends one of Nairobi’s most intimate events: Sofar Sounds Nairobi, then samples the best Molo Lamb in the most unexpected restaurant. She also meets up with Kenya’s first English Premier League Player: Victor Wanyama for a big announcement, before flying into a Kenyan aviation art experience like no other. MOST MEMORABLE QUOTE International Kenyan football stars: Victor Wanyama, (signed to Tottenham Hotspurs) and McDonald Mariga (signed to Real Oviedo), are back in Kenya. At the end of June 2018, the brothers partnered with Roya Entertainment to launch the ‘Under 16 Wanyama Royal Charity Cup’ in Kenya. At the press conference launch event that I hosted, Wanyama stated: “From 2019, the tournament will be going to all 47 counties with a mission of avoiding talented players ending up in jail or unemployed because of missing out on opportunities.” COOLEST EVENT I attended both nights and cohosted day two of Kenya’s first in-flight art experience— Air Gikosh (Gikomba), conceptualised by Osborne Macharia alongside his long-term collaborator: super stylist Kevo Abbra. The event was a fusion of aviation art and onboard entertainment with a soundtrack by “Captains” Blinky Bill, Suraj and Jinku. Fiction played a huge role in the concept of Air Gikosh which, from the 1st of September, will be displayed in Switzerland’s Brooklyn Bar. For more information visit: www.airgikosh.com TASTIEST FOOD If you fancy Indian cuisine then you must visit Occidental Plaza along Westlands’ Muthithi Road and find Shanuz BBQ. Before dining here I actually didn’t think there could be Chicken Tikka and Chooza this juicy! I love their outside seating area which like many Mombasa food joints, is an open space garage-turned-restaurant. What’s more, their Molo Lamb Chops are legit; light, soft and full of flavour—the best I’ve had in Nairobi! I was born and raised in Molo, so I can spot a
real Molo Lamb when I taste one and the Shanuz chefs nail it! FAVOURITE ITEM Kenyan rapper Khaligraph has finally dropped his album, Testimony 1990. The album is a true testimony of the road he has travelled—from a struggling Kayole rapper to one of Kenya’s top urban stars. Out of the 17 tracks, Testimony 1990 features 10 collaborations. With the exception of “Now You Know”, featuring Tanzanian rapper Rostam, all its singles are brand new releases. Interesting and ballsy strategy not to include the hit songs we know him for like, “Mazishi”, “Omollo” and “Nataka Iyo Doh”, which played a big part in cementing his status as East Africa’s rap King.
MOST KENYAN MOMENT I recently visited Wote, the headquarters of Makueni County, situated South-East of Kenya. Makueni is famed as Kenya’s best performing county in terms of public participation and open dialogue between its citizens and the County government. The County has set up ‘Makueni Studios’ that has been operating for several months now, and is open for all Makueni music acts – for free! Their County government also partnered with a private company to set up a local radio station ‘Ene FM’ whose main role is to launch their artists’ music and to inform and collect feedback from the citizens about the County government services. Imagine if every county in Kenya did this?
ANYIKO'S LIST
BEST DISCOVERY I recently discovered a global platform championing live acoustic music: Sofar Sounds in Nairobi. Every month, the invite-only and open networking event visits a new venue. I attended Sofar Sounds Nairobi which hosted Wendy Kemunto, Sheeba Marie, Yellow Light Machine and South African singer: Berita, held at a Kitisuru office garden. Only thing guests are not allowed to do is record videos and pictures as the Sofar team records their own videos of the performance for their YouTube channel. By writing this, I hope I am not going against their request: “We request that you do not share the event details with any parties (public or private) so as to maintain the exclusiveness and personalised nature of the event.”
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FOODIES WE LOVE
KALUHI’S KITCHEN If you’ve ever struggled to whip up a convincing meal, chances are, you may have turned to @kaluhiskitchen for some culinary inspiration. Fresh from winning the Bloggers Awards of Kenya (BAKE) for the third year running, Kaluhi Adagala talks to Fred Mwithiga about her journey to kitchen fame.
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hen it comes to the food blogging community, Kaluhi Adagala is, for lack of a better word, an icon among her peers and her audience. The 26 year old finance major, is on a mission to redefine Kenyan cooking and introduce the world to our culture through her interpretations of our national flavours. It is not wrong to say that she is well on the path to etching her name as one of our continent’s most revered food bloggers. For 5 years now, Kaluhi has been constantly improving her culinary & photography skills - from kitchen to plate to your Instagram feed. In case you were wondering, her recipes are all original. “I would not have been as successful as I am both locally and globally if what I presented was a reinvention of the wheel,” she tells
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me. I chuckle to myself as I imagine how many recipes there are out there that I can call my own. “The main idea behind starting Kaluhi’s Kitchen was to show that cooking need not be tedious and that food, Kenyan food, in particular, need not be boring.” Kaluhi explains. “I sought to show that cooking can be fun and is really easy. I always outline my recipes as such. I also show how to make everyday recipes, with appetising yet simple twists that transform an otherwise ordinary meal into a spectacular feast.” To this extent, she’s published a glorious ebook - In My Kitchen, which features 50 unique recipes that you wouldn’t find on her already delicious blog. A must-have for anyone who cares about what they put on their plate. In a short amount of time, Kaluhi has thoroughly excelled in her field,
both locally and internationally. At home, her blog has won her the title of Best Food Blogger three times in a row, from 2016 to today, an accolade that thoroughly validates her hard work. Internationally, she has been listed among the top 30 bloggers in the world by Prestel USA in their ‘Beyond The Plate’ book. From print to global TV, Kaluhi has had the pleasure of meeting her idol, Siba Mtongana, twice, both in Nairobi and Johannesburg and featured in her internationally acclaimed show on food network 'Siba's Table’. She has also been a star guest on CNN’s Inside Africa with Zoe Adjonyoh, showing her around Nairobi’s everyday food scene. Her journey has not been without challenges though: “The most persistent challenge, and I think one all creatives experience, is delivering punctually and excellently
on a project only for the client to delay remuneration for months.” A clear wake-up call to the various organisations that engage with creatives. Does she eat out often? Not really. Kaluhi is a huge lover of home-cooked meals. However, when she’s craving a juicy burger, no other restaurant comes close to Sierra Brasserie’s mouth-watering patties. If you are like her and find yourself wondering what to stuff your face with on a lazy night in, here is a sandwich Kaluhi highly recommends: “Get some leftover chicken, shred it and sautée it in some garlic, a splash of whiskey, cheese and orange zest. Then layer that with fresh lettuce, pickled onions and more cheese, between two slices of lightly toasted bread.”
SUSAN EATS
LUNCH LIST Susan Wong shares with Yummy readers her top three places for a light and delicious lunch in Nairobi.
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anging from light and flavourful to comforting dishes, choosing a lunch spot for me is sometimes a task. Completely dependent on how my morning went – executed swiftly and everything went like planned or needed to rectify someone else’s incompetence – my lunch choice reflects the mood I’m in and what I crave to get me through the rest of the day. But one thing always remains the same: speed, taste, and value. Lunch is the one meal of the day that I have little tolerance for slow and inefficient service, inconsistent cookery, and poor value for money. After all, I’m in the middle of hustling for the day, it’s not time to celebrate yet, I don’t want to be late for my next appointment and I don’t want to have a disappointing meal that could put me in a bad mood for the afternoon. If you’re like me, then you probably have a list of your favourite lunch spots. Here are my top three: FURUSATO Known in Japanese as ‘ichiju sansai’, a set meal consisting of soup, rice, and three other dishes, at Furusato in Westlands, the lunch set boxes are perfect for quick and nutritious lunches. Inspired by the traditional set meals, the lunch boxes at Furusato are well-rounded offerings with a couple of side dishes supporting the main, providing just enough diversity to
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keep your palate interested. For the sushi and sashimi lovers, the lunch sushi sets come with miso or seaweed soup and is just a large enough portion to keep you satisfied but not overwhelm you with lethargy after eating a heavy meal. Spacious, calming neutral interiors, al fresco dining space and plentiful parking; Furusato Japanese Restaurant has an understated warmth that makes an exotic dining experience effortless for even the most ignorant sushi eaters. Furusato serves-up a hefty menu that showcases the best of Japanese and Korean cuisine. Too many choices? When in doubt, the experienced and polite staff is always ready to help. PETMA Back in 2015, I wrote about Nairobi’s most famous Rosie. Well, she’s still the most popular name I hear on CBD’s streets: “Roooosieee!” “Roooosie… matumbo na chapo” “ROOOSSSIIEE stew na ugali.” Until I started dining at Petma Restaurant on Kaunda Street, located on the ground floor of Traveler’s Building, I had never heard the name Rosie so many times in my life. The 30-something chef stoically serves-up some of the city’s tastiest Kenyan classics at incredible fastfood speeds, despite the chaos that surrounds her. Burnt orange paint, exposed air ventilation ducts, French bistro-styled 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 a soup cube and flour – but what keeps me coming back are the vegetables! Sukuma Wiki perfectly sautéed until tender but still dense and crisp with every bite, and its lush deep shade of green preserved. In fact, the only vegetable that Petma over cooks and does it well is Managu (solanum). A word of advice: To get a seat, make sure you head to Petma right before the lunch rush to ensure you get served the “top layer” – the freshest of what’s been cooked. The stewed Matumbo tastes clean and retains a nice bouncy texture, and everything on the menu will still be available. From two o’clock, there are no guarantees – chances are they’ll be sold out, of everything. TERIYAKI JAPAN I remember the day Teriyaki Japan opened at Corner House on Mama Ngina Street. The queue was so long that I returned to my office feeling defeated and hungry. The immigrant-fueled dish of teriyaki
is becoming a Nairobi fast-food phenomenon. Tap into Kenyan’s love for chicken, their sweet tooth, obsessions with grilled-anything, and their price-sensitive attitudes – you’ve got your winning recipe. Grilled butterflied chicken painted with a sweet and savoury teriyaki sauce, mound of fluffy rice or al dente fried noodles, and served with a side of sautéed vegetables – all packaged neatly in a disposable paper box and handed to you in a little more than five minutes. When you open the box at your desk, the aromas of the teppanyaki flattop rise and fill the room. Your colleagues all turn to you in envy. If you would like to dine-in, you’ll enjoy a simple interior with darkly stained wood and some accents of corrugated aluminum. It feels rough, unfinished and purposeful. The staff are polite and straight to the point. With several locations around Nairobi now, it’s easy to find a Teriyaki Japan in a food court. They’ve also expanded their menu beyond chicken to include beef, fish, prawns, donuts, croissants, and even Japanese Curry!
Discover all of the restaurants mentioned in Susan’s column and more delicious places to head for a light lunch on the EatOut app. Follow Susan on IG: @susanluckywong
SUSAN EATS
NAIROBI FOODIE
PHOTOGRAPHY PETER NDUNG'U
THE BURGER DON We are so thrilled to have enrolled the Nairobi king of all things meat Mulunda Kombo into our mission to create some delicious burgers this month. And as we had him pinned down fanning the coals of our sizable jiko, we decided to pick his brains on burgers and what it takes to make them.
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The first hamburger you ever made? So bad. I used lean mince and made it massive. Then I didn’t let it sit so it was just a giant clump of meat that was chargrilled in the outside and raw on the inside Why does a hamburger need to sit? Before cooking: it has to get rid of any chill that it had after taking it out of the fridge. After cooking: when you cook it, all the moisture wants to come out so when you make it sit it reabsorbs all the juices that were expelled What is a hamburger? To me, it used to be the sloppiest wettest thing possible. Today, instead, I would describe it as a marriage of flavours, as brioche buns that don’t fall apart, good meat, good buns. Oh and I’m tired of using standard iceberg salad, I
like the pepperiness of rocket and other more interesting leaves. Conventionally, a burger is a processed meat patty in a bun. But conventional doesn’t do it anymore. Though when you have people asking for a “skinny burger”, which is a burger without a bun, you know it’s just getting ridiculous. What’s the difference between a meatball and a hamburger? Absolutely nothing! All about the cooking system. Nobody would broil a burger and stick it in sauce on a plate and call it a burger Is there such a thing as an excessive amount of toppings? Nah. Flat patty or fat in the middle and tapered out at the edges? In my understanding, they should never be perfect. Roll it into a ball and just squeeze it. That ugly delicious kind of thing.
NAIROBI FOODIE
Most excessive burger you ever made? I once made one for the novelty factor rather than to eat it. It contained: three patties, one ribeye steak, caramelized onions, roast pepper, guacamole and mushroom sauce. What is one thing everyone gets wrong when making burgers? Under seasoning the pattie. You don’t want a burger which just tastes of meat Lean meat or fatty? Fatty (70% meat and 30% fat) Why are American burgers so superior? Are they superior? Onion rings - fried or raw? On top of the bun- fried, inside the bun - raw Are there any rules about sides? Depends on the kind of burger. When it comes to an excessive burger like
the one above, then a side is just gluttony. But with a classic, I like to go with skinny fries, preferably twice cooked. Don’t give me any potato wedges though. How do you know when the bbq is ready? Your hand can’t stay longer than three seconds over the flame How long do you cook it? Really depends on the size of the pattie What makes a good bun? The best bun is one that if you press it, it easliy goes back into shape How do you make sure the chicken does not dry out? Sear it on a high heat then move it to the side and cover with a pot for an oven effect. Follow Mulunda Kombo on IG: @mulunda
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YUMMY RECIPES
SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH
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INGREDIENTS ¾ Tsp cayenne 1 ¼ cups buttermilk 4 hamburger buns ⅓ cup cucumber pickle juice, plus 16 pickle slices 2 Tbsp hot sauce Salt and freshly ground pepper 4 boneless, skinless thighs Olive Gold Oil 2 cups raising flour 1 ½ Tsp paprika 1 cup vegetable shortening
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METHOD 1.
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In a medium bowl combine the pickle juice, half the hot sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken thighs, and massage the marinade over the meat. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. When ready to fry, remove the chicken from the
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marinade and pat dry. Discard the marinade. Fill a large, wide pot with five fingers of oil, then add the shortening. Attach a deep-frying thermometer to the side of the pot and bring to 180 degrees over medium heat. Whisk together the flour, paprika, mustard, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 3/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl. Pour in 1/4 cup of buttermilk and use your fingers to work it in, making the flour shaggy. Whisk the remaining cup of buttermilk and 1 tablespoon hot sauce together in another large bowl. One at a time tip the chicken thighs in the buttermilk being careful to let all the excess moisture drip off. Add to the flour mixture, making sure to press the chicken into the flour to fully coat. Set on a plate. Repeat with as many chicken
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thighs as your pot can hold comfortably in one batch. If you notice the chicken beginning to get soggy before putting it in the oil then dredge it in the flour mixture again. Gently place the breaded chicken into the hot oil then turn off the heat to allow the temperature to drop for thirty seconds. When the temperature reaches 150 degrees, turn the heat back on low and continue to fry, flipping the chicken as needed for even browning. Fry until the chicken is a deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt. Once all the chicken is fried, split the buns and toast in a toaster oven or broiler, cut-side up, until golden. Put 4 pickles on each bottom bun, add a piece of fried chicken and sandwich with the top buns. Serve hot or wrap in foil to transport.
As seen on www.jikoniyetu.com
RECIPES YUMMY
PULLED BBQ PORK BUN INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
2kgs pork shoulder roast 2 cups of orange juice 5-6 whole cloves 2 red onions, thinly sliced 1 Tsp Olive Gold Oil 500ml barbeque sauce ¼ cup sugar 3 Tbsp brown sugar 2 Tbsp dark chilli powder 2 Tbsp smoked paprika 1 Tbsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp onion powder 1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper 1 Tbsp salt 1 Tsp dried mustard ½ Tsp cayenne pepper
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METHOD 8. 1.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl to make a smoky rub. With a sharp knife make little incisions
around the pork and insert the cloves. Thoroughly massage the dry rub into the meat. Place the roast in a thick cast iron pot and top with the onions. Cover the roast with juice and put on a low heat for at least three hours (if using a slow cooker cook up to ten hours). Remove the pork from the oven and let it sit for ten minutes before shredding into a bowl with two forks. Pour the top layer of grease out of the pot and mix in the remaining layer of juice to keep the pork moist. Return the meat to the pot along with the oil and barbecue sauce and mix for fifteen minutes. Serve in your favourite bun with a good helping of coleslaw.
As seen on www.jikoniyetu.com
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YUMMY RECIPES
VEGAN PULLED JACKFRUIT ROLL INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • • •
1 Tbsp Olive Gold Oil 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 Tsp ground cinnamon 1 Tsp cumin seeds 2 Tsp smoked paprika 2 Smoky hot sauce 600g Jackfruit, cored and deseeded 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 4 Tbsp BBQ sauce 200g can chopped tomato
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3. METHOD 1.
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Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until very
soft, for around 10-12 mins. Add the cinnamon, cumin and paprika to the onions and cook for a further 2-3 mins. Next add the hot sauce, vinegar and bbq sauce and mix well before adding in the tomato, the drained jackfruit and 200ml water. Leave to simmer gently, covered, for 30 mins stirring every 5-10 mins to help break down the jackfruit, then take the lid off and cook a further 10 minutes. Once cooked, use a fork to make sure all of the jackfruit is well shredded. Check seasoning and add another Tbsp of bbq sauce if necessary for extra stickiness.
As seen on www.jikoniyetu.com
RECIPES YUMMY
PHILLY CHEESESTEAK
METHOD
INGREDIENTS
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1 cup mayonnaise 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon Olive Gold Oil 450 g round steak, cut into thin strips 2 green bell peppers, cut into ¼ inch strips 2 onions, sliced into rings Salt and pepper to taste 4 short baguettes, split lengthwise and toasted 1 package shredded mozzarella cheese 1 Tsp dried oregano
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As seen on www.jikoniyetu.com
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and minced garlic. Cover, and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 260 degrees C. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sautee beef until lightly browned. Stir in green pepper and onion, and season with salt and pepper. Sautee until vegetables are tender, and remove from heat. Spread each bun generously with garlic mayonnaise. Divide beef mixture into the buns. Top with shredded cheese, and sprinkle with oregano. Place sandwiches on a baking pan. Heat sandwiches in preheated oven, until cheese is melted or slightly browned.
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NAIROBI BAKERY
TEXT WINNIE WANGUI
BAKED PERFECTION Bakery is evolving into an art form in Nairobi discovers Winnie Wangui during a recent trip to Le Grenier a Pain on Riverside Drive
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n all its various forms, bread happens to be the most consumed food in the world. In fact, it is said that humans started baking bread about 4,000 years ago. During the ancient times, bread making started by using simple, manual techniques like smashing grains with stones to remove the inedible husks and to grind the cereals into flour. Today, different types of flour are common. These include: rye, corn, oat, barley, spiked millet and sorghum. These are usually combined with wheat to make breads with different textures, flavours and leavening. Refined flour, artificial leavening agents and mechanised slicing, all results of industrial modernization, kickstarted the process by which bread was produced during the twentieth century and for a long time, sidelined traditional methods of using a natural sourdough starter to leaven loaves. Bread making is a science just like any other form of baking and it takes time and precision to achieve perfect results. In a bid to find out the secret
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to the perfect loaf, we head over to Le Grenier à Pain on 9 Riverside Drive, a French Bakery that has won the love of Nairobi diners. We meet the Chief Baker at Le Grenier à Pain, Wallace Odongo Munai, who has been at the French bakery for three years now. His youthful looks betray the culinary skills and knowledge he possesses. Wallace’s career journey did not start with his desire to be a baker. On the contrary, his journey started at home, where together with his eight siblings, they each had their own day to make dinner for the entire family. It so happened that every time Wallace cooked, his family would really enjoy the food. This is what sparked his interest to study hotel management, a course he pursued with the aim of becoming a chef. For Wallace, landing on pastry making was somehow accidental. His first chance to work at a professional kitchen was during his internship in Sigona Golf Club, then Royal Grill in Thika and later at Tribe Hotel, all in the hot kitchen section. “It was while
at Tribe Hotel when the executive chef asked me to give pastry a try, after seeing how successful I was in all the other sections; cold kitchen, banquets and the hot kitchen,” explains Wallace. “Up to that time, I was absolutely sure that I never had the patience for pastry or bakery,” he adds. The pastry section was a whole new world where a slight mistake in measuring the flour could destroy an entire baking process, unlike the hot kitchen where things moved fast and there were tips and tricks that helped restore the food flavour in case you added too much salt or spice. Focus, patience and precision are the skills required for successful baking. “Baking not only is a science but it is an art as well. The secret to the perfect loaf is temperature control. And it starts right at the first step when kneading your dough. The temperature of the room, the temperature of the dough and the dough’s texture consistency account for good or bad results. Different baked goods demand different temperatures throughout the process and once you master this,
you cannot go wrong”. He goes on to explain that preparing dough in a hot room leads it to rise excessively, and when you put it in the oven it falls flat. Kneading bread dough is an art that requires a tricky folding technique by which air is allowed to enter the dough to help it rise to the required consistency. The fermentation of the yeast combined with the water, air and the sugar in the flour is what makes the dough bubble up and create the air pockets which are visible inside of a baked loaf. Sometimes you may toss the dough in the fridge to keep it from rising too much as this may also cause it to fall once tossed in the oven. As much as it is believed that the bread making process has evolved and machines seem to do much more, traditional methods like baking on a stone seem to be making a comeback to kitchens such as Le Grenier à Pain. The natural earthy flavours incorporate magically onto their baguettes ending up into a flavourful, airy loaf that you can’t get enough of.
YUMMY
PHOTO PETER NDUNG'U
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FLAWLESS SANDWICH 38.
CHEF SPOTLIGHT
PHOTOGRAPHY PETER NDUNG'U & BRIAN SIAMBI
Bernard Intita Omweri has been working at Artcaffe for a decade now and, in his role as the Executive Chef, knows a thing or two about sandwich making. Here he is with a few tips for us laymen and women, on how to make sure a sandwich reaches its full crunchy, crusty and absolutely delicious potential.
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et me tell you, sandwich making is an easy process but what most people get wrong is the choice of bread. A moist filling such as meatballs drenched in sauces necessarily requires a bread with a hard crust so that it doesn’t soak up all the juices and result in a soggy unappealing sponge. If using soft bread, then dry fillings work best”. Having worked at Artcaffe for ten years now, I can say not many locals come here to order a sandwich. Truth is that the bulk of our sandwiches are most commonly consumed by other customers, whose culture and eating habits back in their own countries lead them to view sandwiches as full standalone meals. Here in Kenya, most of us were raised adding only spreads such as butter, margarine, jams and peanut butter on bread. As a result our sandwich making culture is close to non-existent. Kenyans tend to presume that sandwiches are little more than light snacks that cannot be taken as breakfast or
lunch alone but might fill up a small stomach rumble in the middle of the day. However if, say, we introduced sandwiches whose fillings consist of more typical Kenyan-style dishes, like ‘nyama choma’ a ‘Choma Sandwich’ if you will, that would be a great way to introduce Kenyans to this filling snack. When making a sandwich, there are a few things that you should never miss. First is the spread. Your choice of spread affects the flavour of the sandwich. Butter is most often a must while mustard and mayonnaise remain very popular ways to inject some moisture into the proceedings. If it’s zest you are after go for barbeque sauces or salsa, while pesto adds a delicious sweet and savoury aura to any dry meat our cheese sandwich. Choose your fillings trying to keep textures into account, and make sure your they cover the slice from edge to edge. As told to Winnie Wangui
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YUMMY THE COOL VEGGIE
TEXT WANJA WOHORO
GOODBYE SALAMI Singer, songwriter and neo-columnist Wanja Wohoro, has some words of advice to share with you on the special art of sexing up your vegetarian sandwich
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here was a time, not too long ago, when I sincerely believed that no good could come of the words ‘vegetarian sandwich’ on a menu. Too many years of politely nodding and attempting to look appreciative of little more than tomato and lettuce (perhaps a smidgen of cheese) encased in simple bread, had left me a confirmed skeptic. Sure, sometimes a restaurant would slip in some crusty falafel and perhaps enough mayonnaise to drown out any other offending flavours, but rarely can I say that a vegetarian sandwich has left me … satisfied. As a lover of food and a freelance artist on a budget, I am always searching for affordable ways to eat well. It would only be to my benefit to find a way to make sandwiches interesting as a vegetarian. So I set
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about looking for cheap ways to make an easy lunch item from the comfort of my home. Let me impart a few things I have learned through trial and error when it comes to banishing salami and tuna from your sarnies. 1) Get Saucy! Experiment with different sauces and spreads to use as your base. Try using staples such as mustard and mayo, perhaps going for more adventurous condiments such as hummus, baba ganoush or even pesto.
standard lunch-box sandwich. 3) Get Green! Iceberg lettuce is perhaps the most standard, and potentially boring ingredient you can use. Rather than lettuce why not try baby spinach or arugula (rocket) to ‘greenify’ your next sandwich.
4) Get Creative! You’d be surprised what tastes great in a sandwich. Instead of naturally going to the triedand-true staples of avocado, tomato and cheese, try using other food items 2) Get Toasty! If you are looking to or leftovers in your fridge, such as a whip this sandwich up on an average leftover curry or even leftover mashed weekday, chances are that the only or baked potatoes. Another thing that bread you have on hand is a standard is super easy to make and adds a square loaf of white or brown bread. If delicious texture and sweetness to a so, toasting the bread first will give the sandwich is caramelised onion, which sandwich a nice little twist, the crunchy requires little more than onion and a warm texture elevating it above the bit of sugar or honey.
TOP PLACES TO GET A VEGGIE SANDWICH IN NAIROBI Wasp & Sprout - Undoubtedly one of the best veggie sandwiches I’ve had anywhere in the world. Tasty, well balanced and filling. Tin Roof Cafe - A hearty sandwich with beautifully seasoned vegetables. Oh, and they have an amazing salad bar should you want to add anything! Kesh Kesh Roastery & Cafe - Not overly complicated or fussy, but has all the right ingredients that are well cooked and flavourful.
YUMMY
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SPOTLIGHT DISH SPOTLIGHT
ALL ABOUT BÁNH MÌ’ Whether for breakfast or mid morning snacks, Vietnamese sandwiches are an amazing way to break you fast and fill yourself up with an essentially nutritious and tasty breakfast. Winnie Wangui makes the trek to an unassuming eatery in Hardy, to find out what the fuss is all about.
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DISH SPOTLIGHT
O
ne Vietnamese Baguette lands on our table, divided into four equal parts. It’s the first time for any of us to try out this classic sandwich. A peek at its fillings, leads to some contemplation on how exactly we are to chomp this down. At first glance it seems too big to fit in my mouth a problem, I note, that our art director John doesn’t seem to have: grabbing the sandwich one hand he takes a big bite and then nods in approval. Popularly consumed as a breakfast, mid-morning or afternoon snack, the Vietnamese Baguette, also known as Bánh Mì’, is an airy loaf with a crunchy crust containing a copious amount of fillings. Chicken, pork, beef, carrot slices, chilli, pickles, peppers, cucumber, a few dashes of sauces, mayonnaise- there seems to be no end of things you can stick into a Bánh Mì’. A bite into a well stacked Bánh Mì’ takes you on a spicy, savoury, sweet and sour moment of pleasure.
Bánh Mì’s date back to the late 1950s in Saigon, a city in Southern Vietnam, famous for the pivotal role it played during the Vietnam War which ended about 40 years ago. When the French arrived in Vietnam in the 17th Century, they brought with them the baguette (a long thin loaf) which the Vietnamese called Bánh Mì’ (wheat bread). As time went by, the Vietnamese experimented with the French baguette, with some mixing rice flour with wheat flour aiming for a fluffier bread which would be easier to stuff with their favourite ingredients. Eventually, the sandwich was branded as a staple food for the poor Vietnamese. Mostly bought on the street, it is the sweet, crunchy fresh vegetables and herbs that make it Vietnamese. The Vietnam War led millions of Northern refugees to flee South and it was during this time that the Bánh Mì’ came into its own. Fleeing refugees put ingredients inside their loaves for easy transportation. Obviously this was long before plastic and cardboard bags
made food portable. The Vietnamese Sandwich is a cheap healthy meal, packed with flavour. The refugees eventually settled in various parts of the world and took their new found tradition with them. Here in Nairobi, the Vietnamese Sandwich has only recently began to appear. Nothing Like it Salon and Spa, a modest coffee shop in the greater Karen area, has become an unlikely home of Vietnamese delights. While the name may be misleading, the fact that the restaurant section only opened three months ago, goes some way to explaining why they haven’t made it official yet. Its location on the second floor of the Hardy Post building, opposite Hardy Police Station in Karen, provides a terrace experience whereby the salon and spa are indoors and the restaurant and its eight tables, are located outside. “The thing that complements our food is that there’s no dairy, hardly any oil and it has a lot of fresh
herbs. That’s the whole essence of Vietnamese food and what makes it be considered among the healthiest food in the world”, the restaurant owner, Bindya Devani explains. The restaurant serves a variety of Vietnamese from the classic Pho Soup (available in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options), and those deliciously light and translucent Vietnamese Summer Rolls. The contents in Bánh Mì’ vary from restaurant to restaurant, city to city. “Ours consists of eight sauces”, Devani tells me: “meat and for the vegetarian Bánh Mì’ cheese or tofu”. For the Vietnamese, this flaky breakfast snack is still served on the streets of Vietnam and is a deliciously textured and crunchy way to start their day. Will it become the breakfast of choice for Kenyans? Probably not but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try it! Nothing Like it Spa is located in the Hardy Shopping Centre in Karen
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YUMMY
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IN A PICKLE
Mustard pickled cucumbers INGREDIENTS FOR 4 GLASSES 1. 2.
ADDED CRUNCH The simple sandwich, an essential cornerstone of lunch for some, a poor show of feeding your foreign guests to others. This month Marah Köberle tries to entice her Kenyan readers into appreciating a quintessential sandwich ingredient which is ever so easy to make and adds crunch to your two pieces of bread and cheese.
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am in Germany on a fundraising trip with a handful of Kenyan and Nigerian startups. A whirlwind tour of hip places, bustling events, pitching sessions and fancy European light lunches compressed into less than a week. On the fourth day, two members of my team come up to me and ask about the lunchtime offerings: why do they have to eat sandwiches and finger food all the time, they ask? Is there any way they could get some soup or stew instead? To be clear: we are not talking soft toast bread and peanut butter sandwiches here. Think crunchy baguettes, sourdough breads spread with spicy mustard, fresh salad leaves, nutty cheese, cured meats and – most importantly – fresh and spicy pickled cucumbers. Quite puzzled, I realise that while sandwiches are a totally
viable and acceptable food offering in Germany and other countries, it is not considered a full meal in other parts of the world. In short: the sandwich is not valued in the same way all over the world. Which is a pity as they really can be quite delicious and filling! The star of this article is the humble cucumber pickle. It is said that cucumbers were cultivated - and most likely pickled - in India and Egypt more than 3000 years ago. Today, the vegetable remains popular the world over. The pickled version is a traditional condiment in US, British, Northern and Eastern European, Russian and Jewish cuisines. Through pickling cucumbers, they could be made to last long in order to store and consume them during the winter months.
Pickled cucumbers may be the most traditional of all pickles and to take indulge in your passion for the sandwich and allow you to create the perfect one, this month I have a simple, yet satisfying, pickling recipe. Even kitchen novices can have a go with it. Keep in mind that if pickled in small quantities and consumed within about four weeks, it is not necessary to sterilize the glasses with pickles, making the method easier. Fresh and not damaged cucumbers ensure that your pickle stays fresh. Buy the smallest cucumbers you can find to reach maximum crunchiness. Wash the glasses you put the pickles in thoroughly. When contaminated the pickled produce will not stay fresh. Follow Marah on: koeberle.me
4-6 small local cucumbers 300ml good white wine vinegar (no vinegar substitute) 3. 300 – 400 ml drinking water 4. 4-6 spoons of sugar (depending on taste) 5. 2 spoons of salt 6. 2 onions 7. 1 spoon black peppercorns 8. 1 spoon Mustard seed 9. Fresh dill 10. Bay leaf 11. 3 -5 loves HOW TO: 1. To prepare the pickling stock, slice the onions in half rings and put them with the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper corns, mustard seed, bay leaf and cloves in a pot. Boil for about 10 minutes. 2. Cut the cucumbers in slices or quarters, don’t cut them too thin! You can remove the soft inner part with a spoon. Put the cucumbers and dill in the glasses, only press lightly to not damage them. 3. Put the glasses on a wet kitchen towel to prevent bursting and fill the boiling hot pickling brine until the cucumbers are fully covered. Leave about 1cm of the rim of the glass free. Close the glasses at once tightly and put them on their head to allow to create a vacuum. 4. You can start consuming your pickles after about one week. They’ll keep fresh for several weeks – but trust me, they’ll be eaten even before. 5. You can add spices to your pickles as you wish. Why not add ginger or garam masala for some Kenyan pickle flavor? You can add slices of carrots, garlic, chili or other vegetables to your pickle as you like.
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YUMMY
46.
YUMMY Q&A
STACK AND SQUEEZE 33 year old Sarah D Wambui recently opened the Stack and Squeeze sandwich shop at Lavington Mall. Yummy sat down with her to discuss good sandwiches, how to make them and why Kenyans are latecomers to the sandwich trend. Why a sandwich shop? love sandwiches and I could never find a good combination where everything worked in perfect harmony to give you a mouthwatering experience.
Cucumbers or pickles? Both, for different reasons
Worst sandwich experience? There is nothing worse than a soggy sandwich that is poorly seasoned
What would it take to fully convert Nairobians to sandwiches? Just explaining to them one by one that sandwiches are actually filling enough to be consumed as either lunch or dinner. Some people still perceive sandwiches as snacks
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What country makes the best bread? I am proud of what is available locally but of course, the French are unrivalled. Is a hot dog a sandwich? The Jury is still out but I would say no Margarine or butter? Definitely butter
How many sandwiches are too many sandwiches in one day? More than two is definitely too many
What should be Kenya’s national sandwich? A Smoked Tilapia and Ugali sandwich with dried 'managu'
What’s the secret to making a delicious sandwich? The secret is in the sauce, and making it in-house always guarantees a better and unique taste than buying it from the store. How easy is it to meet your overheads as a new food business in Nairobi? Some months are good some months it is a struggle. What ingredients set you back the most? Cheese What ingredient do you wish you could source locally that you are forced to buy international?
None at the moment we try to keep everything local Any advice for aspiring sandwich shop entrepreneurs in Nairobi? Be a master of all but delegate and know your numbers from the get-go. Anything you’d like to add? With the growing corporate market, we are also seeing people appreciate the convenience of a sandwich when you need to have working lunch. Stack and squeeze has partnered with several companies to facilitate working lunches ensuring better time management for the staff Corporate orders can be placed on (stacknsqueeze@gmail)
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COCKTAIL HOUR
TEXT LEROY BULIRO PHOTOGRAPHY PETER NDUNG'U
WORLD CLASS Fresh for his ecstatic win at the Diageo World Class Kenya Bartender competition is Patrick Mutua, who can hardly contain his excitement at the thought of heading to Berlin for the next stage of the global competition. Leroy Buliro catches up with him at the Balcony Bar, his den of mixology, in order to immortalise his victory on the pages of Yummy magazine.
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t is a cold chilly morning as the photographer and I set off for Villa Rosa Kempinski to meet up with the cocktail man of the hour, Patrick Mutua. Up the stairs we head to the softly-lit Balcony Bar. We walk through the door, past the lattice wood paneling and a table at which a group of three people are ordering mid morning drinks. Behind the large white bar we find Mutua, known to everyone at Pato, preparing for the interview. Dressed in a blue flat-ironed shirt with matching trousers and tie and a checked brown horseshoe waistcoat, he welcomes us with a warm smile, asking if we would like to have some tea before proceeding with the interview (unlike the people at the other table, some of us have work to do and cocktails at 11am on a Wednesday aren’t quite part of the job description). I observe a small intriguing looking leather duffle bag placed to the side of the bar. Noticing my curiosity, Mutua explains that it contains the trophy cocktail shaker that he got for winning the competition. “Wherever I go, it goes. This is my baby,” he picks it up possessively, flashing us a large proud grin. We walk outside to the balcony, make ourselves comfortable at the gazebo seats as he clicks open his bag and pulls out the shiny cocktail
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shaker which he gently places on the table. He confesses that this is still all such a surprise and that he had never really imagined that he would be the winner. The competition lasted weeks and involved relentless trials and night time preparation sessions before the big day. He will never forget the feeling of elation that rushed through his nervous system when his name was called out loud by Douglas Duncanson, the Diageo East Africa Senior Brand Ambassador. Now he awaits his maiden trip to Berlin, Germany, where he will battle it out with the best bartenders in the world for the International title. How did you family react to your win? Funnily enough, my parents always thought I was a chef, so when I told them that I was a mixologist I had to explain to them what that actually was. For my dad it was easy, I just put on my mixology hat and whipped up a cocktail for him. As for my mom, all she said was, “Kumbe ni pombe!” (Roughly: “Oh it’s just booze!”). Nevertheless both are happy for what I have achieved. At what point did you know that being a mixologist was your calling? There’s this one time I was invited
for a kids’ birthday party to make drinks [for the grownups]. The host loved what I did and from that day on I started receiving more requests to make cocktails at private parties. After a couple events, I could tell that this is going somewhere and that’s when I decided to take mixology seriously and take it to another level. Who would you say inspires you and why? Alex Kavita has definitely been inspirations. He’s one of the pioneers who took mixology to the next level among Kenyan bartenders. He goes an extra mile to make sure you have the basic information and skills to push your career forward. The Diageo team have also been instrumental in teaching me more about pushing the limits of cocktail making. The most fun moment in your career so far? It has to be when I upgraded from a bartender to mixologist. A Keg at your local pub or beer runs in Berlin? Beer runs in Berlin just for the curiosity of trying something new. Cocktail or on the rocks? That’s a tricky one. I know am failing my fellow mixologists but I’ll have to go with on the rocks, just because you
get to sail in the mind of the distiller, you appreciate the craft and mastery they put in the drink. If, hypothetically speaking of course, peaceful aliens were to come to Earth. What drink would you mix up for them? This time round I would like to do something with champagne. Why champagne? Because I would like to celebrate them. I don’t know what their mission is, destruction or pleasure. I would just like to bring them that moment of joy. Advice to a fellow mixologist who is thinking of giving up on the craft? There’s nothing that doesn’t come for a reason, we as human beings sometimes tend to forget that we don't determine our own destinations. These things are God given. Just because Patrick is making it and he just came the other day while you have been at it for years, doesn’t mean you should give up. My package is not the same as yours. Don’t give up yet! The word giving up does not exist in my world. The moment I discovered that I can bury giving up, is the moment failure stopped following me. Follow Patrick on IG: @pato_tush
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YUMMY
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WINE CORNER YUMMY
Q. What does it mean when a wine is buttery? Vanessa Wanjiku, 25
THE FOOD TRUCK During his year studying in Florence, Italy, Josiah Kahiu discovered that the best lunches were the ones that looked the least appetising and came with a plastic glass of red wine.
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hen I first arrived in Florence to start my wine education, I came to the conclusion that if I were to make the most of my year there, the best way to kick it off was with an intense cultural immersion. What better way to start this shock therapy than food, I thought to myself, as on my first day in town I ventured out on a mission to discover what the locals considered a traditional lunch fare. It soon became obvious there were two essential rules that I had to follow. Rule one: avoid the tourist trap restaurants with the guys hustling you to go in and buy a meal. Rule two: venture out of your comfort zone. These two rules led me to a street cart located in an outdoor food market called Sant’ Ambrogio. Embossed on the cart were the words Lampredotto and panini. Little did I know, I had found the Florentine king of sandwiches. For those of you who are wondering what lampredotto is, this
is not a dish for the faint-hearted. Lampredotto is tripe, specifically the fourth and final part of a cow's stomach. My first impression of Lampredotto was underwhelming to put it mildly. It looked ugly. How can this slimy, wobbly blob that kind of looks like brain emerging from a pot of fatty liquid be palatable, was the question running through my mind. I stood and observed the proceedings. As the trippaio (tripe vendor) serves up a crusty bun sliced in two, you are offered two choices. These are bagnato (half dipped in broth) or with salsa verde (a green sauce made with parsley, egg, anchovies and capers). After frustrating the trippaio with all my questions, I eventually dived in and ordered one with extra green sauce. As I prepared to bite into the bun for the first time, the trippaio gave me a knowing look and I was momentarily afraid he was playing some kind of middle-aged joke on me. Still uncertain, my first thought was
how can someone eat this surrounded by such divine beauty. The answer, it turned out, was simple: biting into a lampredotto sandwich is in itself a divine experience. Costing somewhere in the region of €3 (a steal for overpriced Florence), I quickly came to acquire a fondness for this sandwich. Wrapped in plastic to keep all the juices in, my daily struggle to keep a clean face while devouring my panino was mitigated by the knowledge that everyone else around me was combatting with the exact same problem. Add to the meal a €2 plastic cup filled to the brim with the local Sangiovese wine, and I soon came to realise why this sandwich is king in Florence. Simple and delicious, everything in it is produced locally including the side of wine. It is also the affordable, filling, lunch option, especially for a wine student like me, who spent most of his monthly budget on the object of his studies. Follow Kahiu on IG: @knife_wine
This has to be one of the most confusing things about wine notes, people always ask me about it! The term buttery can be used to describe the characteristics of the wine such as taste, mouthfeel and aromas or a combination of all three. Generally speaking, it is a term used to describe white wines. When it comes to characterising a wine as buttery, it is really quite simple, think of the mouthfeel as what happens when you put a piece of butter in your mouth. It coats the inside of your mouth leaving a soft velvety sensation. This can be a consequence of the wine undergoing malolactic fermentation. This process occurs after the primary fermentation (where sugars are turned into alcohol) and is what happens when malic acid (think tart green apples) is converted to lactic acid (think cream). The consequence of this is to give the wine a softer “buttery” feel. Wines can also acquire a buttery characteristic if they have undergone oak barrel ageing. The effect of toasting the inside of the barrel can often emphasize the buttery notes in the wine as well as giving the wine a softer texture. Buttery can be seen as a positive note as it shows the softness of a wine. Wines such as Chardonnay often have buttery notes and have been quite fashionable for a number of years. Wines with buttery notes, pair with foods that can have the same texture characteristic such as Salmon. Other terms used when describing buttery wines or the same characteristic is caramel, creamy or even butterscotch. So, the next time you hear someone describe a wine as buttery, do not think of it as a fault, but as one of the vast aromas and textures that you will experience in your wine journey.
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MAN ABOUT TOWN
TEXT JACKSON BIKO
MOUNTAIN CLIMBING Best not mention sausages when in Jackson Biko’s presence as he is still carrying with him the trauma of a very cold series of sausage sandwiches he had no choice but to to eat over a decade ago.
I
will tell you when I stopped eating sausages. And sandwiches. I stopped eating these things when I went up a mountain. I know how that sounds like. That sounds like something Moses from the Bible would say. Only for me it wasn’t Mt Sinai, it was Mt Kenya. Dreadful place. Don’t go. Don’t listen to people who say it should be in you Bucket List. It’s not worth it. It’s not worth the suffering and misery and wet shoes. Put Stellenbosch wine tour in your Bucket List. Go see the Door Of No Return in Senegal...you will cry, yes, but not from blistering cold, walking whole day with a stick and altitude sickness. Climbing Mount Kenya, or even rock climbing is very “white.” I think white folk have the capacity for that level of discomfort. I only did it because I was writing about it. Anyway, yes, sausages and sandwiches. After day three of walking through moorland, pitching camp at Old Moses Camp and then walking through more rain and cold, we finally
set camp to acclimatise next to lake Alice. I think. I was too sick to care. The camp was called Shipton Camp. 4,200m above bloody sea level which might as well have been 10,000m of misery. The scenery is fantastic, but only if you see it in pictures from the comfort of your computer in the office. Mountain hyrax skirted about. We hung around the whole day, sitting in this stone-house with tourists who were absolutely chuffed to be doing this. I, on the other hand, had a massive headache that wouldn’t go away. I was nauseous. I hadn’t showered in three days. I missed my bed. I often wondered what my pillow was doing. At night, when I crawled into my small domed-tent, the wind thrashing against it, the cold biting into my bones, my feet, My God, my feet so cold like I would have never imagined feet getting that cold, I thought of my clean white sheets. The night was long. The longest I have known. When I grudgingly woke up to take a leak in the middle of the night (you pee a lot because they tell you to
hydrate all the time) and I staggered out of my tent, the cold so insane my earlobes started falling off, I removed my pecker in that two degrees cold, and it immediately shriveled (further) to the size of a very badly done fish-finger. I knew I was done. Screw Lenana point. I was going back home the next morning. Only at dawn - 4am - our guide, a great guy called David Mwangi or something, talked me out of it. The whole group gathered around me in the stone-house at breakfast and said, “you can do it, Biko,” and I said, “No, I can’t,” and they said, “Yes you can, it’s all in your mind,” and I said, “I wish you all could stop saying that. It is in my head, it’s the headache and nausea and I’m tired and miserable and this has stopped being fun. I don’t want it anymore, it’s off my Bucket List and anyone who wants it can take it.” Then this petite girl who never got tired and never got any headaches and seemed to be the strongest person ever (which annoyed me) said gently, “it’s three days going
back down, but it’s one day going up and summiting. You can do it.” She might have rubbed my back. I don’t remember. But I remember saying, “OK,” and then sniffing like a baby and her saying, “Awesome [she was American, they are the ones who like saying that], now eat your breakfast, your need your energy [She meant dignity, I’m sure.].” Breakfast was hot chocolate, weetabix, bread, baked beans, sausages and boiled eggs which most people made sandwiches from. It’s all we ate for all those dead mornings. The sausages were shrivelled and ugly, like they belonged to a pig that had cancer. The egg sandwiches were cold and tasted like the bark of an old tree that has grown in a swamp for 120 years. That second last morning, I turned my back on the sausages and the sandwiches. It’s been 11-years since. Of course I have eaten a sandwich ones or twice since then, but not sausages. Every time I see a sausage on the menu I think of mountain hyrax. And I shiver.
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FOOD YUMMY FACT
THE HUMBLE PB&J T
he first located reference to the now immortal peanut butter and jelly sandwich was published by Julia Davis Chandler in 1901. This immediately became a hit with America's youth, who loved the double-sweet combination, and it has remained a favorite ever since.... During the early 1900s peanut butter was considered a delicacy and as such it was served at upscale affairs and in New York's finest tearooms. Ye Olde English Coffee House made a 'Peanut Butter and Pimento Sandwich.' The Vanity Fair Tea-Room served its peanut butter with watercress.... The Colonia Tea-Room served peanut butter on toast triangles and soda crackers... Peanut butter sandwiches moved down the class structure as the price
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of peanut butter declined due to the commercialization of the industry. Peanut butter's use also moved down the age structure of the nation as manufacturers added sugar to the peanut butter, which appealed to children ‌ Sliced bread meant that children could make sandwiches themselves without slicing the bread with a potentially dangerous knife. As a consequence of low cost, high nutrition, and ease of assembling, peanut butter sandwiches became one of the top children's meals during the Depression." Source: Peanuts: The Illustrious History of the Goober Pea, Andrew F. Smith. University of Illinois Press, Urbana. 2002
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