Java House seem to be stepping up their game by introducing new menu items, which for me is a welcomed move. Is it me or am I the only one who feels like I’ve had everything on their menu? The number of times I have eaten their cheese burger, coconut fish curry or their chicken strip salad are countless! As a result my experience at Java is often boring only because it’s been the same old food for years. When I saw the Caribbean Chicken Salad being advertised, I was excited to give it a go because it was something new and it looked delicious on the pictures.
I went to the Java located at the Shell petrol station in Karen, which is really nice and airy with a lot of outdoor sitting. It took a while before I was served but my server Albert was friendly and offered great service. The salad arrived on the table 20 minutes after ordering it and it didn’t disappoint in aesthetics.
The Caribbean Chicken Salad is made up of lettuce, pineapples, marinated teriyaki chicken breast, tortilla chips and a honey mustard dressing. Ill jump right ahead and say I really enjoyed this salad. Everything came together well where there was a perfect balance of crunch, tartness and sweetness. There was a generous portion of chicken and the chicken had a good flavour from the teriyaki marinade. Fruits in salad is always a winner for me! You don’t realize their significance until you have them on a salad, where their sweetness in this case the pineapples complemented the vegetables impeccably. The crunch from the tortilla crisps added great dimension to the texture of the salad.
The only fault to the salad is the fact that there were too many pineapples and it could have done with more lettuce. Other than this I’m really impressed how fresh tasting all the ingredients were. This is a perfect lunch option for those looking for something a bit healthier and light to eat. Java should continue with this trajectory of adding new meal options to their menu, especially if the rumours are true that Café Javas will be setting up in Nairobi soon.
What Java meal have you had countless times? Let me know in the comments below.
Rating – 7.5/10
Location – Shell Petrol Station, Karen