28 June 2012

BarBQ Tonight

BarBQ Tonight is one hotspot in Westlands everyone should try out; they boast BBQ, Afghan, Central Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisines and can be found on the Mezzanine Floor of The Mall across from Haandi. Haandi is apparently already feeling the pain of having some good competition around; on a recent visit waiters stood outside of Haandi trying to entice the flow of BarBQ customers into their own restaurant to no avail. Armed with a reservation, a hankering for BBQ, and the smell of happiness wafting through the doors beckoning us, we kept moving. 

My fellow foodie, The Handsome Hamburglar, as he wishes to be known, dove in to BarBQ's well advertised 1200KSHS buffet while I ordered off the menu. The waitstaff looked at me like I was crazy for not indulging but I am not one for trying to eat my money's worth at a buffet (unless I've got my big girl pants on and am prepared to roll myself out of Fogo Gaucho). I think I chose well, while I was hoping for a pepper steak (the kitchen was out of beef that evening), the chicken steak smothered in cheese was delicious. And the few bites of the buffet I managed to sneak of my companion's plate were delightful. In his words; "the Malai Tikka was luxurious and supple." 

A word to the wise, for those of you (read: Europeans or weathered Nairobi veterans) who can't get through a meal without an alcoholic beverage in hand, two words: flask it. I don't know the story behind their lack of liquor license so I can't tell you if it's coming in Kenyan time or it's a religious thing but the fresh juice is refreshing and you can always walk across to Haandi for a post dinner drink; I'm sure the waiters will appreciate the business.  

Now for the nitty gritty: on service, per the Handsome Hamburglar; "the service was giving and receptive to our needs."  Not only were the waiters attentive without hovering, we were seated immediately thanks to our reservation, and as we left they bade us farewell by name. The ambiance is slightly lacking, it reminds me of a Luby's with better food. There are two large rooms , one which could probably double for a private party area and the other that has the buffet in the center, alongside a small patio for the smokers overlooking the Westlands roundabout. I wouldn't take a hot date here to impress her; but you should definitely go either with the Handsome Hamburglar or a group of good friends not expecting anything fancy. And their prices aren't too off-putting, an average entree is under KES 1000 (unless you splurge an extra few hundred bob for the buffet).  

Enjoy, eat well, and let me know what you think!

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