Leaving on a jet plane, don't know if I'll eat there again.

If Nairobi Airport is famous for anything it's that it is an incredibly boring place to be stuck. Basically it's one long, never ending grey corridor and there is nowhere decent to eat. At least that was my opinion after my first stop over there.

My second visit to Nairobi was to see me interned there for 7 hours! But I wasn't alone, I was to be accompanied in purgatory by 3 work friends who like me were unimpressed by what the airport had to offer. We decided to search high and low for somewhere other than a blank hot corridor to spend our time. To our surprise hope appeared hidden away down one of the faceless passageways and up 5 flights of stairs 'The Transit Restaurant'.

This place hadn't been decorated since the 70's and was deserted but for one old hippie who could well have been there since the wallpaper went up.

We sat down at a window table over looking the runway and ordered a selection of things to munch on while we whittled away the hours and some ice cold beer to wash it down with.

It won't surprise you to find out that the food was very very ordinary, the steaks and fish were over cooked and the side orders didn't arrive, at least the beer was good.

I wouldn't recommend the food at The Transit Restaurant and it certainly has no chance of winning any awards, but would I most definitely eat there again, although not for the food, but for the glorious, stunning view of the sun setting over Nairobi.

Ugly but Gorgeous

Corn beef hash is the Peter Beardsley of the culinary world, really not much to look at but wonderful.
It conjures up thoughts (although not memories) of rationing and the 1950s but do not let that put you off!
Corn Beef Hash (CBH) is heart warming comfort food at its best and possibly my favourite breakfast (although it comes up against stiff competition from my breakfast burrito recipe)

I first came across a recipe for this when I was having a nose though Delia Smiths 'How To Cook' and that recipe for me is the best I have tried.
Delia marinades 1cm chunks of corn beef in Worcester sauce and wholegrain mustard which gives it a wicked kick. She then par boils potato also cut to 1cm chunks and browns a large onion, once browned push to one side and fry the well seasoned potato chunks until they too are nicely browned you can now added the marinaded corn beef stir everything together and heat though. 3 minutes later you will have the breakfast of champions, it wont win a beauty contest but it tastes fantastic.

Delia recommends you should serve it with 2 fried eggs, I disagree I think 2 poached eggs are the perfect accompaniment to this underrated classic.
Oh and DO NOT forgot to have loads of tomato ketchup on hand, the sugar of Tommy K rocks with the salty goodness of the CBH.

And of course here is a link to Delia's deliciously simple CBH recipe... Delia's Corn Beef Hash recipe.
and for those you don't know who Peter Beardsley is, shame on you... Peter Beardsley info.

you try and take a sexy picture of CBH

The BEST steak i have ever ever ever had... ever!

It wasn't a chateaubriand, beef fillet or a T bone it was OX! Ox fillet, surprised?
It was recommended to me by our local contact and was twice the cost of everything else on the menu and it was worth it. When I have told people I had ox they immediately turn up their nose, you wouldn't get a queue of people outside a restaurant on a ox steak and wine night but you should.
Don't let the title confuse you, I want to you to be in no doubt, this was truly was the finest piece of meat that I have ever had the pleasure of feasting on and it really was a feast. HUGE it was I tell ye and not to mention succulent, tender, and delicious. A big meaty slab of heaven.
This was by far the best food I had during my stay in Chile, the restaurant was called La Marca a beautiful traditional (all be it posh) grill house on the edge of Lake Llanquihue in the shadow of a volcano, a marvellous place for a truly marvellous meal.
If your ever on your way to Patagonia and get the chance to stop off in Puerto Varas you have to try the ox steak in La Marca.

La Marca's website
La Marca on google map