The perfect date night plan

The Jahazi Seafood Grill at the Serena Beach Hotel is located literally on the beach, at the base of the hotel property. It is a unique concept because the decor and design are rustic, conjuring images of how it must have felt to eat on an ancient dhow while out in the ocean. The floor in the downstairs lobby is sand, and the furniture is bespoke Swahili traditional pieces. Jahazi Grill is open to all, regardless of whether or not you are staying there. When you arrive at this fine dining establishment, the staff are friendly and they offer you a drink at the lobby before seating you upstairs.

The view of the ocean, the sound of the waves, and the salty sea breeze come together to create a relaxing and informal ambiance. The staff are quite professional and we appreciated the recommendations they made. This restaurant is designed for leisurely meals that take several courses, so if you are in a hurry you should probably eat at Serena’s other restaurants. For parents with young ones, an entertainment crew will be happy to provide a kids’ dinner and keep them in the Serena tower with the other little ones while they eat and watch cartoons.

The menu has a huge selection but we stuck to the basics – consomme for our starter, made with a delicious light fish broth. If you love seafood you will enjoy eating the freshly caught delicacies at Jahazi. We had the more conservative Swahili coconut fish fillet with rice, and grilled red snapper with potatoes. Their portions are filling and presentation immaculate. The waiter recommended the perfect white wine to go with the main dish, and for dessert we had a simple ice-cream and crème caramel. The crème caramel was rather stodgy and plain tasting, but the otherwise great service and delicious main meal made up for it.

Two dreadlocked live musicians played soothing instrumental melodies throughout the evening and this added to the peaceful ambiance. It was a refreshing change from the noisy Mombasa entertainment in many hotels during the night. Note that you will probably need a jacket because it can get quite breezy in the restaurant. We were delighted when the chef sent out some small amuse bouche treats in between courses to whet our palates. A three course dinner with a drink will cost upwards of Sh2,500 per person.