'Meat' Me at Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi

by Kevin Wierzbicki

Traditional music and dance greets visitors to Carnivore Restaurant

Kenya is one of the most popular destinations in Africa for travelers, especially for those who want to go on safari in search of Africa's famed "Big 5" game animals: Elephant, lion, rhino, Cape buffalo and leopard. Most visits to Kenya begin and end in Nairobi, the nation's bustling capital city, and there's a place there that has become a favorite of hungry visitors: Carnivore Restaurant! As you can guess by the restaurant's name Carnivore specializes in meat, and boy do they ever; it's no wonder they refer to their meals as a "beast of a feast!"

Come to Carnivore Restaurant hungry like this hippo

Upon arriving at Carnivore Restaurant guests are greeted with music and dance as a large band plays and sings along to traditional Kenyan music including the joyous "Jambo Bwana," sometimes also called "Hakuna Matata." Adding to the fun of the greeting are a bevy of young women who dance to the tunes and if you want you can join them for a one-of-a-kind experience and a great photo op. All of the performers are clad in colorful traditional dress and they make for quite the spectacle. Nearby by the small but well-apportioned gift shop a cute piece of art portrays a hungry hippo, grinning with his mouth open as if he wants to go in the restaurant and chow down with you.

Once seated your drink order will be taken before the meal starts. Carnivore has a full bar so you can order a cocktail of your choice or a glass of wine or a bottle of local beer Tusker, as well as an array of soft drinks. But this is your chance to try the popular Kenyan cocktail called "dawa" which was invented by the mixologists at Carnivore. It is a vodka, honey, lime and sugar concoction that will get your meal off to a flying start. Shortly after the drinks arrive the food will start coming fast and furious, beginning with warm bread and butter and soup. Carnivore offers an all-you-can-eat menu where the food arrives at your table on skewers fresh off the grill (the preparation and serving style of the meat is inspired by Brazil's famed churrasco restaurants.) When the server arrives you tell him if you want some of what's on the skewer and he will slice you off a nice piece, or in the case of something like beef ribs, slide one or two off of the skewer for you (you can have all you want.) Beef, pork, turkey, chicken (including yakatori style, wings, livers and gizzards), lamb, beef sausage and pork sausage are all on the menu, and for those who want to try something more exotic, servers will also offer ostrich, crocodile and ... ox balls! Basically if you say yes to everything on offer you will have consumed a very filling meal. Rice and roast potatoes are served as sides and there will be a variety of sauces on your table as well; your server will advise as he serves each meat as to which sauce pairs best with it. A cup of Kenyan coffee or tea finishes you meal. And on your way out the band will still be playing if you feel that you need to dance off a few calories!