Everything excellent, but the food

Loswani Place on Kiambu Road is a lovely spot that excels at everything but the food. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • I was impressed by the quality of service at this spot and had a good long chat with our waiter about everything under the sun before ordering my pork chops, which then took eons to come out.
  • When my food eventually came, I could tell right away that it was not going to be anything to write home about. The chips looked sad but the pork seemed to hold slightly more promise. Boy was I wrong!
  • The guest relations team at Loswani Place seemed well trained and I was very happy with their prices but where food quality is concerned.

Somewhere between Thindigua and whatever the next hamlet along Kiambu Road is called, there is a magnificent structure which sticks out like a sore thumb from its residential surroundings and rather curiously has the air of an American highway diner.

Loswani Place sits on a slightly elevated patch of real estate and is perfect for travellers looking to break their journey from wherever to wherever. There is ample parking surrounded by meticulously cared for shrubbery leading to the simple frontage.

Once inside, it is obvious that even on a wet Tuesday afternoon, this spot is quite popular among residents of the nearby estates. Beyond the foyer, the antechamber is set up in a very unassuming fashion and opens up to a bar and a dark characterless area before reaching the naturally lit patio. For families with young children, there is a sizeable playground in the back.

SAD CHIPS

I was impressed by the quality of service at this spot and had a good long chat with our waiter about everything under the sun before ordering my pork chops, which then took eons to come out. Thankfully, the management have the good sense to offer customers a complimentary drink to nurse as they wait, and it was delicious.

When my food eventually came, I could tell right away that it was not going to be anything to write home about. The chips looked sad but the pork seemed to hold slightly more promise. Boy was I wrong!

I do not know if it is because the slabs were so thick or someone in the kitchen was having a bad day but the inside of the pork was devoid of all succulence and became a bother to tackle using fork and knife, so I decided to grab it with my hands and attack it that way.

I could not help feeling that the meat had been frozen for days before thawing and eventually finding its way in on my plate.

It might be the first time that I enjoyed the vegetable which accompanies a meat dish even more than the meat itself. Eventually, I finished my portion and when our waiter came to find out how we had enjoyed our meal; all I could say was that the spinach was delicious.

The guest relations team at Loswani Place seemed well trained and I was very happy with their prices but where food quality is concerned, there’s still a lot more work to be done. For a place whose advertising is centred on grilling as their forte, my experience was a bit jarring but I’ll definitely return soon to see what changes have been made.