Art Cafe: Lunch is better than Brunch!

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I just think its the BEST meal of the day! Many world renown chefs of the highest level of training and skill say, "you can tell how skilled a chef is by their ability to cook an egg." Cooking it well, where the yolk is cooked, but still melts out when you cut into it, but the whites are fully cooked. No burning. no rubbery textures. maybe a little crunch around the edges. Its all about the mix of textures as well as flavors that your mouth can experience. For me, that is the greatest enjoyment about food.  They say the perfect egg is cooked in 6 minutes to achieve the that balance, that I have heard many chef's refer to as sexy!

In Nairobi, when you think about breakfast out of the house, where does your mind go? I used to first prefer Hong's Bakery. That has since been transformed into a Chinese restaurant/bar- no more buttery scones or perfectly seasoned chicken pies. Although I must say their eggs left much to be desired. Fried to a flat and crunchy. For most Nairobians, the institution of choice for breakfast (although make sure you get there before 10 on weekdays- strick time limit!) is Java House! We'll save comments for another day/review. On this particular morning, my foodie-pal and I just wanted something different. With time to kill (diverting the work day to a dining excursion), We headed out to Westgate to have brunch at Art Cafe. 

I had never been there for anything earlier than a lunch break, but was particularly interested this morning from a distinct recollection of the menu's listing of Eggs Benedict. Talk about a meal with layered flavors and textures. I was ready for it. The menu promised poached eggs on brioche with a hollandaise sauce. The platter was accompanied by a Mediteranian salad and 5-sauces. 

How did Art Cafe do on their egg skills? Well done I would say! The poaching was perfect. Well cooked egg whites, with solid yolks that broke beautifully when cut into. Just the way I like it! The hollandaise was deliciously prepared. You could taste the acidity of the lemon mixed with the creaminess of the butter and yokes used to make it. Well seasoned and just the right consistency to not run off the eggs but settle on it for a tasty bite! These two were by far the best components on the plate. The brioche was a terrible disappointment - especially considering the way that Art Cafe is well known for their in-house baking. It was completely soggy, and added no texture to the dish whatsoever. This says to me that it either that way too long in the window (read, service issues) or simply it was not prepared well. A great brioche will give you that textured crunch and be able to hold up the distance of plating to the table for at least the first few bites! Now on to the rest of the platter's let downs, that I had SO much hope for! The 5 sauces (as you can see) are not sauces at all. It lacked thought and creativity, and added no value to the conception of the dish. On my dish: Strawberry jam, tuna salad (yes! you read correct), olives, butter chunks and guacamole (which was not good). In my ideal world I would have been given a series of condiment sauces that would add additional layers of flavors and textures to the rich central component of the dish. Dishes should make sense, and you cannot fool someone when it doesn't- you don't have to be trained to feel like something is complete.  Add notes of chili, sweetness, or even some textured bites to it.  It simply lacked thought or cohesiveness to add anything to the dish. The salad also did not deliver.

I still cannot quite make out what made it Mediteranian. Was it the multi-colored bell peppers? or the olive oil? that's just not enough. It was a simple salad that was way too acidic to enjoy. Again, out of balance with the rest of the dish. In my ideal world that beautiful egg would have been perfect with a couple of well grilled sausages or some crispy bacon which, by the way, the management refuses to serve as a side order (one can only have sausages if its paired on the dish). Why the restriction? Not necessary at all! And actually, this savory addition would have made the meal much more filling and satisfying. In the end, I found myself spreading the 5-haphazard "sauces" on the multi-grain bread basket just to fill up. This was disappointing over all. My foodie-pal ordered the English breakfast. Her 5-"sauces" were even more random than mine, including  cubes of feta cheese. Her sentiments matched mine: The dish just wasn't filling. 

Overall, let me just say a few words on Art Cafe. First off, I am a huge fan. Although their food and services is not always consistent in what they present to you- their food is tasty and definitely leaves its clients wanting to come back for more. They have some of the tastiest pasta dishes: My favorite and most well flavored arabiata sauce in all of Nairobi (and I have tried nearly all). Their chicken pesto dish is just to die for. Not traditional in the italian cuisine sense, but an excellent interpretation mixing the classic flavors, with twists that let you know, this is not from an Italian restaurant. They have delicious burgers, and I am a huge huge fan of their chips (potatoes are also a special love of mine). Other memorable tasties from Art Cafe? Fabulous and fresh fruit infused sangria, chilled perfectly (not the sweetened pre-made bottled type- boooooo!). Perfect on a hot Sunday afternoon (served by the carafe). If you are a fan of heat: ask your server for some of their home made chili, served on the side. Hands down the best I have had in the city: a blended pure of chilis, garlic, dhania, vinegar and salt. I tried to taste out all the ingredients with our server. He said there is one secret I am missing. I love to add it to anything I order there: spread on the bun of a burger, mix into the pasta for an extra kick. Its a must try. 

In all let me sum up to say this: For breakfast, stick to Java. Art Cafe is best enjoyed for lunch, dinner or drinks! Would I go again? Absolutely... but for that chili paste and arabiata (I order mine with chicken, although not on the menu). 

Cheers and happy eating.