Are you a fan of outdoor garden restaurants? Visit Tamarind Brasserie Karen.
I love going out with friends to catch up, and on this particular day, my sister and I were hooking up with a longtime friend of ours at Tamarind Brasserie for lunch—talk of luscious green, clean, spacious, and airy space on a hot day. Tamarind is out in the open, but it’s also the perfect hideout for those who would love some calm space to catch up or even have a fantastic one-on-one date because the ambience is something to die for.
The ambience
This restaurant is warm and inviting, with a massive natural space outside the dining area. For some unique reasons, once you are in the lobby, all your stresses melt because of the view. Note that the lush green grass blends with the uploaded natural African woman pictures that captivate you.
Everything is clean and arranged in order, making it even better and inviting for you to stay longer. I also loved the seating arrangements because, contrary to the first food places, you have more than enough outdoor places with seating arrangements ideal for large and smaller groups of people coming.
I sat in the correct position to see the blue sky blending perfectly with the green grass and trees on the restaurant’s fence. They say if you stare at a distance in nature, you forget everything and get to the present moment.
All this, blended with soft jazz music, makes it inviting for the generation of people who love to rest and relax. It was on a Wednesday afternoon, so although we had much to do, we still managed to relax and enjoy the moment without too much noise.
The staff
Like most other places I have been, the warmth of the staff is something to reckon with. We had a welcoming guest relations manager at the door, and of course, we had a little pleasant chat with her before proceeding to the table.
Our waiter was kind and generally happy to be with us. One thing she did best was serve us the exact meals we ordered and, of course, suggest the best options to try.
Generally, the staff we interacted with were warm, kind, and enthusiastic about delivering their service. Professionalism is essential in any business, and they were willing to help us navigate the different menus, including the bar menu when we couldn’t find the drink we wanted.
Timeliness
The food arrived right on time, and they didn’t leave us without more to eat for many minutes. I would say in about 15 minutes, we had food on the table—not just food but rich and delicious-tasting food.
Food
Now to the main agenda: the food. Everything was delicious and richly flavoured to suit our palate needs. I love it when food is spiced but not so much that we cannot eat it, and that’s precisely what we had with this.
We ordered a single Tamarind meat platter because we weren’t overly meat-eating. The platter includes a variety of meat, including pork, beef, mutton, and chicken.
Typical of most Kenyan meat restaurants, the platter offered delicious, juicy, and tender meat. I loved the smokey flavour from the cast iron pans, which offered the best grill. The beef was further juicy and succulent. Let’s say it was sweet and tender all at the same time. I must mention that it was well-seasoned, making it the most fantastic option.
For the vegetable, we had creamy spinach, which was finger-licking good. I want to try making it my way, too, for ideas.
We then had root mash, which was delicious, although new to me. I never liked sweet potatoes as much, but I couldn’t get enough of this. We also ordered ugali because, I mean, we love ugali and can never get enough of it. The root mash is a blend of arrowroot, sweet potatoes, and Irish potatoes that are mashed together. I loved its smooth texture with a mix of sweet and salty flavour. I also enjoyed the richness of fibre.
For the starter, we ordered the herbal and lemon chicken wings, which came with the most delicious bread rolls. This, in itself, is filling but also rich and delicious.
For the drinks, we had a fresh mocktail made with mangoes, passion fruit, and oranges. Lastly, we had a slice of vanilla cake for the dessert, which was nicely spongy but also delicious.
My favourite was the creamy spinach. If you like the milky flavour, you will enjoy this particular one.
Price
Note that this restaurant is in the leafy suburbs of Nairobi-Karen, so as you would expect, the prices are relatively on the higher end. However, when you start to eat or enjoy the view, you’ll notice that it’s all worth it.
If you are going for lunch at Tamarind, expect to spend between Kshs 2000 and Kshs 6000. Of course, depending on the extras you may need, you will pay even more if you like.
Nonetheless, they do offer much cheaper buffet options on the weekends. If you would like to save some money, it’s better to make a reservation or go for the buffet weekend.
Tamarind Brasserie is best for?
Let’s say it works well for all your needs. It offers privacy with great ambience and an environment with great food, so you can take your loved one on a date here. This will work if you want to bring your family on a date. The kids also have a play area, so you can enjoy the meals as they run around.
Ease of access
Tamarind Brasserie is an outdoor garden restaurant off Ngong Road in the heart of Karen, next to St Christopher School. While you will enjoy going in with your car, you can also go in with a cab or a matatu because you don’t need to walk far off the main road.
I loved the warmth and cosy feeling of the restaurant, which is just 1.1km from the Karen shopping mall.
The decor
When you get in, one thing stands out about this hotel: the picnic garden, which is complemented by photos mounted around it.
When you are looking for the tastes of Africa, come to Tamarind, and you will love it. Other than that, they don’t exaggerate the decoration.
My advice
I love soft music, quiet environments, and great ambiance, and if you like these things, too, then this restaurant is a must-visit. I went to Tamarind Brasserie with my sister and friend, and I know it would make the perfect date spot, too, so I’m coming back soon.
In addition to what we ate, they are well known for some of the best seafood meals, so give it a try when you are there. Below is my rating for everything about the restaurant.
The food 4.8/5
The ambiance 5/5
The price 4.5/5
The service 4.8/5