Floating Restaurant in Kenya: The Moorings Experience

We work hard in this hustle and bustle world and it’s important to relax and reinvigorate our body, mind, and soul. It’s also important to get a good value for your hard-earned money. I was ready for some rest and relaxation; however, I had made up my mind not to avoid eateries along the coastal region of Kenya because of some bad service experienced in the past. I assumed they were all the same.

Boy was I wrong!

My friend told me about The Moorings Restaurant. He said he was bowled over by the level of service and quality of food. Remembering my past experiences at some restaurants in this region, I was skeptical but willing to give it a try.

We arrived at 11.oo am, an hour after the restaurant had opened for business since it only serves lunch and dinner. There was a charming young lady at the entrance who welcomed us into the restaurant and asked us to feel at home.

Already, I knew this was going to be a different experience.

The waiters on duty were smartly dressed in their black trousers and white shirts with black bow ties and politely greeted us, showed us to our table and present the menu of the day.

The menu was incredible! There are several courses available and various options to choose from in each course. You will definitely need assistance making the right choice! Our waiter was very helpful and made some suggestions so we had a balanced lunch.

The first course offers several juices, fresh fruits, and fruit cocktails. The second course has a number of soups which are either cream or clear in nature. On the third course you will find entrees or stews and the options here are varied. There is braised beef, chicken casserole, sauté kidneys and many other dishes. The fourth course consists of various types of fish cooked in different styles. There is grilled fish of the red snapper or Nile perch and sea fish such as crab, lobster and prawns prepared to the visitors liking. On the fifth course there are grills and roasts such as fillet steak, rump steak and roast pork. The sixth course offers vegetables and potatoes which are fried, steamed, sauté or simply boiled in such a way that even vegetarians will be attracted to select a number of items from it. Then there is the seventh and final course which has lots of sweets such as ice-cream, milk pudding, fruit salad, custard sauce and cream caramel. A dessert of all kinds of fresh fruits and coffee prepared to the customer’s choice is the last item on the course.

I found it a bit tedious making the right choice from the menu but the waiter told me that one does not necessarily have to choose from every course.

“You simply select what you feel will satisfy you from at least three of the courses”, said the kind waiter.

I made my choice from five courses and after the order was taken, waited for half an hour before the freshly cooked cream of vegetable soup was served with well-garnished bread rolls as an accompaniment. While I waited for it, I was given a pamphlet about other services provided by the restaurant such as the dhow that takes visitors for excursions in the vicinity of the restaurant. They also provide information on services from other establishments along the coastal region.

The Moorings restaurant has an open arrangement and as you sit at the table enjoying your meal, you feel the cool breeze from the ocean and smell the sweet aroma from the delectable dishes being prepared in the nearby kitchen.

The waiters stand next to their stations and keep an eye on the customer, ready to provide any information that may be required. There is a small bar by the entrance where alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are served and you’re always allowed to order a drink and take it with you for your meal.

The service of the main dish takes quite a bit of time, so be prepared. The waiter explained the food has to thaw out before it is cooked and so patience is needed. It was worth the wait. The dish comes out sizzling hot and so attractive you cannot help salivating.

After your meal you are allowed to saunter around and admire the young fish in the ocean since this is a floating restaurant, before coming back for a dessert of either a cup of cappuccino or a variety of fresh fruits to end your perfectly fulfilling lunch.

After visiting a number of resorts and restaurants along the Kenyan coast, I can attest to the fact that the enjoyment I found at the Moorings cannot be found elsewhere. The relaxed, yet efficient and absolutely charming service is elegant and very few other resorts can provide its equivalent.

There are beautiful, white and unspoiled sandy beaches where you can stroll and just enjoy yourself and take pleasure in seeing the crystal clear blue water. Lots of turtles and dolphins can be seen from the restaurant and you will also find exquisite sea food that can hardly be found in any other resort. The fish such as the yellow-fin tuna and crab are literally plucked from the ocean and prepared for you as you watch. You leave the Moorings restaurant smiling and with the knowledge that it is indeed value for your money.