When you go to a restaurant you expect the menu to give some indication of what might be available in the kitchen. In India this is quite often not the case. On umpteen occasions I’ve gone through the process of perusing the menu, short-listing what I would like and then finding out that what I want is not available. Ok, how about this then? Not in market today. How about this? Only after 4pm. This? Just ran out. What do you have then? X, Y and Z. That’s it? Yep. I see. So why, pray tell, did you give me a menu with 200 different items when all you have available are three things?
Already, in just my first few days in Nairobi, I’ve noticed cultural similarities aplenty between India and Kenya. The prevalence of over-ambitious menus can now be added to that list. I went to dinner with friends to Al Yusra, which experts would have it is the best Somali eatery in town. And, certainly, the menu promised lots of never before sampled goodies. It took some time but eventually I’d figured out what I was going to try. But – you guessed it – it turned out that only the following things were available: fish or beef or chicken; with rice or chapatti. That’s it? Yep, that’s it. The fish and rice was, admittedly, delicious. But I hope to go back and try something more 'exotic'.
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