I desperately wish I was writing this exactly after my first bite of Mr. Shawarma's shawarma. There's something heavenly about it. Something I'm not sure I can do justice describing. It's like a mix of the most delicious chicken, boneless, drowned in saucy juice, and tenaciously salivating in your mouth. That and my favorite carbohydrate: potatoes. Whichever form it's in. Fries. Bhajia. Mashed. Crispy. Saucy. Juicy. I want it all. Oh, I don't quite enjoy Mukimo, so there's that. I'm getting distracted, sorry. Food is my distraction. The one thing I always yearn for when I wake up, when I'm working, when I'm jogging, when I'm going to bed. Candy. Dessert. I don't care. Whatever is edible. Whatever is nourishing. I want that. I want it all.
Lord, digressing again. Let me get serious. So, Mr. SHAWARMA. It's in the name. Imagine going there and ordering shawarma and not feeling it. Imagine telling the chef, yo, I think you need a name change because whatever you have going on here ain't it. I couldn't even bring myself to tell the chef how amazing the food was. She knew it. I knew she knew it. Anyone who's been to Mr. Shawarma will tell you, “Order the shawarma.” The platter is nice, too. So subtly. Yet smiling sheepishly because they know full well you're about to get destroyed. Ha!
Locations, First.
I'm getting ahead of myself here. Sorry, again! Mr. Shawarma is a restaurant, okay. It's a tucked away nice little haven I ran into on one of my hangouts with my friends. We were wondering where we could go to, uhm, hang out, someplace where we could afford something to munch on while we chat. Preferably a nice serene environment that takes away any stress any one of us was having. Chill. Nice. Quiet. That's what we want.
We decided on Kijani Kafe. Don't worry. An article is coming soon for that, too. But Mr. Shawarma was on the way there. And as I walked past it, tucked away, lol, in some bushes. Like, literally. The place doesn't have a sign. A board telling you hey, there's a restaurant here. There was a car parked by the side of the road. That's it.
But, as you stroll past it, you might get lucky and catch a glimpse of a serene entryway. With greenery and flowers making an overhead way through. Like walking into a new dimension. A hidden treasure that, right off the bat, jump-starts your insides. I started walking in, completely forgetting about where we were headed, and my friends followed me like cute little sheep.
Locations, Seriously.
If you're in Nakuru CBD, you can take a "nduthi" to Agora, Milimani. Pay 50 bob, and only 100 bob if they insist. Then, from the junction, forge further toward Nairobi, lol. Or to the right of Agora (if you're facing Agora.) Left, if you're coming out of Agora. Proceed a few meters, and you should spot Mr. Shawarma's tucked-away entrance on your left.
I suck at giving directions, so I hope I at least got you there safely. If not, keep looking for a "nduthi" where the passenger knows exactly where Mr. Shawarma is.
An Uber, bolt, or other cab should be easier because they can use Google Maps to track down the place. Generally, though, Mr. Shawarma is just next to Agora.
Ambiance
Above all else, I love Mr. Shawarma's ambiance. Believe it or not, the actual shawarma meal comes second. I don't know whether it's because the ambiance is the first thing you experience that completely blows you away. I don't. I also can barely do justice describing it, so please, check out the photos I took of the place for yourself.
Activities
Mr. Shawarma isn't exactly the place to go for activities. Workouts. None of that. They don't have a swimming pool, a gym, a racing track, etc. If you want to sweat it out, this is not the place for you. However, if you want to relax, kick your feet up and take in your surroundings. To chat for hours with friends under the nice, cool shade of bamboo. All while enjoying a nourishing meal, this is exactly the place for you.
I've seen people do photo shoots here, too, and the photos do come out utterly splendid!
Night Outs
Mr. Shawarma opens at 12:00 pm noon and closes at 9:00 pm. So, you can sneak in a little "night out, hang out" if you like. Remember the entryway? Well, it lights up for you. Proceeding to your table, there're golden lights to see the food that you eat. You know, if the ambiance isn't your must-have.
Movie Days (or Nights)
Mr. Shawarma is all about coziness. So, of course, you have a movie day or night area. It's actually pretty cool; I definitely am planning to head out over there for one of their movies. They have a sound system that's pretty audible. And a projector for screening. However, I'm told that the projector is placed outside the shaded area. So, if it rains, the movie day or night has to be cut short.
Indoor for Outdoor Games
With the menu came options for choosing which “indoor for outdoor” games we would like to play as we waited for our food, during the meal, or even after. It's a good variety. I'm sure you can't miss what you like from jenga, poker cards, and Scrabble.
I'm placing the "pool table" separately because it didn't seem functional. Plus, in my three visits, I haven't seen anyone play. Still, it's a nice addition to the ambiance if you like the ambiance, haha.
No Food or Drinks from Outside!
I saw two very vivid warning signs. One from when you first walk into the restaurant. And the second a few paces from where we sat. In bold, like every other restaurant you've visited, they warn guests that no food or drinks are allowed from outside.
No Alcohol!
Also, Mr. Shawarma doesn't serve any alcoholic drinks. There's no bar. No alcoholic beverages. Remember the warning sign just above this section? Yes, no hard stuff is allowed from outside, too.
Saved the Best for Last!
The menu! I was even getting hungry. Anxious to reach this part. See, the menu isn't really something you want to see when you haven't tried the shawarma! It's in the name, guys. You have to try it. I think I asked for the menu just for formalities' sake. But let me save you some precious time. Immediately you arrive, head over to the cooking station. It's an open-kitchen plan that's very easy to see. Next, order the shawarma. They only have chicken. You can choose the normal shawarma or the platter option. The former is KES 200, the latter KES 400. Then, get your ass to a table and prepare yourself to be amazed. That's all I have to say.
I didn't really taste any other meal. So, I can't advise on how good they are. But do check out the rest of the menu in case you would like to have something different.
For drinks, I wanted a milkshake, but they didn't have any. So, I went with fruit juice. Passion. The juices are KES 100. It's fresh. It's nourishing. It's good.
Personal Remarks
Am I returning to Mr. Shawarma any time soon? Heck, yes!
Am I ordering a shawarma, platter, or otherwise? Damn it. Of course, I might, haha.
Do I desperately want Mr. Shawarma's recipe to experiment for myself back home? You know I do!
I actually did try to get some clues about the recipe. The special recipe. I only got as far as paprika sprinkles on the fries. Oh, by the way, the fries were amaze balls!
A sneak peek into the open kitchen and I could see so many of the same spices I have back home. So, I know there's at least one thing I got right.
Thank You, Mr. Shawarma!
I do have a special thank you to give to Mr. Shawarma. See, during my first stake out of the place, I forgot my phone on top of our table. It completely blew past me as we headed to our actual destination (Kijani Kafe.) We hang out at Kijani for a few before reaching into my bag and realizing I didn't have my phone on me!
So you can understand where I'm coming from, this was a new phone I had just bought with my hard-earned money. I had barely used it. Barely cracked the screen. Barely did any repairs. Heck, I doubt I had even done my first system update. I was a mess.
My friends helped me trace my steps back to Mr. Shawarma. And guess what? My phone lay there, untouched, exactly where I had left it. Like it was waiting for me. And not the kind of waiting where you're sweating, not knowing whether your mother will return to get you. My phone knew I would definitely return. And I will definitely find it patiently waiting for me. I have no words. I know I just wrote one too many, but that's exactly how I was. Completely and utterly dumbfounded.
But, hey, this only covers my experience. What's yours? Is there a hidden treasure you'd like for me to experience? Meanwhile, do check out our "Chilly, Fizzy, Long Island at Culture Mambo Lounge in Nakuru, Kenya" article, and let us know in case of any questions or concerns.