EATING&OUTING: A kiosk eatery that delivers good food

Anyone who is not excited to nab a bargain is either foolish or has an easy and dishonest way of making a shilling. This is why I am always keeping a keen eye out for a good bargain. This eye was recently rewarded greatly when, while wandering from running errands at The Junction Mall, I saw a lonely roll-up banners emblazoned with the details of a generous promotional offer by the Artcaffe Kiosk on all their sandwiches.

At just Sh850, one can get any sandwich and a small fresh juice of their liking from what’s listed on the menu. What’s even more splendid is that this is a daily offer! Ordinarily, this would cost up to Sh200 more.

Truly, only a chance to stretch my coins farther could make me sit to eat at such an indiscreet spot. This indoor kiosk next to the public facilities and main Nakumatt entrance was formerly the site of Dormans Coffee Shop for years before their acquisition by Artcaffe and I had not once given it as much as a second glance.

Much smaller than the larger sister outlet in a wing on the opposite end of the mall, this kiosk’s main feature is a large case with a lot of their baked products on display. There are a few tables and chairs laid out intimately across an impossibly small area and on the day I was lured in by the prospect of a discount, only one waiter seemed to be serving the floor (a duty he executed with applaudable assiduity).

That different applaud able branches have unique menus is something I find quite jarring; the point of a chain restaurant is for their clientele to have guaranteed satisfaction and consistency in every station under the brand regardless of where they are because humans are creatures of habit.

That said, I was pleased to discover something among the sandwich options which I hadn’t seen or tried in all my days as an Artcaffe regular; a pulled beef sandwich with melted cheese and onion in rustic ciabatta bread which the waiter said I had to try.

Usually I ask for whole wheat bread to replace the white bread but I felt rather adventurous and decided to give it a go as presented. Much to my delight, my meal was a real treat.

Served with a large garden salad and a few pitted olives, the medium sized sandwich was just perfect in flavour, arrangement and size. It was not so filled that it became messy but I did not feel defrauded.

I was convinced that the onions had been sautéed in barbecue sauce before being thrown in with aioli and mustard but my darling waiter Ian insisted there wasn’t any BBQ sauce.

I would have put up an argument hadn’t he been so polite and gentle and hadn’t I been so happy in the belly. Not a morsel of my food or a drop of my pineapple mint juice were spared my onslaught.