Is this the best seafood eatery in Nairobi?

Last week, I got invited to an exclusive menu-tasting event at Pablo's restaurant at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Hurlingham. The 4-star upscale hotel has two major restaurants, Mezze on the deck and Pablos restaurant on the ground floor which is known for authentic flavours and cuisines including Asian, Swahili, Italian and continental cuisines. 

The exclusive event provided us with a glimpse of what the executive chef, Mr. Aravindan Mahalingam, and his team had in store for their guests over the coming few months. In a bid to shake up the monotony of the typical meals, they have revamped their old menu to accommodate the changing clientele’s pallet to give the comfort classics with a whole new flair. Mr. Mahalingam joined the hotel in March of last year and he intends to bring a wide range of cuisine to the Kenyan market and share his expertise from the various countries he has worked in.

The afternoon began with pre-lunch drinks at Pablo's lush, green terrace, where we sipped a glass of Jacobs Creek Classic Chardonnay. We were treated to an afternoon of enjoyment, interaction, delicious meals and drinks, and networking with other guests. The setup was pleasant and spectacular.

We started with batter-fried tempura prawns served with tempura sauce and crispy fried honey-glazed chicken wings with barbecue sauce. Having previously tasted tempura prawns, I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty, fresh, and crunchy they were. The dipping sauce and lemon wedges further contributed to the savoury flavour. The presentation was unique and quite creative.

Then we moved on to our first main course, a seafood platter with grilled lobster, salmon, snapper, and breaded calamari that was presented with the traditional beurre blanc sauce. Never before have I devoured so much seafood in one go. It was elegantly packaged, delectable, and fulfilling. My stomach was bulging by the time we were trying the chicken schnitzel. With a fresh homemade salad and French fries, the pan-fried breaded chicken breast was covered with melted cheddar cheese.

We received red wine shortly after that—Creek Jacob's Shiraz—to pair with what would become our third main course. Premium ribeye, choma sausages, Molo lamb chops, chicken breast, and corn on the cob were all included in this nyama choma platter. My favourite dishes were the Molo lamb chops and the premium ribeye as they were both medium rare, juicy, and tender. We enjoyed a degustation of their desserts, which contained ice cream and various cakes.

I would recommend Pablo's restaurant as a lovely private oasis perfect for upscale business meetings, social catch-ups, or a romantic date night.