Eat the World NYC: Africa

Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts

09 May 2021

L’Algéroise French Pastries

ALGERIA 🇩🇿

COVID-19 UPDATE: The bakery is primarily takeout, with limited seating in a sheltered area on the front sidewalk.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Written by Joseph Gessert, photographed by Liv Dillon.

Bath Avenue is home to a handful of good Pakistani restaurants, a string of Mexican bodega taquerias, Guatemalan loncherías, a long-standing Peruvian restaurant, two Uzbek places, a new Georgian spot, great Shanghai soup dumplings, and more. Since last year they have been joined by L’Algeroise, an Algerian bakery producing fantastic French pastries headlined by a Napoleon that is literally causing traffic jams at the corner of Bay Parkway.

To many of us a Napoleon ($3.50, above) is that stale thing from the Italian bakery that is too high to fit in your mouth properly. Here it is light, crunches under your fork, and is just simply delicious. L’Algeroise is selling over 300 of them on an average day. If you should happen in when they have run out (which is often), fear not—a tray comes out about every thirty minutes. Most customers are ordering it to go, but others match it with a cappuccino or cup of mint tea and pull up a chair at an outdoor table. Regardless of how you eat it, you will be back for more—it is really good.

Macarons ($1.50) are light and precisely baked, with lemon, pistachio, and cassis (black currant) especially popular. Cassis and pistachio are also on offer as eclairs ($3.50), and cassis makes another appearance in the cake case. The cake slices are abundant, most are $4, and you would be best served by just trying a couple and seeing what you like.

Savories are frowned on here, but occasionally there are plastic-wrapped mhadjeb ($4, below) available atop the bakery case. Mhadjeb are a semolina-based flatbread filled with tomato and onion, bringing to mind a scallion pancake, almost, with a similar feeling of universal comfort food.

L’Algeroise has the looks of a place that will be here for years to come. With all the horrific heritage of colonialism, there is something pleasing about Algerian immigrants to Brooklyn forging a new neighborhood institution from a pastry named after a French general, and making it their own.

📍 2169 Bath Avenue, Bath Beach, Brooklyn

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Eat the World NYC is and always has been free. It is a hobby born of passion and never solicits money or free food from restaurants. No advertisements block the content or pop over what you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better and you have the means to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World NYC is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running.

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09 September 2020

Green Garden Buffet

CHAD 🇹🇩

[COVID-19 UPDATE: Born into the world during a pandemic, Green Garden Buffet knows no other way of business. They have recently added a small covered eating area to the parking space in front, allowing customers to sit down with their meals and eat immediately.]

For the first time in 20 years of scanning new businesses in and around the five boroughs, the flag of Chad is waving in the wind under a small awning in the East Village. The representation is from the chef and owner of the small restaurant, who hails from the large, land-locked nation in north-central Africa.

As the name suggests, most business here is done via the buffet-style steam table and sold at $9.99/pound. There is a menu, that also describes the kitchen as "French style," but it is easier just to come inside and ask to see everything on offer on any given day. The proprietor will be happy to explain it all and show her dishes off.

On multiple visits, there always seemed to be a delicious-looking whole tilapia ready to go, but since foods had to travel and do a bit of sitting before they could be consumed, an array of smaller bites from the steam table were combined for just over a pound's worth of lunch.

The focus was on the stewed spinach and beef dish (above), which was a creamy and rich exciting find. If another lunch is put together and this is available, the portion will have to be doubled at least. Sitting on a bed of tasty yellow rice, her vegetables are all more complex than they might appear. The sauteed cabbage is full of onions and garlic, while both the zucchini and okra make perfect complements.

If it is not automatically offered, ask for the homemade hot sauce to give everything the final kick.

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EAST VILLAGE Manhattan
332 East 9th Street

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Eat the World NYC is and always has been free. No advertisements block the content or pop over what you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better and you have the means to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World NYC is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running.

You can Venmo me @JAREDCOHEE or click here to send PayPal donation, no account is necessary. Thank you!

06 July 2020

Merguez and Frites

ALGERIA 🇩🇿

[COVID-19 UPDATE: The northern African sausages are still grilling and there are a few tables set up out front for diners. An new enclosed attachment also offers some quick standing space.]

Some addresses in New York City just seem to be cursed and never hold a tenant for very long. The previous business here was a not dissimilar Moroccan sandwich shop that only called it home for a short time. The newer owners hail from the neighbors to the east: Algeria, a country without a ton of representation in the city (One Algerian-ish place in the East Village and now-closed Bar Omar in Williamsburg precede this).

Like their predecessors, the space seems often busy and a meeting point for some of the neighborhood's northern African people to share stories and get together. They have built out a temporary structure like you often see in winter to provide more space to stand and eat. With current conditions, it likely will just be a place to spread out and avoid the hot sun while waiting for takeout orders, at least in the near future.

Merguez frites, kofta frites, and Algerian pizza.

The main offerings here are again sandwiches, those wildly popular on the streets of the capital Algiers and other cities. There you will find a diet high in meat intake, often with lamb being the most popular and readily available. The foods of France are of course no stranger to the once-colonized land, and baguettes circulate along with other Algerian breads.

The combination of lamb, the French baguette, and fries which seem to find their way onto and into many other foods, give the place its name and a sense of what you will find. Looking to the top of the menu, the merguez frites ($7, above and close-up bottom of page) seems like the obvious place to start here. The baguette is of very good quality, as are the sausages, especially for such a low price for a sandwich longer than a foot.

A list of sauces will be offered, ranging from hot sauce and ketchup to their "special sauce" which is a spicy mayo of some sort. A combination of the hot and special ended up being a very good choice to complement both sandwiches, but dijon mustard is never a bad idea either for merguez.

Ask for a quick reheat on the tasty pizza.

If you have ever traveled in the south of France, and specifically Marseille, the sandwich may even be claimed by the French, but be sure this is the product of the other side of the Mediterranean, quintessential food from the streets of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia.

These three countries make up the heart of the Maghreb, the cuisine offered proudly by the menu here. Any travelers to this region of the world will also be offered a direct route to their memories with the tray of pizza ($2/slice, above) that is always displayed and ready to eat. Like in Algeria, each slice is adorned with one black olive. Algerians are mad for pizza of all slices (pun intended), but the olive seems to be the constant. It is hard to go a few city blocks without seeing a pizzeria there just as it is in New York City. Stay here at Merguez and Frites long enough and you are bound to see someone ask for the squeeze bottle of mayonnaise to drizzle on their slice just like back home.

Even in the midst of a pandemic, Steinway Street is ready for anyone who wants to come out and eat and enjoy hookah. Most restaurants have built dining areas in the parking spots directly in front of them, and the mood is still convivial for those comfortable with being around others.

Some options are not always available here, like the keskrout lablabi, a sandwich of tuna, chickpeas and cumin. So make it a plan to come multiple times and at least once at night when the weather cools and you can enjoy some Algerian tea made with pennyroyal.

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ASTORIA Queens
40-06 25th Avenue

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20 February 2020

Hawa Restaurant

SÉNÉGAL 🇸🇳

The intention on this chilly afternoon in late January was to dine at African American Best Food, which had firmly been living on the to do map for a few years. One attempt came during a renovation, another had been made on an unannounced closed day. As of a month ago, it was completely gone.

Since a new place with a similar menu had quickly taken over the space, Senegalese lunch was still possible. The staff here said that the new team had nothing to do with the old, a completely new endeavor. Onward marches New York City, as always.

A few almonds at each table.

As with most West African restaurants around town, it is best to ask what is available before looking over the menu, especially at lunch. On this day there were just three options at around 13:00, and the atmosphere made it seem like no customers came before this time. Maybe do not show up too early.

Thankfully one of the options was exactly what was desired on this day, thiebu djen ($12.99, below). Meaning "rice and fish" literally, this fish and rice dish is one of the staples of Sénégal, enjoyed throughout the country. Their very light djolof rice is excellent here and sets the baseline for the plate.

There may not be a more filling and satisfying meal then thiebu djen, with fish stewed in tomato sauce and placed over the rice with carrot, cassava, and white cabbage. Do take care with that scotch bonnet pepper, as even just dragging it through the rice leaves a nice trail of heat.

The rest of the West African menu, when available, is basic for a Senegalese restaurant in town. What might be a bit of a surprise, but not when considering a desire to expand the customer base, is the items of Caribbean descent like oxtail and curry goat.

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HARLEM Manhattan
410 Lenox Avenue

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27 January 2020

Congolese Dinner in West Orange, NJ

REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO 🇨🇬

So, for the sake of conversation, let's say there was a dinner invitation originating from West Orange, New Jersey that came with the promise of Congolese dishes made for the Congolese community and other interested Africans in the area. Customers were driving from the Bronx, Harlem, and all points relatively nearby to get their hands on foods from back home that are so rare around New York City.

This is obviously an invitation you should accept.

Chef Reine, who also goes by her childhood nickname of Lafee, or her Ghanaian husband Anthony will be there to welcome you into their home when you arrive. Officially, an invitation can take place on Saturday or Sunday evening starting at 4pm, but through later conversations about Africans and their relationship to time, this is more of a placeholder to let you know that things really begin after 6 or 7pm.

By 10pm, these floors might be shaking.

Lafee took the "scenic route" to becoming a chef despite a lifelong passion for cooking. After moving from Brazzaville to Moscow at 18 for university, four years later she came to the states via Ohio and then eventually lived in the Bronx where she remained until less than a year ago. The large commercial garage attached to their new home in West Orange serves as the main "event" space when they want to invite people over. Surrounded by colorful curtains and with enough space near the karaoke machine to dance, the space is perfect for hosting meals and providing entertainment.

She says, "Africans want to dance, eat, drink, and have a good time." This is what most conversations return to and what is the essence of the new operation. Chef Reine says she is inspired to eventually try her hand at some sort of business because of seeing a similar chef on Shark Tank get investment money and succeed.

Not knowing the rules and etiquette of timing, this first meal was supposed to take place at 5pm on a Saturday, but not everything was in its place and ready. Not wanting two people to feel alone in the large garage dining area, a table in the home nearer to the prep area was offered as the menu (photos on her phone) was perused.

From the moment you walk inside, hospitality envelopes everything. Anthony will bring bottles of water and offer other drinks depending on your mood. Both are happy and confident, not at all changed by the presence of strangers in their home. The TV will be switched over to some French-language African videos on YouTube, the kids from upstairs will pop their heads down the stairs to check out new faces, but after a few minutes it feels like being with old friends.

The River Congo, which forms a good portion of the border between the two Congos, and all of its tributaries are full of fish and has been a big part of the development of the cuisine for ages. Many freshly caught fish are grilled or fried immediately and eaten, but preservation also takes place in the form of smoking and salting. Makayabu, or saltfish, shows up in many places including two of the dishes ordered on this occasion, starting with the simple sauteed saltfish plate above that Chef Reine declared was her most popular dish amongst Congolese people.

By stroke of luck as this meal began, her sister arrived with luggage returning from Congo. Obviously tired after long flights, she did not look twice upon entering to see two strangers enjoying her sister's food and greeted everyone as family. By this time the dish she called bouillon sauvage (above) arrived, an okra soup full of both saltfish and smoked fish, as well as small mushrooms.

In both of the above photos, the pounded cassava known as chikwangue can be seen behind the dishes. This starch is cooked in banana leaves and cut into small pieces to be eaten with any dish. It is dense and chewy, and starts to fill you up almost immediately but is a pleasure to eat. She refers to it by the French name of manioc.

Last but not least was a plate of dibi (above), chunks of grilled lamb sauteed with onions. Lovers of West African cuisine from former French colonies will recognize this as a mainstay, but the dish has traveled to many parts of Africa and especially the Francophone nations. In Congo, the onion sauce relies less on mustard and vinegar and is sweetened by caramelization.

It is hard not to feel like the guest of honor by the time your belly is full. Coming early was nice if only for the chance to talk more with Lafee and Anthony, before they got busy when other invited guests would arrive and start to sing and dance. Maybe next time a later arrival will be selected though for a chance to get out on the dance floor with new friends.

**For contact info, please contact me directly through the social media of your choice.

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WEST ORANGE
New Jersey

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22 December 2019

Bantu Food Pop-Up: A Congolese Holiday in NYC

DEM. REP. OF CONGO 🇨🇩

Chef Linda A. Sebisaho, who goes by Linda A. Cooks and runs a Harlem-based catering outfit called Healthy Afrique was to be found running the show at the Maysles Documentary Center this past weekend. In coordination with Bantu Tastes, she brought the foods of her birthplace Democratic Republic of Congo to New York City.

Most of these items are otherwise nowhere to be found unfortunately, so the event presented a fascinating opportunity to learn about some Central African dishes and ingredients that have very little exposure here.

This visit took place on Sunday, the second day of the two day event, and unfortunately quite a few of the dishes had already sold out and were unavailable. Apparently a large group of Congolese people had come on Saturday and cleaned the place out.

Regardless, quite an assortment was still available, and it was great to taste some of what was on offer. One of the staple starches of Congo is chikwangue (below, left), cassava that has been pounded and steamed in banana leaves. It is thick and chewy and pairs well with just about any dish. Pinch off a small piece and pick up some meat or vegetables to go with it.

Catfish stew with chikwangue.

Fumbwa, wild spinach stew.

Safou, a sour meaty plum-like fruit.

Mikate, sweetened fried dough.

Use the links in the first paragraph above to get in touch with Chef Sebisaho, who is available for catering. Any future events she has in New York City will be anticipated greatly.

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HARLEM Manhattan

Maysles Documentary Center

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13 December 2019

Accra Restaurant

GHANA 🇬🇭

Especially on those days when the sun shines bright, it always takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the dim environs of Accra Restaurant after coming in from Davidson Avenue. Without much light penetrating the tinted front windows, it has that immediate feel of many West African restaurants in the Bronx and beyond. They had expanded the chain south in the borough and in Harlem as well, but are back down to two locations after the 165th Street closed recently.

In the past ten years at the original spot, not much has changed besides successive coats of blue paint to cover graffiti and a brand new logo on the awning which is not reflected in the photo above. This image is reflective of the food however, a Ghanaian flag and its black star superimposed on the continent of Africa. On any day you are likely to find options to eat from many West African countries and other languages not used in Ghana being spoken by customers.

A recent visit with friends was a chance to sample a few different things and see where the restaurant had evolved since opening other locations and gaining some traction with their social media. Thankfully the quality of everything has not changed and they were still not catering to crowds without experience eating these foods.

That being said, Accra and its cousins remain places that can be slightly intimidating for first timers. Sit down at a table and there will be no one to tell you to come and order at the counter, unless a fellow customer finally takes pity on you. Ask questions of the people working here, and answers will be quite limited. It is not something of bad service, it is just the rhythm of the restaurant.

In keeping with its pan-continental theme, the Bronx location has a large colorful map of Africa and the Harlem branch includes framed portraits of many African presidents. You will find dishes that are usually represented by the francophone countries of West Africa, and French is more commonly overheard here than in other Ghanaian restaurants in town.

It is the type of place that is worth your time to try and figure out though, the stews and soups are rich and wonderful no matter when you come. Put them over a couple different types of rice or get a fresh ball of fufu to eat like a professional. Items will change day to day, so take your time to see what looks the best and order away.

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UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS Bronx
2041 Davidson Avenue

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Eat the World NYC is and always has been free. There are no advertisements blocking you from seeing the content or popping over while you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better and you are able to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World NYC is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running. You can Venmo me @JAREDCOHEE or please click here to send a PayPal donation, no account is necessary. Thank you!

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18 November 2019

Burkindi

BURKINA FASO 🇧🇫

As reported on two years ago, the cuisine of Burkina Faso is not new to Newark, New Jersey. The past five years have also seen two other Burkinabé sources of food open as well a bit further south. The first, in the back of a grocery that has expanded on Lyons Avenue has remained unfortunately elusive in finding the right time to visit, while the other is a full scale restaurant that has dedicated hours and plenty of seats and tables.

First mentioned on the pages of EIT, Burkindi restaurant is perhaps the easiest way to get acquainted with the food of the country, cycling dishes that you may not find even at Zoodo. If you have ever explored the carbs of West Africa and enjoyed the pounded starch dishes like fufu, you will enjoy tô, the most common starch served in Burkina Faso. These dense balls or flat cakes can be made of millet, sorghum, or corn, but all are used as a vehicle like fufu for dipping or scooping and require the right technique.

Two year old Burkindi serves tô, but not all the time or every day. As with many West African eateries, it is best to get a lay of the land from the chef when you walk in rather than seeing everything on the menu first. This will instruct in what direction your cravings should head at any particular time.

Before sitting down, take a peek through the window that separates the kitchen from the dining room. This is a pleasure not only to enjoy the scenes of large cauldrons cooking the days sauces (a West African description of soups and stews, the dishes to pair with your tô or rice), but also necessary to speak with the chefs to see what is ready. During this visit, the boiling vat of sauce arachide, a peanut stew that would eventually be combined with meat, was about 90 minutes from being ready.

Les poissons ($15, above), the French word for fish, are easy to prepare and almost always available if they have the stock. These are fried whole and served with your choice of a side dish, here shown with alloco or fried sweet plantains. The meaty fish speaks for itself without sauces or spicing, just a few uncooked vegetables sprinkled on top for decoration.

Bites of this pair very nicely with their delicious riz gras (below, right), what they call the well known jollof rice eaten in Burkina Faso. On this order it was plated with dibi ($15, below, left), whole chunks of grilled lamb with minimal seasoning. Here at Burkindi they rely much less on the mustard and vinegar-infused onion sauce that is usually heaped on the meat and instead serve it with a mild mustard on the side. The darker sauce in the rear is delicious but all fire and should be used with caution.

The more you settle into Burkindi, the friendlier it becomes, as the food translates to smiles across your face and the staff and other Burkinabé patrons keep asking "Did you like our food?" There is of course only one answer to this question, but thankfully it is no lie. The food is delicious, and as it always is, this will be the easiest part of life to share with folks you may not have anything else in common with.

For references to the country, there are hand drawn maps of Burkina Faso and also of Africa, and large photos of important places. The bright green and yellow walls still seem like they are freshly painted, similar to the feeling on this stretch of recently improved Clinton Avenue, which just seems a bit more crisp than the surrounding streets.

While waiting for your meals to arrive, grab some of their homemade drinks in the back including this yogurt ($4) and zoom koom ($3), a ginger delight that is spicy but sweetened by pineapple and sugar. The yogurt is also sweet, and very thick, perfect if you plan to use a lot of the fiery sauce.

Stepping back outside after such a good meal, a return was already desired. Maybe next time a little later in the afternoon or at night to make sure more options are available, but either way much more deliciousness will be waiting.

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NEWARK New Jersey
492 Clinton Avenue

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29 September 2019

Zööba

EGYPT 🇪🇬

There are a lot of cultures currently offering their "street food" in New York City, but until this past Friday Egyptian was not quite one of them. You will find many Egyptians on the street serving great food at the city's halal carts, but these generalized menus do not really show the diversity of what you might find in Cairo, where Zööba started in 2012.

In its first move outside of Egypt, one of the co-owners has chosen his mother's home city as the popular chain's first stop. In a colorful, modern space the team here were all super busy on day one preparing foods for all the curious New Yorkers and homesick Egyptians who had had their way here for the opening.

If you have ever been to Cairo, you need no explanation about their most popular item ta'ameya. Often referred to as "Egyptian falafel," it is impossible to avoid but very unique because it is made with fava beans rather than chickpeas. Fava beans make each ball a bit denser and moister than your average falafel, and the taste you can judge for yourself. Each portion is fried to order and matched with various sauces and fresh greens depending on which you select.

Both the ta'ameya and the hawawshi (below) are inside of Zööba's freshly baked baladi bread. Travelers will also remember smelling this iconic bread around every corner in Cairo or Alexandria, each circular disc is made with whole wheat flour, has its top cut off after baking, and is stuffed with the contents of choice. The bread is a real treat.

Often a hawawshi is ground or minced meat combined with vegetables and spices, but here the beef is made of larger chunks which they claim are 45% vegetables. The cheese hawawshi ($8.50, above and below) adds an Egyptian roumy cheese along with arugula and tomato onion relish inside the baladi.

The bread holds up much better than your average hand held pita, making these options very good for takeaway meals during good weather. Don't worry though, there is seating inside, and once the initial crowds die down (this sandwich took about 25 minutes to obtain) the dining room should have a standard level of comfort for fast casual.

Zööba also serves a beef liver sandwich, koshari on the weekends, and a whole array of side dishes, dips, and freshly made teas and limeades. With this kind of spread available, grab a group and plan to eat at their large communal table in the back.

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NOLITA Manhattan
100 Kenmare Street

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01 August 2019

The Cradle NYC

NIGERIA 🇳🇬

One of the main drawbacks of visiting the Rockaways is that the vendors on the beach can sometimes be a bit lacking in terms of flavor and history. Some operations come and go offering hints of countries they may or may not have connections to, but in the end the food has been altered, often intentionally, to cater to the tastes of the weekend crowds arriving on shuttles from Williamsburg. As shown before on these pages, there are good neighborhood options, but sometimes you just want to stroll up shirtless and order some lunch.

Thankfully for all interested, Mr. Babajide Alao, who lives nearby and will introduce himself to you as "Jide" with an ear to ear smile that can almost set the boardwalk on fire, has decided to bring his young catering business to the sea and his brand new food cart, now in its fourth week of operation.

The written menu is limited, and likely to be even more limited as Mr. Alao continues to find his sea legs and figures out what works and what does not, but a couple options for lunch and dinner should always be available. Choose a rice style, a meat, and a side, all for $10.

The combination above included jollof rice, seasoned beef, and fried sweet plantains. On a second trip back to the cart (below), baked seasoned chicken and sweet potatoes were swapped out. His vegan jollof rice had to stay, as it was very tasty. As with this, the chef seems interested in making sure the traditional recipes he knows are kept as healthy as possible. These bowls had no lingering effects nor did they require a 30 minute wait before jumping back in the ocean. West African food that leaves you feeling light as a feather.

On the days with heavier traffic, the chef is also bringing his homemade zobo, a drink made from sorrel and fantastically popular all throughout Nigeria. This is the kind of cool refreshment needed on those summer days.

Best of luck to Chef Alao and his new business!

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ARVERNE BY THE SEA Queens
Rockaway Beach Boardwalk at Beach 73rd Street

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