Fresh and fine French and Rwandese fare

Karen is an upmarket residential area in Nairobi which for a long time remained fairly unspoilt with thick forest occasionally interrupted by structural shows of opulence by moneyed homeowners. In recent years, however, there has been a construction boom (much to the chagrin of old money Karen folk), with the development of numerous shopping malls and office parks.

One such office park is the Watermark Business Park on the corner of Lang’ata and Ndege roads. In a far-flung corner of the compound sits one of Nairobi’s newer and finer eateries; a European-style restaurant and bakery run by a half Belgian, half Rwandese gentleman.

Brioche Table D’hôte is a well-lit and airy restaurant spread over two levels with a yellow sandstone interior which gets rather monotonous for the lack of break in colour.

This is mitigated slightly, thanks to the panelled panorama windows that allow the outside environment of shrubbery and foliage to pour into the dining area. The simple yet sophisticated logo depicting the outline of a slice of bread replicates itself several times across the restaurant starting from the sign at the entrance to doormats, crockery and even the shape of some cushions.

LEAN MENU

There is an outside terrace with high tables and stools as well as lounge seats. When I went there, it was happy hour on cocktails and this seemed a more appropriate place to sit to indulge.

The French influences of the proprietor are unmistakeable in the menu which features a vast range of quiches, sandwiches, paninis and, oddly, even some pasta. There are traditional Rwandese dishes tweaked for a more continental palate too. The breakfast options are also well varied and the menu is vegan and vegetarian-friendly.

I, in fact, had a hard time finding something meaty to order and when I finally decided on the piccalilli pork sandwich, our lovely waiter gave me a disappointed look and told me I would have to pick something else. My date ordered the tuna sandwich and also had their heart broken because apparently there was no tuna.

You would be hard pressed to find two more frustrated diners at the same table. After huffing and puffing, I settled on the smoked chicken and mushroom quiche which was accompanied by a fresh garden salad with balsamic dressing. The quiche was a generous portion halved from a large circular one and it tasted like heaven working to reinforce the universal understanding that the French are masters of the quiche.

The pie crust of custard, egg and milk held together beautifully without crumbling or being too chewy and the fillings were perfectly cooked. I have not tasted such delicious chicken in so long. The mushrooms were not too dry.

I will not confirm the number of different cocktails I sampled but I can’t complain about a single one. The service was swift and the staff charming without being too eager. I will definitely return sooner rather than later!