Does a great taste in music lead to great tasting food? Well, Galileo Extreme in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) is known as one of the city’s best club experiences, but food may not be its specialty.
Located on the first floor of Nakumatt Lifestyle, formerly Sherlock’s Den, Galileo Extreme is celebrating its one-year anniversary in the CBD.
The menu at Galileo Extreme has seen better days: rolled-up edges and damp to the touch – probably from spilled alcohol from the evening before – I asked for another, which suffered the same unappetizing fate.
The spacious two-story club and restaurant, Galileo Extreme, decorated with deep tones of purple and reds, and stark white lights, felt like a cozy and well-lit space. The staff were friendly and courteous.
There will always be reactionary types who’ll hate the Galileos, its tablecloth-free and schmooze-lacking restaurant ambiance. Here, are rows of MPESA vendors, hairdressers bubbling with laughter, and beyond that a bustling 24-hour Nakumatt. It’s vivid, scuffed place of saturated colours where normal everyday life is an entertaining spectator sport.
The point? This is a decent restaurant where you would least expect to find it – in a club. Yes, it probably looks better at night than during the day. In the evening it’s packed, and guests are certainly not coming for a nice sit-down fine-dining affair.
The cooking is straight-forward and big-portioned. The Pepper Steak (Kshs 550) was our favourite. It came with mash potatoes and a delicious mound of sautéed string beans – so good, we ordered seconds. The massive Pork Chops (Kshs 550) were dry and desperately needed a sauce – not even delicious coleslaw could help this one. The Swahili Fried Chicken (Ksh 500) was tender and moist, but the sauce tasted of uncooked spices, rich and velvety coconut milk. The Chicken Wings (Kshs 400) served with coleslaw and French fries were a great value. And the Extreme Dialogue (Kshs 750), a sizzling platter of grilled marinated beef and chicken would be perfect for a meal after a night of drinking.
The menu also features a selection of burgers and pastas. With its reasonable prices, I can see Galileo Extreme evolving into a popular lunch spot since Nairobi’s CBD is starved of mid-range options.
Dancing, long nights, booze, great music and a dance floor that will tempt even those with two left feet, Galileo Extreme is far from being known as a place for “great food.” It may be many things, but the food is simple and well-priced. On a positive note, even if the food may not be the best, the music will always be your compensation.
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