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| - Tonight we had a wonderful dinner at Gracia Afrika, which is just down the street from our place. We were greeted by the owner, Bibi Ntumna. I asked what time she closed, since it was 25 minutes until 9:00. She responded, with a big smile, "Whenever you are done."
We've just moved to Montreal and speak almost no French, but Bibi speaks some English. She has a menu written on a chalkboard; always a good sign, since it changes based on availability. I ordered Mwambe, which is chicken simmered in peanut sauce, and my wife got grilled goat.
Bibi has a small kitchen and we could watch her prepare the food. The dishes both came with a big scoop of spiced beans and rice, a side of fried plantains, and a lettuce/tomato salad. The plates are deceptively large: by the time we finished eating we were both extremely full. My only regret is that we didn't know to bring a bottle of wine with us, since we popped in on a fortuitous whim.
The food was fantastic, the service was top notch, and the restaurant itself is cozy and lovely. We can't wait to go back.
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