The family Sunday Brunch experience at Ole-Sereni

As a family, it’s not always easy to decide what to do on a Sunday. On one hand, you want to relax after working hard through the week, and at the same time, there is a need to bond with the family and provide them with ample entertainment. We all know going out as a family can cost you a tidy sum, and in the current economy, money is quite elusive.

That was a dilemma that faced me on one particular weekend. Okay, most weekends.  What to do? In the past, I have tried to take the family out, but despite spending a considerable amount, we are often underwhelmed by the offerings. Maybe, you get an eatery with great food but is missing family entertainment, or vice versa.

So when I heard about the Ole-Sereni Hotel Sunday Brunch experience I was all in. We arrived at around midday— the brunch starts at 12 pm to 5 pm every Sunday— full of anticipation. We found the service staff busy laying out the tables and the chefs setting the dishes. We sat by the terrace, taking in the scenery—the Nairobi National Park—as we sipped soft drinks.

Then after about half an hour, the buffet was all set up and it was time to start serving. From the get-go, I noticed that the menu servings were quite diverse. The Sunday Brunch tends to revolve around a variety of local and continental cuisines each week coupled with your typical salad bar, grill (Nyama choma) and dessert trays. The Sunday brunch experience cost Sh5,500 for each person excluding children under six who get in free. Apart from the swimming pool, children can enjoy a variety of activities—bouncing castle, face painting, building blocks— for free.

By this time the restaurant was getting busier, as a number of people—mostly families— made their way to the restaurant. The place was especially popular for families celebrating children's birthdays, going by the number of happy birthday cakes delivered to different tables, accompanied by renditions from the resident band.

Even with the variety of food options, I was a tad worried that my six-year-old being a picky eater would not get something that suited their fancy or tastebuds—you know kids! Fortunately, the chefs had this in mind, and there were a lot of kid-friendly meals available. Read French fries, pizza, mini burgers, sausages, ice-creams and a variety of cakes. The six-year-old did not leave the dessert table!

My teenage daughter decided it’s time to be explorative. She crisscrossed almost all sections of the buffet as she experimented. While she loved most of the food, her least favourite was the Sushi.

“The way everyone on TikTok hypes Sushi, I thought I must try it. It’s so over-hyped,” she declared as she pushed her plateful of Sushi aside.

“Sushi is an acquired taste,” I told her. My personal favourite was the pasta bar and grilled fish. I loved that the pasta was prepared fresh as you watched, and you could choose your sauce and accompaniments.

By 5 pm we had eaten our hearts out, the children had swum to their fill, while the younger one, was tired of bouncing and it was time to leave. This was a memorable experience worth repeating. My children agreed.

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