Trip to Girthiri Family Butchery

Even Kenyan locals would be quick to tell you that Kenyan food is not what keeps people coming back. Most of the cuisine is pretty utilitarian and during our first few weeks here we hadn't really been impressed with "Kenyan" food we'd got at restaurants.
That being said, last Thursday I got my first taste of good Kenyan food. We went with our language teacher (Jonathan Ololoso) and a former student of his, Yumiko out to lunch. We drove to Kenyatta market (near Kenyatta hospital for those who are mapping things out) and were quickly treated to a scene of pandemonium. Upon seeing foreigners in the car, a host of local "entrepreneurs" looked to help us park. Luckily, Jonathan shooed them away and we found a parking spot. We entered some gates and found a chorus of hissing meat, hawker's calls, and bright conversation. Thick smoke made it hard to see as we wound our way through a narrow alleyway. Again, Jonathan acted as our guide, leading us past numerous sellers of various asundry items (ties, flowers, meat, cell phone chargers etc...). Avoiding the large pit ovens in the pathway, we finally came to the Githiri Family Butchery (proudly proclaimed on a battered old shingle over the premises). The shop had no door, three grimy tables, some wooden benches about 7 feet long, and a display case showing raw cow parts of all sorts (liver anyone?). The flies were flying thickly, quick to descend upon any unguarded soda or meat.
We sat down. Jonathan ordered some matumbo (like green mashed potatoes), ugali (the white corn-based staple of Kenya), chips (french fries) and meat. We went back outside to "wash our hands" meaning rub our hands under some water heated by the noonday sun. Taking our seats again, we waited for the meat. Soon enough, one of the cooks came in with a cutting board filled with still-smoking beef. He chopped it into bite-sized bits and poured 4 piles of salt around the corners of the board. We dug right in. The meat was as good as any I'd had, rich and flavored by the ugali and salt. We ate and ate, finishing off the solid pound of beef. We ordered another plate of meat and conversation halted as we polished off round two. Altogether it must have been about 2 pounds of meat, for a grand total of Ksh 300 (that's $3.75). Unfortunately, we left our camera at the apartment or we would have posted some pictures. Either way, we'll surely not forget our meal at the Githiri Family Butchery.