THE DISH: Fantastic birthday dinner at Fonda

So, the way I celebrate my birthday is that it is an all month affair, starting with pre-birthday celebrations before said month, then all through the month as well, and then just a few more celebrations to wrap it up post birthday things – you know, to end on a high note, so that by the time I'm done celebrating myself, it is nearly time to start planning how to do so again asap.

It takes a lot of organisation to pull off birthdays – I should know, I've been doing it for years. I realise how egotistical this sounds, but this is who I am as a person, I have accepted it, and if I don't celebrate myself the most, I don't see how I expect other people to. It isn't every day you're born, you know.

That being said, I decided that my first celebration should be a dinner at a restaurant I have only been to once, for a hot chocolate, and never returned to again, because everyone always seems to be too busy to take me.

Tip #1 for Birthday Month: When you pick the place, everyone has to go, because it is your birthday, see? So I picked Fonda. I've talked about how much I've been wanting to go over there in a previous article, and I finally had the chance a few weekends ago. Fonda is at Rosslyn Riviera, the mall that is right before Two Rivers, about 10 minutes after Village Market as you head towards Ruaka.

PLAN AHEAD

Tip #2 for Birthday Month: Plan ahead. When I decided I wanted to go to Fonda, I promptly called them to see if they had the dates I wanted free, because weekends tend to fill up fast, and, I had to get the invites out asap if people were going to be planning around me.

This is also important so you can figure out the costings of everything you want, and see if they can give you a meal plan for to fit your budget. They're very good with this part of the plan at Fonda – Yash and his team are most accommodating in terms of recommendations, costings and feedback, so you won't have to wait too long before you have a pretty good idea about how your special night is going to turn out.

My menu was great. There were starters (nachos and guacamole), along with hibiscus water and filtrated water next to pitchers of margaritas for each table; our main course was Mole, a traditional Mexican dish with a chicken, pork or vegetarian option, and churros for dessert. You would not be mistaken for thinking that this meal would not be enough for those who had gathered, but you would be wrong.

By the time we got to the churros – a cylindrical pastry stuffed with caramel and a chocolate sauce to dip – barely anyone was able to partake. The mole is a deceptive menu item, or perhaps we should have read more on the part where it said comes with rice, beans and three tortillas?

Anyway, I was well pleased with my birthday dinner. The food was plentiful and the service from Jay and Victoria was conscientious and considerate.

The only concern I had was that with a big group, the food tends to come out a bit slower than I would have liked, but then again, many members of my party were quite late, so that probably threw the kitchen off as well. I still felt special, which is how you should feel on such an occasion .

Yash was ever present to help with any menu concerns, and Jay and Victoria as well, for moving tables around, and bringing out everyone's extra orders and – this is very important – topping up the margarita glasses. I can't wait to go back and try the other things on the menu. Rosslyn Riviera is quite out of my way, but Fonda makes it worth it.

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