Kenya Kitchen
Traditional Kenyan Cuisine
135 Deans Ln, Edgware HA8 9NY
£-££
Of all the places This Food Bangz has taken us thus far, Kenya Kitchen is one of my personal favorites. Head Chef, owner, East African queen, and all around BAD ASS, Maggie is genuinely a kind soul, and her passion for cooking and raw TALENT is unmistakable. Maggie is making her mark on London's food scene, introducing
Kenyan food to the masses and giving Kenyans in the UK a taste of home. She opened her restaurant doors to us in Episode 10. And over a bangin meal at this hidden gem in North London, we learned about Kenyan history, about the tribal, ethnic, and cultural make-up of the country, and explored what makes Kenyan food Kenyan.
Kenya Kitchen is a sensory experience. Stop. Before you start thinking hibachi grill sensory experience or Brazilian steak house sensory experience or like the ‘sensory experience’ the next food blogger had with that 50 quid plate with a grain of rice and a dome of flavored dry ice smoke…Stop. Think comfort food. Think big portions. Think backyard barbecue. Think fish fry. Think of family and friends gathering. Think about all the sights and sounds and smells and tastes that come along with those memories. That’s the experience Kenya Kitchen provides.
We started our meal with a bottle of Tusker, a popular Kenyan lager. And it wasn’t even a minute before our neighbors invited us over to their table to share a drink and a plate with them. Kenyan hospitality is the real deal. Turns out our new friends were regular customers. They told us about where they were from in Kenya and how important Kenyan Kitchen has become to them. It is one of the only places in London serving up authentic choma (flame-grilled and barbecued meats), Kenyan fried fish, stews, greens, salads, and all the delicious starchy and fried accompaniments they miss. 'Kenya Kitchen is a taste of home,' one offered. I, your resident Southerner, Olivia, even got a little taste of that myself as they serenaded me with some classic country music songs (apparently a once beloved genre in Kenya). Then, our order arrived.
Did you see that look of sheer terror on Eli’s face at minute 6:32? That’s because we had already had a beer, been (happily) force-fed by our sweet Kenyan neighbors, THE FOOD KEPT COMING, and THE PORTION SIZES WERE HUGE!!!
We took advantage of the Help Out to Eat Out 50% discount in August and got ALL the food you see on our table—mbuzi choma (BBQ goat ribs), fried tilapia, sukuma wiki (spiced and sautéed greens), garlic chili mushrooms, and chapati—for less than 20 quid! Can you believe it?!?! Every single dish was beyond delicious.
Chef Maggie educated us about each dish. We learned where the dishes originated from in Kenya, what tribe or ethnic group they are associated with, and why she chose these dishes to showcase on her menu. She reminisced over memories of cooking big family meals back home and accredits her skills in the kitchen to her grandmothers. But, the drive, the hustle, the craft—that is all Maggie.
Each time we’ve visited Kenya Kitchen since, we met customers from disparate backgrounds, and without fail, we ran into customers from different regions around Kenya. This is a testament to Maggie’s craft. A testament to the food and experience she’s created. This restaurant brings people together and takes them home, wherever that may be.
Give Kenya Kitchen a try. That is an order!
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