| rev:text
| - I wanted to like this place. Let me repeat, I really really wanted to like this place. This is the first African restaurant I've heard of in the Phoenix valley area and AS SOON as I heard about it I made immediate plans to visit with my friends. I always try to support local Arizona businesses and with this being an African restaurant, I wanted to support especially because there are so few (if any others) here in the valley.
My mother is from Sierra Leone, I've spent a lot of time traveling throughout West Africa and spent my entire life eating the cuisines from countries like Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, Togo, Senegal etc. I've sat in many of my "aunties" (and my mother) kitchens and watched them prepare chicken yassa, egusi soup, jollof rice, moi moi, sawa sawa, krin-krin etc.
Therefore, unlike many (not all) of the reviewers...I know what to expect and I know what to look for in preparation. It's important to also note that each country has their own unique dishes, flavors, cooking styles, but we also share some common dishes like jollof rice, pepper soup, casava leaf, fufu etc. With having common dishes there are always "debates" about who makes the best jollof rice, pepper soup or cassava leafs. People from Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia or Nigeria? Much like how people in the United States debate which state makes the best BBQ? Texas? Or Tennessee?
When I saw they had fish yassa on the menu I was extremely excited.
I've typically had this dish at my favorite Senegalese restaurants or prepared by family friends and I was expecting a flavorful delight. When my food arrived I took a bite of my fish, jollof rice and the onion medley. I stopped, I asked the waitress where the cook was from and she said Nigeria. Sighed because it wasn't like my beloved Senegalese version and continued to eat (I hate wasting food).
My fish was fried until it was practically dried out. While I love crispy tilapia, I don't like it when it's practically burned dry. The jollof rice reminded me how much I disliked Nigerian jollof rice. I was disappointed with my food as were my African & Caribbean friends, but our African-American friends enjoyed their meals.
I will say that the owner came over to our table to check in with us and was extremely friendly. She was so nice that I wished I genuinely enjoyed the food.
I brought the leftovers home to my mother as she wanted to know about my experience. My mother took a bite of the jollof rice, screwed her face and asked where the cook was from...I said Nigeria to which she replied, "I thought so...".
So would I return? Maybe, the owner was wonderful, it's an African business, and I think maybe I should give it one.last.chance. However, I would definitely try something else.
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