Nairobians, where do you go to eat nyama choma? Do you go out for nyama choma at all? When in Rome, I suggest you do like the Romans – when in Kenya, you must enjoy the local delicacies!

I don’t eat nyama choma very often but, sometimes, when it’s nice outside, I like to sit out in the sun and enjoy my favorite kind of nyama choma – “Beef Marination” – at The Hood, a joint not far from Yaya. Have you ever heard of meat marination (also known as meat marinade)?  If you haven’t, then you sure are missing out!

First, let me start by telling you about The Hood. The Hood is an establishment located in Kilimani, on Kasuku Road (not far from Chaka Road). Judging from the number of cars parked in front of it (despite its very large parking lot) I think it’s safe to say that The Hood is a very popular establishment.

I first heard of The Hood through my mother and aunt who were meeting someone there for drinks and invited me to tag along. We were all smitten by the “Chicken Fry”, chicken cooked in a tomato gravy along with potatoes. Anyone who has tasted this before will surely understand why we were so smitten. Since that first night, The Hood has become a regular hangout for me.

Why would I recommend that you go to The Hood? First and foremost, because it has great food. As I mentioned already, the Chicken Fry, the Beef Marination (grilled beef which is later wrapped in foil with onions and then charcoal-grilled some more), the Roast Chicken, and the Mutura (a kind of African sausage) are all amazing! Furthermore, these goodies as well as the beverages are all sold at great (understand: extremely low) prices! The Hood has all this plus a great outdoor environment, where you can comfortably soak in as much sun as you wish, and catch up with friends for hours on end.

I don’t know if I can truly adequately put The Hood experience into words. You really won’t be able to get it until you’ve been there yourself. What I can tell you is that there hasn’t been a person yet who I have taken to The Hood who did not enjoy the experience. I have friends who come in from out of town and request it by name!

Well, now you know. If you would like to try The Hood out for yourself, here are directions to get there: On Argwings Kodhek, coming from Yaya (in the direction of Hurlingham), turn left onto Chaka Road. Turn right immediately after Chaka Place, and then turn on your first left. The Hood will be marked by a signboard on your right. If you get to CVS plaza, then you’ve definitely gone too far.

As much as I love The Hood, allow me to give you a word of advice about the amount of time it takes to get your food served. Like most Nyama Choma joints in Nairobi, the meat takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get to you. When you are hungry, that’s just too long to wait, in my opinion. To avoid this, I recommend that you call in advance and place an order beforehand. You can do this by calling +254-20-2731410 or +254-720-794824. The Hood takes its phone orders seriously and has the food ready in the time that they specify. (When I used to work a regular 9-to-5 with a set lunch break, I would often go to The Hood for lunch – having ordered before, of course - and still be able to make it back to the office on time.)

If you’ve never been to The Hood before and are looking for a great place to have nyama choma any day of the week at practically any time (The Hood will serve meat well until midnight on most days), I recommend it highly. When you get there, I recommend you order the Beef Marination or the Kuku Fry. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

I look forward to hearing what you have to say when you do try it out.

(Click here to read another review of the The Hood.)

Cheers,
Biche

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