African cuisine with a modern twist

Every so often in Nairobi there comes out of the random blue a force which shakes up the food service delivery industry in unexpected ways. Combining innovation, groove, quality products and stellar service to build a loyal customer base and challenge prevailing trends.

Mama Rocks Burgers is one such phenomenon. Housed in a truck parked at The Alchemist Bar along Parklands Road in Westlands, this miniature kitchen run by young sisters sends out burger after burger to their eager clients at an impressive pace.

The face of the truck is covered in urban afrocentric artwork with images of African greats from Fela Kuti to Desmond Tutu and catchy phrases in Swahili. The staff members are affable and keen on building casual relationships with their customers. They will even recommend menu items that suit your taste and personality.

I had previously eaten from Mama Rocks at some of the night events in town where they often offer their services, but never got anything more than a bag of chips, which my friends saw as sacrilegious on my part. So when a dear friend agreed to lunch with me and asked for a recommendation in the larger Westlands area I was delighted to point towards this happy hippy joint.

SUMMERY MOOD

Now one thing you need to know before heading to Mama Rocks is that they do not have any parking space within their compound, so you have to either park at another location and walk or use public transport. This for me was a minor irritation which soon dissipated after walking into the yard at The Alchemist to find the most festive of al fresco setups.

Stacks of wooden pallets make up chairs which are covered in brightly coloured upholstery under equally colourful shades to shield you from the sun. The sitting areas are scattered with rustic tables upon which recycled and painted bottles sit as centrepieces. At one end the yard is a bold yellow double-decker bus with a music DJ and a raised platform for people to dance on beside it. The compound generally reflects an artsy, summery mood.

From the Mama Rocks truck I ordered the aptly named ‘Souk It To Me’ burger of coarsely ground lamb, caramelised onion and fresh rocket. This North Africa inspired recipe features white stilton cheese (less commonly found than its blue variation), chopped apricot and some almond flakes giving the patty fruity notes.

The rum and raisin sauce was so delicious I did not need to ask for any other condiment. To accompany my burger I got their legendary fried plantain fingers; a West African delicacy referred to as ‘dodo’ by my Nigerian friends. They are the perfect snack as they are highly nutritious and filling. This together with my cleverly dubbed ‘Hibiskiss’ juice, went down a real treat.

Any lover of authentic African cuisine will be wise to make their way to Mama Rocks.