I love eating here. Renalo is all about good honest Kenyan food. The speciality here is lake region food. Renalo has been around for a while; my first visit was in 1998 at their former location at cameo cinema. They have since moved to kimathi street next to the nation centre. The owner of Renalo is a bloke named K’Osewe. The restaurant has brought him fame & probably fortune in Nairobi. Saw him on TV recently being interviewed on Churchill Live.
A while back, a blogger asked what Kenyan cuisine really is, I am still not sure yet because we seemed to have “borrowed” from lots of foreign cuisines due to our history. What do you think is authentic Kenyan cuisine?
Anyway, back to Renalo’s food…..
“Chicken special” is a bit of everything; tomato salad, chicken wings, beef liver, matumbo(tripe) & osuga. My only peeve is that the beef liver is cooked “well done” in the normal Kenyan fashion.
Deep-fried tilapia. It does not look too pretty but it tasted really great
Millet ugali. This is my favourite ugali. I would not want to eat it everyday, just to keep it special.
Fried beef. I didn’t really get this dish. Nothing spectacular.
Osuga. Can someone help me out with the english name for this vegetable, I totally love it. This is the good stuff your mum told you to eat. It is bitter but not too bitter.
Athol. This is charcoal roasted beef with gravy. The gravy has a real smoky note from the charcoal roasted beef. The beef was quite lean, which is a good thing for some people but this would have rocked with less leaner cut of beef.
by Leo Faya
11 May 2009 at 22:29
I cant lie ARAP – these images brought fond memories… I was a proud customer from when they were at CAMEO cinemas to when they moved to right next to Nation house…
The Tsimondo is the shit – Tsimondo perry perry (ha ha ha) the Gizzards thats what I mean..
Thanks for this .. am salivating
by porkygourmand
12 May 2009 at 00:11
@Leo cameo used to be our lunch spot, then back to office for siesta/work….
by Cynthia
12 May 2009 at 04:36
Mmh Mmh Mmh…..Yep, Koweses ( @ Cameo), was the Lunch Spot…followed by very difficult afternoons
– But thankfully we had bankers hours – so the “after the doors shut at 3pm” was always welcome. I am visiting Nairobi in a few weeks…and I know where I shall be headed for….
BTW, your blog is very ummmhh – appetizing
– and being the “foodie” I am, I have actually replicated some of your recipes/foods featured….
by afromusing
12 May 2009 at 04:44
Like Leo, i am thoroughly salivating. I ate there twice in Dec, I had the beef stew with chapati – enjoyed it very much. Thanks for the review!
by Rista
12 May 2009 at 13:20
Hi Porky Gourmand. Great blog, I especially loved the picture of the twice cooked pork belly from Sierra ’cause I’ve had it and it was divine! However, having since switched to vegetarianism, I’ve noticed you have a whole load of meat dishes but nothing (that I’ve seen) in the vegetarian category (other than a couple of sides). Any chance you could highlight some vegetarian fare? Just asking, not moralizing or dictating.
by porkygourmand
12 May 2009 at 15:55
@Cynthia “Bankers hour” lol!
@afromusing karibu..
@Rista I’ve got two vegetarian posts coming up.
by Wanjiru
13 May 2009 at 05:27
oooooh i’m salivating!!!
by misswretched
17 May 2009 at 11:53
Oh my. I am thoroughly drooling over this page right now. Great reviews, I will definitely be trying some of your recommendations when I’m next in Nairobi. A few reviews from Sydney, any from Melbourne? Lovely blog
by porkygourmand
17 May 2009 at 23:08
@misswretched Melbourne cafe & food scene is great. I don’t have any pics/reviews, I was too busy eating when I was last there. I love the AFL too