The luxurious Sarova Stanley hotel located at the heart of the CBD organized a splendid menu tasting at their Thorn Tree restaurant, located on the ground floor, to officially launch their new menu to the public.
We received a hearty welcome from one of the servers, who offered us an option of a wide array of drinks the likes of champagne, wine, beer or a soft drink to kick-start the event. It was a cocktail setting where there was a fantastic display of the food, at the centre of the restaurant, inevitably igniting the guests' taste buds for what was coming their way. The guests then headed to the cocktail tables as they anxiously awaited to devour the food.
One could expect nothing less from the opulent hotel, given its renowned reputation, than what they brought to the tables, quite literally. The divine continental menu was prepared by the executive chef, Godfrey Oudo.
Here's a list of the fab and drab moments of the event;
- The Band
The Samawati band will soon become a force to be reckoned with! They kept the guests entertained with their amazing voices. What made it all the more better is that they played a mix of genres, from good old classics to local
zilizopendwa as well as soulful r'n'b music.
They make it to the top of the list because they oozed talent and were perfectly coordinated throughout the night- not a single moment did they go off key. Also, their voices blended well with the piano, none overpowered the other.
- The Dessert
The guests with a sweet tooth were probably doing somersaults in their hearts given the sumptuous desserts served.
There was a range of desserts served to the guests including; blue berry crumble mini-cakes, chocolate mousse topped with a strawberry and nutty brownies.
It is safe to say that the desserts were the highlight of the night; you could spot a significant amount of guests rushing to grab the desserts as soon as the servers came out from the kitchen. The chocolate mousse was phenomenal and makes for a must have! It was near depressing to take the last scoop.
- The Continental Meals
There was a lot to choose from; spicy pizza, cheese and ham pizza, chicken burger sliders, red snapper with white rice, potato stuffed with bacon and cheese and the Kenyan special; ugali, kales and meat.
The cheese and ham pizza made for my favourite pick because it was a perfect blend of savoury and tender meat.
- The Drinks
There was a continuous flow of drinks, much to the delight of the invited guests. There was plenty supply of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks; the champagne was divine, wine sweet and fresh juices delicious.
- The Exquisite Service
The servers were very polite and prompt in bringing anything the guests asked for, specifically delivering the correct orders given the fact that the event was packed. They were also very alert and often cleared the cocktail tables. Kudos to the team!
- The Setup and General Organization
In as much as the experience was good, we were disappointed with the event setup. Ideally, a meal tasting should be an elegant, fine dining setting where invited guests are served the main meals in an adequate portion (not a minute biting) as the executive chef explains each meal and dessert as they are served.
- The Food Took a While to be Served!
The guests spent a good part of the night waiting for the food to be served by the servers. This was a major bummer, given that the guests came with a large appetite.
