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| - If you are a lover of international cuisine and haven't been to Cooking Pot yet, stop what you're doing, get in your car and head to East Independence Blvd. right now! A large group from my office visited for lunch on Wednesday, unsure what we were getting ourselves into.
The owner, Esther, greeted us warmly and took the time to explain all the food. It's clear she loves her country and introducing diners to Nigerian cuisine. I really appreciated the time she took to explain jollof ("a party in Nigeria without this rice is just a meeting"), the right way to eat fufu ("place a piece on your spoon with soup and swallow; only newbies chew") and all the ingredients in moi-moi.
As much as I wanted to try the fufu, the beautiful jollof rice and grass-fed beef in a tomato sauce/stew was too tempting. I told myself, "I'll get the fufu next time." But, it's going to be hard not to order the rice and meat combo every time. The rice is comforting and full of flavor. The beef was good but the real show stopper for me was the sauce it was in. Rich and hearty with layers and layers of flavor. If Nigeria has a comfort food, this has got to be it!
In case all that wasn't enough, this "small" combo comes with a heaping portion of fried plantains. The Yelp world may not know this about me, but I am SUCH a sucker for plantains. And, these did not disappoint. No matter what I order on future visits, rest assured I will always be requesting a side of these plantains.
The restaurant is beautiful and spotlessly clean. Tucked off East Independence Blvd. it can be a little tricky to find -- we actually got there from Conference Drive -- so use your GPS for help.
Can't wait for my next visit to Esther's place!
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