Steak is a contentious subject here. A talk of steak with local restaurateurs will easily see their backs up over who has the best and tastiest in town. I am sure even brawls were had over how to grill the perfect piece of rump. Rightfully so.This city loves its meat. We get great beef from all over Kenya—some of the best in the world, really. Better than Texas.

And we have spectacular choice in this department: Jiko’s new steak options are divine and Tatu thrives as a gourmet steakhouse. There’s Tamambo and Big Five Brewery, and a personal favorite, Gypsy’s— sliced sirloin with olive oil, chilies, garlic, rocket and feta. Awesome.

Few restaurants, however, can say they devote a whole night to steak – an entire evening in praise of meat. Enter Flame Tree at the Sarova’s Panafric Hotel.

I can hear you all saying now, “Really? Flame Tree?” Yes, Flame Tree. I know, it’s been around for, like, 20 dog years. But this just means they’ve had plenty of time to perfect its classic take on Kenyan continental cuisine. And if you’re at Flame Tree on a Friday (or really any night, for that matter), you’re going to get great steak.

Listen up, Nairobi. Please stop eating your steaks well done. Try medium. Flame Tree does this perfectly. Yes, pinkish in the middle, but as you move to the bone, more red. With steak, it’s all about the age and the temperature at which it’s cooked. You will expect to see some of the usual town-favorite cuts (fillet, sirloin, etc.) on Flame Tree’s menu, but the standout is, without a doubt, the Porterhouse. The Porterhouse is basically a much thickercut T-bone and has more of the tenderloin attached to it than a regular T-bone.

Meanwhile, the best thing on the menu may actually be the slow-roasted, orange- scented lamb shank. This was easily the star of the night. (My final meal on earth: lamb shank, falling off the bone.) The Flame Tree lamb shank qualifies for a top culinary experience in Nairobi, even if the décor is still stuck in the 70s. We forgive you, Flame Tree, you make good, reliable food with great service. Flame Tree’s executive sous chef, Milcinovic Nguyo, may be one of the youngest in the business, but he was bred at top restaurants in London (includingthe Tate Gallery) and comes from a local culinary family.

“I came Flame Tree with one aim: to turn it around,” Nguyo says. So he changed the menu and changed the way the kitchen ran, by being particular about the kind of produce the restaurant buys from suppliers. (Some of Flame Tree’s meat comes from Farmer’s Choice, and they have spent months perfecting the supply chain.)“Our menu adheres to the healthy

culinary roots of our cultures,” he adds. Nguyo is a good kid, one your mom would be proud of, like a young brother who always got better grades than you. This is the kind of guy you want making your food. He’s dedicated and seems endlessly passionate about food. It shows in the hearty dishes rolling out of his kitchen. Three stars and three cheers. Try the Flame Tree again. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.