Kenyan Cafe

The Kenyan Cafe is located in Chelsea Square, which is near Applebee's. It's one of the more unique restaurants in town, as I believe it's the only African cuisine in Morgantown. The restaurant focuses on healthy food and organic drinks. The Kenyan Cafe has vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

When we walked in, the woman waited a minute before coming over to us. This confused us, so we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves or what. She finally came over and asked what we wanted to do. She grabbed menus and seated us at a table. Once we were seated, she cleaned it off. When I was sitting there, I had a chance to finally take in the scenery. The walls were brightly colored - oranges and greens, and some sophisticated art littered the walls.

Our table had a cup of silverware that you plucked your own from. That wasn't my favorite part of the dining experience, but I made it work. I looked over the menu - Briani caught my eye. It is a mixture of well-seasoned beef, rice, corn and green beans. I ordered that, as well as a side of vegetarian samosas, which is sough with African spices wrapper in a flour rub. I also ordered a water, which was convenient, because the fountain machine was right across from us.

We waited for what seemed like a long time, and then my samosas came out. Steaming hot, two small pastry-looking pockets came out. I bit into it, and my first thought was that it was a potpie. It had carrots and peas and green beans. It was tasty, though. It was like a a miniature potpie with almost a sweet aftertaste.

Finally, our meal arrived. In a big bowl, a mixture similar to stew came out. Not only was it steaming hot, but it was spicy. The beef and vegetables were tasty together, but after two bites, my mouth was on fire, and the dish was starting to taste bland. I had originally ordered a water, but I refilled with a coke, and it was exactly what I needed for this dish. The sweet coke balanced out the heavy, spicy meal. The meat was tender, and the veggies were cooked until they were almost mush. It was exactly like a really thick stew. Once I had my coke in hand, I finished the large meal and felt satisfied.

We went to the front counter to pay, and the staff asked us how we liked our meal. Though $15-$20 isn't worth it to me, I liked the experience of trying something new. The hearty, spicy dishes aren't my fancy. But I do know a lot of people prefer that type of food. I might go back and try something different - though all the dishes are fairly similar. It's a good addition to the scene, but it's just not my type of food.

The restaurant has a great little story, though, and supporting local business is a great thing. I think a lot of people would be a fan of this.

Grade: C