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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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

Map of Eat the World NYC:

El King del Chacarero - Adam's Lunch Truck

CHILE 🇨🇱

In 2015, Time Magazine put out a list of the 13 most amazing sandwiches the world has to offer, one of which was the Chilean chacarero. The thinly sliced beef sandwich with green beans, tomatoes, and avocado is ubiquitous in Chile, usually eaten quickly and casually with a glass of beer at a no-nonsense restaurant.

We recently tracked down the self-titled "King of Chacarero" at Port Newark, on the street leading into the docks where all the cars come in from around the world to be sold here in the states. As truckloads of new vehicles were taken to various East Coast dealers, a lunch truck sets up shop for most of the day to cater to drivers and other port workers.

The proprietor is from Chile, but knows his audience and makes a long list of US and Latin American sandwiches. A small section of the menu is reserved for his Chilean items, but start with the namesake ($8.75, above and below). As with many things in Chile, avocado is spread all over. Harder to see is a layer of green beans, which make the sandwich unique. Lastly, the very fresh bread holds tomatoes and mayo, but worth asking for might be a couple chili peppers for a kick. We were not asked if we wanted any, but this is more common in the versions I ate in Chile.

He also makes Chilean-style beef empanadas ($3.75, below), which have olives and raisins inside. More often these are baked in an oven, but he makes a thinner version that is deep fried, probably out of necessity given the limitations of the truck.

Online reviews rave over many of the other sandwiches he makes like the cubano, but it would be hard to stray from the chacarero unless you are able to come here often.

It is no accident that the truck has a few flags of Texas on it as well, which looks much like the flag of Chile. His son lives in Texas and seems to have a presence in his dad's thinking and spirit. Either way, finding the spirit and foods of Chile down here at Port Newark was an unexpected joy.

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NEWARK New Jersey
Port Street, Port Newark

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Yesu Adom Restaurant at Ghanaian Way Grocery

GHANA 🇬🇭

Less than ten years ago, the Dream International African Market was born in this afterthought of a building which used to house some kind of shipping company. Eventually they renamed the street Ghanaian Way (technically it is still Victoria Street, but a real sign has been put up!) and the grocery store followed suit. Now Ghanaian Way Grocery stands proud with bright flags of Ghana and Nigeria painted on the side, as well as the pan-African tricolor.

The geography of the market is almost like a deserted island, stuck between the Interstate 78 and Highway 22 overpasses and the main high-speed rail lines leaving New York to points south. Across Highway 1 on the other side is Newark International Airport, and the sounds of planes taking off are constant.

With so many West Africans in the southern portion of Newark, the market seems like a hub, with satellite TV pumped in and a whole array of products available from back home.

It is not advertised from the outside or even visible when you open the door, but hidden within is the wonderful Yesu Adom Restaurant, which may just be called Ghanaian Way Restaurant on other signs. Pass by the counter where people send money back home, take a left when you find the fufu mix boxes, then a right at the fresh yams imported from Ghana and you've found the dining room.

The restaurant will have an undecided amount of dishes on any given day, which can be paired with freshly made fufu, banku, or white rice. On this day, besides waakye they had a goat meat soup (above, with fufu) and another chicken and fish combo in red pepper soup (below, with white rice). Any meal here costs $11, and is entirely too much for a mortal human to finish. That being said, all the West African men completely demolish their plates and make the rest of us look foolish with all the waste we create.

Both dishes were excellent, full of heat and complexity.

Peruse the refrigerated cases for drinks, and come back with some extremely spicy ginger juice and some incredibly fermented palm drink. Premier quality though.

They will not run out of yams anytime soon.

The grocery is worth checking out as well. When I am in another country I am always fascinated taking a look at the shelves of a grocery store, and this feels exactly the same. It seems that this would be the place to come for anything and everything that can be imported from Ghana.

MSNBC was on during this meal, but the mark of any good African restaurant is the satellite below which offers channels from almost every country.

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NEWARK New Jersey

57 Victoria Street

Xcape Cafe

BRAZIL 🇧🇷

I have wanted to enjoy Xcape Cafe in all its glory forever, but always seem to be wandering by when the sporting schedule is light. This Newark restaurant and sports bar is known as the place to go for Brazilian Serie A or other professional cups from this South American country that supplies the neighborhood with much of its population. There is futebol on every TV, with various broadcasts in Portuguese coming in from Brazil. This meal took place on a recent weekend when the city cups of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo were in full swing, and the restaurant was packed with hungry folks cheering on their favorite club from back home.

The owner must be a fan of CR Vasco da Gama, a team from Rio that has their scarf front and center over the bar. Above that are the national team scarves of Portugal, the United States, and Brazil, covering about 95% of people that might wander in here.

When dining here with a friend or in a group, it will be difficult to avoid a plate of their delicious salgadinhos (below), an assortment of fried goodies famous in Brazilian bakeries. The assortment provided here is top notch.

Besides the lengthy normal menu, there is a page of specials that is printed exclusively for each day. Many of the items repeat during the week, but this is where you will find some of the most interesting options. Each plate will feed two people or provide plenty of leftovers, so the $15-20 price points are really economical for what is offered.

The $18 mixed grill (below) was on the special menu on the night of this visit, a plate of various churrasco, all seasoned to perfection. It led a dining companion to exclaim it was the best meal he had eaten in 2018 so far.

The feijão tropeiro ($16.50, below) sounded delectable and was translated on the menu as "western style." It combines traditional meatless feijão with bits of sausage, chicharrón, and bacon, a protein-heavy meal originally designed for cattlemen. You also have the option to add a grilled pork chop to the top of this, seen below.

They serve a spicy sauce when your dishes arrive, and this fiery stuff is great to lace your beans with. A closer look shows bits of egg and farofa, or toasted cassava flour.

The all-female staff here sort of falls into the Latinx stereotype for a sports bar for men, but the restaurant is full of women and families, and everyone is so friendly. With a good match to watch, their full bar will get a good workout and makes this place one of the best to come in the neighborhood when some are limited by New Jersey's strict liquor licensing.

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NEWARK New Jersey

97 Lang Street

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Alberto's Restaurant & Pizzeria

ARGENTINA 🇦🇷

The charm of Alberto's is easy to recognize even from a passing car. The extended flag of Argentina stretches the entire length of the facade, and the kitschy fun of the interior shows through outside.

Opening the door is an assault on the visual sense, every surface is covered with all things Argentina and New York City. Three TVs are waiting to be tuned to a Boca Juniors match on the weekend, but during a weekday you might find some traditional music playing during the afternoon.

Above the refrigerator is somewhat of a showcase of Argentina. The faces of Diego Maradona and Pope Francis are joined by mates, thermoses, and flags. At the center though is the real patron saint, Lionel Messi, who has something of an "altar" with offerings of Quilmes and Fernet, Argentina's most popular alcohol.

Each table is decorated with fake flowers and a couple flags, and the scene is set.

In addition to Italian or Italian-American, or maybe just American-style pizzas, the back of the menu offers an Argentine selection, and any meal here should include some of their delicious empanadas. A pizza oven offers the perfect way to cook and keep these hot and fresh.

There are five different versions available, each for $1.85. The beef and chicken in these photos were both well-spiced and kept their moisture beautifully. No sauce was offered, and no sauce was needed as the flavors were definitely enough to satisfy on their own.

Many of the customers of Alberto's come in to buy full pies to go, and it would seem odd not to order pizza in a pizzeria. Thankfully the signature Pizza Argentina (below) is sold by the slice. On top of what seemed like a sourdough crust, this pizza has a layer of nice salty Spanish ham, sweet roasted peppers, and green olives. This salty, sweet, and sour mixture created very tasty bites.

They also do calamari ($13.95, below) well here, with just a thin layer of breading to lightly fry.

What is all this stuff doing under the flag of Argentina you may ask? It is estimated that over 60% of Argentinians have some level of Italian ancestry in their blood, as waves of migrants were coming to the country in the second half of the 1800's and first half of the 1900's. Italian last names and pasta on menus are ubiquitous.

Something distinct to the South American continent's indigenous people but shared all over Argentina is drinking the highly-caffeinated yerba mate. This is unfortunately not available in its traditional form here, but you can have a tea bag of the drink.

The spot will entertain supporters of Boca Juniors on weekends for the next few months, but everything will turn to the national team in June when the World Cup starts. This will be an excellent spot to cheer on La Albiceleste. It is BYOB, so along with your appetite, make sure to bring something to quench certain thirsts.

Seats that will all be full in June.

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BELLEVILLE New Jersey

482 Washington Avenue

Little Mai African Restaurant & Social Club

LIBERIA 🇱🇷

Most people driving down the road would not give this storefront a second glance. Two metal gates are closed to the pavement, blocking the windows, while the dark glass door can not be seen through even on a cloudy day. No neon sign helps you figure out something is actually happening here under the awning.

But swing that door open, and a large space comes into view once your eyes adjust. Not quite fancy, but definitely much more than you expect from the exterior. Tables are set with red and black plates, napkins rolled around silverware, and wine glasses.

The decor is spartan, but various charming fabrics and images from West Africa adorn the walls and give the place warmth. The best piece of decoration was the clock below giving a sense of how things might run around here if you come inside in a rush.

Get it?

The TV is set to MSNBC but on this visit the only thing audible was reggae. The large speaker was taken over by someone's phone, which intermittently beeped with incoming messages and interrupted the music.

The menu is simple, and changes daily. Each day of the week brings two new dishes, and there is no wiggle room beyond that as far as we could tell. Fufu was overheard to be a weekend item, so rice comes standard with the dishes on weekdays.

What day it is during your visit determines what you will eat.

The proprietor in the kitchen welcomed me with a handshake when I approached to talk about an order. Apparently the restaurant has been around since 1999, and he treated me as a friend who has been coming in since those early days. An order of both available meals was entered, and the interaction ended with a fist bump.

If you are thirsty, grab a drink from one of the refrigerators in the corner. These units are residential, and therefore have no glass to see inside, but feel free to open them all up and find what you want.

The Tuesday highlight is palm butter ($13, below), served with a mountain of white rice. The finished product is not so much unlike other groundnut stews made in the region, but Liberians are known for their spicy foods and a good deal of heat is built into this rather than just plopping a scotch bonnet pepper on top. A mixed bags of meat and fish are used, ensuring that each bite is a bit different than the last.

When the dish arrived we were asked if we wanted an extra plate to share. When we said we could use one of the ones on the table, another man told us those were just for show. This brought smiles to our faces, and another white plate arrived for our use.

We also said not to bring more rice since another mountain would have been completely redundant, so our order of potato greens ($13, below) came out alone. These greens had a slightly sweet taste to them without any bitterness, and were also joined by a combination of meats. The taste was positive, but unlike any I had ever had before.

We barely finished half of our gigantic plates and had to ask for to-go containers. It was sad to think about leaving though, as the atmosphere was so cordial. After some brief conversations with the proprietor and other man, I perused the bulletin board which seems to be the hub of finding out what is going on in the Liberian community.

From the limited amount we could try, I would assume that any day would be a good one to come here to Little Mai. It is a block away from the University of Rutgers Hospital, if you ever happen to be visiting.

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NEWARK New Jersey

250 South Orange Avenue