Kosewe/Ranalo Foods
1st Floor, Balfour Hse.
Kimathi St., Nairobi
Tel: +254-(20)-2249728
www.ranalofoods.com

Picture courtesy of Kip of The Porky Gourmand (http://arapleting.com/porkygourmand)

When I am in Nairobi, I often get requests from friends that are visiting from outside the country to take them to a restaurant where they can taste authentic Kenyan cuisine. Of course, I could take them to a place like Blanco’s, which is upscale and serves Kenyan-inspired cuisine, but for real, everyday Kenyan cooking, the perfect place, in my opinion, is Kosewe (also known as Ranalo Foods), on Kimathi Street in downtown Nairobi.

I was first introduced to Kosewe, many years ago, when it was still located in the Cameo Cinema complex on Kenyatta Avenue. Immediately, I was taken in by the wonderful food served there. It was then that I fell in love with the food combination that I still eat today, whenever I visit Kosewe, namely Beef Fry with Chapati and Kunde. What I didn’t like so much at Kosewe, at the time, was the dingy environment in which this great food was served. I visited the restaurant a couple of times after I first discovered it but quickly stopped frequenting the establishment for this reason.

In the “summer” of 2005, I was reintroduced to Kosewe by some Kenyan friends who were back in Nairobi after a long stay in the US. They would visit Kosewe as often as possible, because they couldn’t get enough of the chapatis there. Luckily, by this time, Kosewe had moved to their current location near Nation Center, which unlike their former location was pleasant, spacious, and obviously hygienic. I quickly became a regular visitor again.

To find out more about the menu at Kosewe, please follow this link. I’ve tried a number of items on the menu, but for me, I always go back to my trusty Beef Fry, Chapati, and Kunde. Others swear by the Fish in Coconut Stew and the Fried Tilapia. Whatever the case, the food at Kosewe is outstanding! To boot, most dishes cost only a couple or so hundred Kenyan Shillings and the service is extremely fast since the food is prepared in advance.

But, Kosewe is not simply an African fast food restaurant. With an outdoor space and distinct separate bar area (complete with a well-stocked bar), in the evening, Kosewe becomes a lively place to socialize. On several occasions, I have found myself dancing late into the night at Kosewe to the sounds of the live band that plays there. It’s quite a lot of fun!

If you are living in Nairobi and haven’t yet discovered Kosewe, then you are in for a real treat. If you work in downtown Nairobi, I recommend that you try it out for lunch (though please do not be dismayed by the large crowd – that’s just a testament to how good the food at Kosewe is). If you are not one for crowds, then maybe try it in the evening when the crowds in the restaurant area have thinned out a bit. You can then follow your meal with a drink and some dancing if you are interested in more exciting entertainment.

Please be warned: I did say that a meal at Kosewe costs a couple or so hundred Kenyan Shillings. Peg your expectations accordingly. Kosewe is not upscale, though it is neat and clean, and with the right attitude can be a very fun, authentically Kenyan experience.

If you do try it out, let me know what you think. For those of you, my readers, who are already avid clients of Kosewe, please share with me what your favorite meal at Kosewe is – just to satisfy my curiosity.

I look forward to hearing what you all have to say.

Biche

P.S. Click here to see a video of some VIPs having lunch at Kosewe! (I found this very amusing. )

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