Y UE M N W MOY N T H E B L O C K
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MANARA RESTAURANT Located at Westfield Mall on Gitanga Road, this spot has been open for about three months now and has an airy feel to it that immediately reminded me of Mombasa. If you’ve walked around Mombasa a lot, you’ll be familiar with the restaurants that are almost pressed up on the side of the road, large windows, open airy spaces and wafts of amazing food floating around you. That’s what Manara felt like to me. My family and I sat down and marvelled over the decor that was simple but obviously crafted with love. Being a person who is always hungry person, the menu was a delight for they have lots of pictures of their actual food (Hurrah!) and when our order was being taken by the gracious host Yusuf, we ordered food for six people (we were three). If you come across a menu that has Mahamri and Baazi, Biryani, Mezze, Mandi, Shawarmas AND Baklava, you would over-order too. No regrets! The food was so homely I felt like I knew the people who made it (maybe my mother snuck down here and cooked for me?). That was unlikely but that’s how good the food was. It was the epitome of that warm fuzzy feeling. And their tamarind juice? Not too sweet or bitter but with enough of a kick to know this is not your regular. It was surprisingly ideal with the meal and a soothing drink for the night. I do not have enough space to talk about all of the food that was ordered but allow me to gush about the mezze that came with grilled meats, pickles, hummus, tabouleh and baba ganoush. It is my favourite meal in general but these guys made it even better. The servings were perfect and everything made with precision that I adore. Then, there’s the Mandi. Rice and mutton with caramelised onions to make a sweet and savoury dish that should come with a “causes abrupt naps” warning. After this show of eating more than I can handle, we met the owner Khadija whose excitement for her work humbled me. Khadija started off cooking at home and making deliveries until fans kept pushing
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Yummy. Food. Food. Drink. Drink. Life Life Yummy.
FOR THE LOVE OF MAHAMRI In this issue of Yummy, editor Sanaa Mughal dives headfirst into meals that remind her of home.
MANARA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KENYAN LIBRARY & EKTA PATEL
y family lives in Mombasa which means I am in a constant state of perpetual homesickness. Homesick for the family, for the comfort of laughter and more importantly, for food. Wholesome food that does not confuse or complicate the palate. Food that reminds me of home and what it feels to belong. It’s not easy to find such places but when I do, I shout about it until readers like you feel what I feel. Here are a few places that made me feel less homesick:
