There’s nothing quite like experiencing a restaurant with a fellow food lover. Someone to exchange food thoughts with, take pictures with and of. Someone to share food with. I think there’s an unwritten rule that goes something like: Thou shalt not order any two or more meals that are the same, but rather order variety so that all shalt taste and bite their brethren’s food. Something like that.

Ivy and I visited J’s Fresh Bar and Kitchen for lunch together. J’s, as I will call it, is located in Karen, on Ngong Road, opposite St. Christopher’s School. We had a lot of fun at J’s! A lot! Watch the vlog to see what we got up to. Ivy is a good friend of mine and fellow blogger. Who better to try somewhere new with? Check out her blog here.

Before we talk Js, can I just say how stressed I am about my blogging! I still have posts from Cambodia and Vietnam that I haven’t shared. I also travelled to Uganda about three weeks ago and I have lovely stories to tell and pictures to show. Not to mention restaurant posts that I haven’t sorted out. Lawd!

J’s…

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Ambience

J’s has what I’d describe as a rustic vibe. It’s what I imagine a trendy London tavern would look like. Lots of wooden accents, warm lights and rough benches. J’s has an open kitchen to allow its patrons to see what the chefs are up to. Ivy and I couldn’t stop staring at the chefs searing, tossing pans, frying, garnishing, plating…FASCINATING!

There’s an indoor covered area that has open walls giving it an airy feel, while maintaining warmth. It was raining that day so I didn’t get to check out the outdoor seating (if any).

I think J’s would be great for girlfriends as well as with a lover.

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Food and Drinks

J’s has daily specials. I love specials! Why don’t more Nairobi restaurants have specials?

For wine, I had a Chardonnay from SA while Ivy had one from I think Chile. My wine had a very sharp taste which I didn’t like. Ivy’s was much better and smoother. The wine is served in massive goblets made of thick blown glass. I wasn’t a fan because the thickness made the wine-drinking process a little awkward. 

Food-wise, I settled for the chicken parmigiana which is chicken coated in mozzarella and cheddar (served with chips and vegetables). I would usually never order chicken from a restaurant because I think it is unexciting. But this was a good decision! It was tender and juicy (chicken breast can get dry), and the crisp cheese coating was sensuous.

Ivy had traditional English fish and chips. She liked it but complained that the fish batter coating was a little greasy.

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Menu

They have the best cocktails I have had in a long long while! The names are so witty and fun. More fun than the News Café cocktails which I raved about here.

Some cocktail names made reference to the US presidential candidates. Feel the Bern was a chilli gin-based cocktail, great to warm you up on the chilly rainy day we were having. Drumpf, a whisky cocktail, is what I envision a Sunday afternoon to taste like (before the panic of Monday sets in). 

I would label J’s cuisine as continental, more specifically British. The menu is crafted to make the selection process easy. There’s only a handful of options for main meals-including the typical British fish and chips- which is great for indecisive people like me. If you like a crazy variety, you may find it limiting.

They have a huge selection of wines, cocktails and juices. There’s also a dessert menu that I reconsidered because I was too stuffed from my food.

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Service

Our waiter Dennis was really nice. He felt more like a friend than a waiter, cracking jokes and whatnot. There was also a really good-looking chef! 😉

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Pricing and value for money

J’s is a bit on the higher side. The cheapest main cost about Ksh1200. However, I reckon it is great value for money. I had ZERO complaints and my food portions were so large, that I had to take home half of my food.

Drinks are well priced. A glass of house wine cost Ksh550 and the cocktails on special went for Ksh500-600.

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J’s catch phrase is: Where great nights begin. I can’t wait to test that out. 🙂

Love and Love