Where do Kenyans go to eat in Nairobi? Born and brought up in Kenya and now resident in Karen, Julia Seth-Smith offers a selection her favourite culinary haunts for this Christmas edition of What’s On.

In a country where the closest we get to convenience food is a bag of pre-washed lettuce, it is lucky that we have a wide selection of good restaurants offering a diverse range of cuisines.

With no "meals-for-two" lurking in the deep freeze, an in-house babysitting service and a video to tape all those addictive soaps (if only I could get the timer to work), I have no excuse but to drag the beloved husband into town on a regular gourmet safari.

It seemed appropriate to start this restaurant column by revisiting some of my firm favourites — restaurants that satisfy a particular craving or that symbolise special events and celebrations. My regular craving that creeps up on me every couple of months is for curry — and when that happens — it needs a trip to the Haandi in Westlands to satiate it. The Haandi is getting around a bit these days with branches in the Industrial Area and even in London, but it still hits the spot when a big spicy blowout is called for. I try and go well prepared — that means wearing something loose and flowing or with an elasticated waistband — as I always over-order and over-eat. I have to have the palak paneer — little cubes of Indian cheese in a thick creamy spinach sauce. (It is best not to count calories here.) We are creatures of habit in our ordering — pappadums to start with, followed by Murg Murkinwallah, chicken jeera and prawns masala. Purists of Indian cuisine might sniff at our unadventurous choice and I know we don’t do the huge menu justice — but this is what I come to the Haandi for. If there is a downside to the Haandi, it has to be the acoustics — definitely not the place for a romantic tete -a-tete.

Another old favourite — the hippest place to hang out when I was a teenager (okay I lie — until I had children and had to pretend to grow up) — is the Carnivore. Based on a Brazilian concept and renowned for serving game meat, it is well entrenched on the tourist trail. It is a good way to round off a safari in the bush — see the animals and then eat them theme! I do enjoy the meat fest even though I cannot get to grips with crocodile, but I find that I need to graze on salads and vegetables for the next few days. There is another more relaxed part to the Carnivore called the Simba Saloon. Here you can order meat from the main section or try their simple but good grilled trout or chicken in a basket. The salad bar can have its off days but the burgers are the best. If you are feeling adventurous, try the chicken gizzards as a biting — a little chewy but very tasty. I am slightly biased towards the Simba Saloon in preference to the main dining area but that could be because of the adventure playground for kids. It is pleasant to be able to go out with the family for lunch and not have nagging, bored children within five minutes of arriving.

Since the son and heir decided that the delicate sand garden at the Misono was a giant sandpit, we realised from the pained looks of the maitre d’ that this was not a restaurant for children but only for discerning adults who could appreciate the little works of art that the Japanese call food. This is the restaurant we always visit for my birthday. Apart from that embarrassing moment when I am presented with sparklers impaled in a slab of watermelon, it remains my all time favourite birthday treat. I am a sucker for raw fish and can easily plough through the sushi and sashimi ‘boat’ without drawing breath. For those less keen on raw fish there is the teppanaki grill option where the chef conjures up little morsels of lobster, prawns and potato pancake according to which menu you choose. There are private screened off rooms which are perfect for small parties as long as no one suffers from smelly feet or back problems as shoes are left at the door and seating is on the floor. Misono is also popular with the ‘ladies that lunch’ as it has pleasant garden to sit out in with an excellent lunch box option.

I am the proud owner of a pasta machine but it hasn’t emerged from the box since my first attempt at making ravioli resulted in a nasty mess that even the dogs weren’t sure about. So when the homemade pasta craving hits, I have to head off to the Mediterraneo. Although, it is situated in a rather gloomy arcade in Westlands, inside it is little Italy with that rather eclectic décor that Italian restaurants seem to possess. This is the place for pizza which are almost the same as ‘real’ pizzas in Italy. The ravioli and the gnocchi are excellent as is the carpacchio. We have been longing to try the pasta with duck sauce but sadly it has never been available.

A word of caution about dining out in Nairobi — the prices on the wine lists are likely to make you gasp. This is due to the extortionate taxes put on wines in this country coupled with the overgenerous markups added by most restaurants. It is best to come prepared for this. Whilst house wines are generally palatable, I wouldn’t recommend ordering the cheapest wines on the list unless you have no taste buds and don’t mind a crashing headache for the rest of the evening.