I was looking for a nice chic restaurant to have dinner with friends in Mombasa, and a quick Google search led me to Tamarind. I’ve been on the dinner dhow cruise aboard the Tamarind Dhow, and don’t remember the last time I danced that hard. I decided to make a dinner reservation for 5pm, and when I walked into the space, I knew I had made the right choice. This spot has been around since the late 70s, with some renovations through the years. The high arches of the white-washed walls make it look grand, and there are plenty of sitting areas. It boasts an enviable position right on the water’s edge, overlooking the sea where boats go by every so often, and Mombasa town on the other shore. Since it was a clear day, I was excited to see the sunset in all its splendour.
For starters, we went with mangrove oysters which were so fresh you could taste the salty sea. They came with freshly baked bread, lime and tabasco, but with oysters that are fresh, I prefer to savour them raw. We also had garlic prawns, as recommended by the waiter as a house favourite; pan-fried prawns in white wine, olive oil, basil and garlic. From that first bite, I understood the appeal. The piri piri prawns here are a Tamarind classic. They’re grilled in garlic butter with paprika, chilli, lime and fresh coriander. I would also recommend the Swahili lobster or lobster thermidor. Really, if you’re looking to have seafood in a nice space in Mombasa, this is the place to go. Besides, where else on the Coast do you get such fast service?
There’s a separate area for the bar and the restaurant. For drinks, I started off with a Dawa, which is a Tamarind classic, fashioned after the Brazilian Caipirinha which is made with the cane-sugar spirit called cachaça. The Kenyan version has vodka, honey and lime. The soft jazz music playing was the perfect soundtrack for the spectacular sunset, when it finally took to the sky, as we ordered yet another round of Dawas. The average cost per person on this night was around Sh4,000. If you’d rather pair your meals with wine, there’s an extensive wine list to choose from.
