A drive down memory lane takes me back to the scrumptious Moonflower. For the first time in nearly a decade, I stepped foot in Moonflower again, and the scenes of decadence and revelry came flooding back. Back in the day—“PMK” (pre- modern Kenya, circa 2001-ish)—I cut my girly journalistic teeth on the hard, liquor- swilling, bullet-dodging card sharks of he Foreign Correspondents’ Association (FCA).

This core Darwinian tribe of war hacks held a weekly, private, uninhibited poker game in the back, back room of the Moonflower. I felt lucky to join their ranks, particularly as I was the first female they let inside their sacred circle. It took some...uh... cajoling, but that’s another story. The scene was a classic Western: smoke-filled, stern- faced and filled with the banter of survival stories from the wild plains of Somalia, or the battlefields of Sudan. I felt cool, being with the in-crowd that night, but the coolest factor of all was playing at the Moonflower. We ate and drank like kings then, and I remember well its perfectly-prepared burger and superb service. Back in PMK, the number of great restaurants in Nairobi could be counted on two hands—and Moonflower was among them.

While the poker playing and rabble rousing has moved on from its cool backroom vibe, little has changed in the quality category. If anything, Moonflower is a shinier, more improved version of its old self, particularly in light of the modern Palacina Interiors makeover. The fact that it’s still going strong after some 12 years is a testament to its superior product and service. On that note, I can say emphatically that Ruth, our server, was outstanding, and she provided some of the best table service I have seen in Kenya in all the years I’ve called this place home. Standing-O. We went on a Thursday—two- for-one margarita night—and sat by the fire sipping our drinks in no hurry to get to our outdoor patio table. One of the best attributes of the Moonflower is its coziness, and nowhere is this more true than next to the bar, warming your soul by firelight. You may never want to leave. On the ordering part, we didn’t hold back: peppercorn chicken wings, coconut flaked popcorn shrimp and scrumptious little crab cake balls were the appetizers. In five minutes, not a morsel was left and we were thirsty for more of Moonflower’s superb house Cabernet wine. For the mains, we targeted a smorgasbord of culinary treats.

My husband had the roasted duck with an orange, ginger, soy glaze (I ate half); our dinner dates went for seafood—a creamy, smoked-salmon linguini and a roasted red snapper, respectively. For me, as always, the star of the show is what I ordered: a traditional seafood pie with a filling of brandy-cream lobster and prawns. I am told this is the sex issue of UP, and well, this was as close to orgasmic as food can get. For dessert, we had four spoons tucking into a beautiful display of strawberry rhubarb pie, topped with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream. This took me back to my home, and my grandmother, and I wanted to weep openly. Dinner, of course, is always more than the food, and Moonflower presents an excellent setting for good friends and conversation. We sat down at 8:00 p.m. and left at midnight. There are very few places I can have a four-hour dinner, but Moonflower is perfect for it. I am thankful that the staff there didn’t recognize me from my gambling days, or they may have shown me the door. Moonflower is located on Kitale Lane, off Dennis Pritt Road.

For reservations, call +254 20 265 4995. A taste of Italy Nairobi's La Dolce Vita Restaurant subscribes to the three R's that make Italian food great: rustic, robust, and reasonably priced. Located at the Muthaiga Shopping Centre, La Dolce Vita, named after one of the most widely seen and acclaimed European movies of the 1960s, will transport you to Italy. La Dolce Vita Ristorante & Pizzeria Muthaiga Shopping Centre Limuru Road, Muthaiga, Nairobi 0722 624100 / 020 3749945 w w w. e a t o u t . c o . k e / l a d o l c e v i t a Reservations: 0719346349 / 0733603065 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Website: www.tamarind.co.ke