Asmara Restaurant - Karen — Restaurant in Nairobi

Asmara Karen, aptly named after Eritrea's capital, is one of a chain of restaurants from that region gaining a foothold here in Nairobi. Like most international eateries, Asmara serves an afro-contemporary Eritrean and continental cuisine which means you are free to deviate from a few cultural nuances, like adding some french fries next to your tibs, or doro wat.

Eritreans and Ethiopians share many traits in their culture. Consequently, most of the food traditions are similar. Every meal comes with the signature sour white flatbread made from farmented rice called injera. Traditionally teff, which gives the injera its brown appearance, is used instead of rice but that's a story for another day.

Both cultures are strong on spices and pepper features dominantly. The mixed dish accompanied with the sizzling tibs ordered this day is a union of flavours from the land of Africa's oldest port city.

But the highlight of an Eritrean meal, like in Ethiopia, is the coffee ceremony. Ladies dressed in the flamboyant gabii serve coffee in miniature cups amid a heavy scent of burning frankincense. Highly concentrated, sugarless and without milk, Eritrean coffee is one hair-raising experience you will not forget.

Popcorn sometimes is also offered during the ceremony and the entire event is usually on the house. If you are lucky, you might catch the very intense Eskista dance - a vigorous shaking of shoulders and neck that is an amazing...

Asmara Karen, located after Karen Roundabout on your way to Ngong-Kajiado County. It's on your right side when headed to Ngong and definitely on your left side when from Ngong to Karen. It will take you less than one hour's drive from Nairobi CBD. The restaurant is top-notch with the most professional staff from the guards at the gate to the management. The waiters are well-trained and courteous. They will explain to you every detail about each meal and when the food is ready it will be exactly what they said. The food is yummy and more thus one order will make you full. The environment is charming and neat. Tidiness is their DNA, the soft background music will make you enjoy the place. I enjoyed more the zilizopendwa even though am still young 🤣. What I liked the most is that when you order a meal, you don't have to wait for a longer time, also after eating you will have to request the bill because they don't want to 'chase you away'. I highly recommend...

Food: Starting with this since this is what brought me here.. it was pretty disappointing. I’d tried the one at Valley Arcade, loved it and felt bold enough to try the Karen branch. Massive mistake!

Anyway, the minchet abish (Not sure about the Tigrinya name) saved the day. Kind of. The Shiro tested like butternut soup.. specifically the one for toddlers and the goat meat was tough but yet still tasted boiled. I don’t even understand how.

The portions are also really tiny. I promise I don’t eat that much.

Coffee was decent.

Service: Wait staff seemed pretty nice. Probably would have had an all out amazing experience if the food didn’t disappoint.

Ambience: The vibe was really nice and they were nice enough to provide a fire to keep us warm. Took a whole 30 minutes to get there but at least it got there in the end.

Parking: Seemed more than enough.

Payment: Card/Mpesa

Verdict: Unlikely to...