UP Food: Graze at Sankara
There’s always a nice little buzz when it comes to a restaurant opening in Nairobi’s urban foodscape and an opportunity to test the new signature steakhouse at the Nairobi Sankara hotel had me beefed up. I called on the help of two of my favourite quality food aficionados - Dija White and Edward Ngera - the talented design duo behind the scenes at the Village Market Group.
Nestled in the corner of the first floor, the 40-seater ‘Graze’ Steakhouse promises to raise the bar for a modern and exclusive culinary experience with an atmosphere and menu to match, and had us feeling like we just walked into a little slice of contemporary world-class fine-dining.
Designed by the interiors team at Bangkok based firm B49Deesign, the Josper Grill sits at the centre of the restaurant complemented by a décor that exudes a decadence of rich browns, characterised by an ebony wood ceiling, indoor fireplace and playful steakhouse-style imagery adorning the walls.
Signature menu items include a smattering of succulent seafood, contemporary continental dishes, finely crafted desserts and a wide range of steak options, all aged to 21-days and sourced from the boutique Morendat farm in Naivasha. There are also pairing options for the wine aficionados.
Our first point of call, of course, was a lengthy conversation over the wine list. Opting for the 2007 Bilton, a medium bodied Merlot from the Stellenbosch region, the conversation quickly turned to empty stomachs. Our server brought out a board of well select steaks, explaining the nuances of each cuts. Mouths watered.
To start we went three’s with a Tuna Tartare, Hot Smoked Salmon and a Ham Hock and Foie Gras Terrine. The Tartare and Salmon delivered to expectation - solid options - and generally, put a Foie on a menu and I’m all over it, however The Hock and Foie slightly missed the mark. Too many promises on one plate confused the intent.
Next up, the second bottle. This time around a light Galpin Peak Pinot Noir from Bouchard Finlayson - a 2009 yield. Perfection. Steaks followed shortly, a balanced 15 minute wait between the starter and the main, Edward opted for the Fillet, Dija went Ribeye and I stuck to a hearty Rump. This is where the night hit the high notes. A buttery fillet steak washed down perfectly with the Pinot, whilst a beautifully marbled ribeye and succulent and meaty rump checked all the boxes. Three happily stuffed patrons.
Sluggishly, we pondered a small, well designed dessert menu. With little room left, we took three spoons to a Warm Chocolate Fondant, handsomely accompanied by a macadamia ice cream. A welcomed finish to an all round well procured meal.
With a burgeoning number of options for the discerning foodie popping up around nairobi, Graze is one for the little black book.
Reservations: fb@sankara.com
