A mixture vegetarian and meat entree is photographed at Barcote Ethiopian restaurant within the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. (D. Ross Cameron/Bay Space Information Group)
Fataya. Egusi. Suqaar. In style dishes from three totally different African nations. Whereas they is probably not as acquainted or as extensively accessible within the Bay Space as Moroccan tagine or Ethiopian doro wat, with a little bit of exploration you will discover these Senegalese, Nigerian and Somali dishes and others from the huge, multicultural continent. Listed below are 5 eating places from San Jose to Nice Hill to get you began.
Golden Safari, Hayward
This West African restaurant has been serving up Nigerian specialties to the East Bay since 2017. Helmed by a second-generation restaurateur from Lagos, Golden Safari focuses on conventional soups ($16), together with egusi and ogbono, made with floor African mango seed, peppers and palm oil, in addition to spicy jollof rice with beans ($12) and crowd-pleasing chargrilled hen suya ($12). Don’t neglect the puff puff, candy and tender yeasted dough balls. Particulars: 22431 Foothill Blvd., Hayward; https://goldensafari.web
Barcote Ethiopian Restaurant, Oakland
Combo plates are the star at this family-owned restaurant, which sits in the course of the East Bay’s Ethiopian delicacies hall that stretches from Uptown Oakland to Berkeley. Standouts embody Siga Alicha ($13.95), tender beef cooked with onions, garlic and ginger in a tangy turmeric sauce, and Doro Wot ($15.95), hen on the bone, cooked with berbere sauce — spicy with chili powder, says our critic — and served with hard-boiled egg. Don’t miss veggie choices and two varieties of Ethiopian honey wine. Particulars: 6430 Telegraph Ave., Oakland; http://barcote.com
Jubba Restaurant, San Jose
The Bay Space’s solely Somali restaurant, Jubba is tucked behind the VTA mild rail parking zone in San Jose’s Blossom Valley neighborhood. Identified for its beneficiant “sports activities plates” for 2 ($35), Jubba is a well-liked spot to get your repair of juicy hen suqaar ($18) with onions, veggies and spices, and roasted goat cutlet with basmati rice. Don’t miss the No. 1 promoting sambusas or the Jubba wraps — marinated and grilled hen, beef or tilapia with veggies wrapped in fresh-baked chapatti ($11-$12) — that are nice on the go. Particulars: 5330 Terner Method, Suite 40, San Jose.
El Morocco, Nice Hill
Open since 1977, this family-owned Moroccan restaurant claims to be one of many first in California. We are able to’t verify, however we are able to say the menu is legit. A full dinner with entree — say, braised hen tagine with preserved lemon, or lamb with chermoula sauce — will run you $18-$35 and comes with lentil soup, Magreb salad and bastilla, a North African meat pie. Oh, mint tea and baklava are included in that stellar deal. El Morocco has Moroccan wines and lager, too. Particulars: 2203 Morello Ave., Nice Hill; www.elmoroccorestaurant.com
The Damel, Richmond
Bay Space empanada aficionados are conversant in this Oakland and Richmond restaurant’s extensive number of meat and non-meat hand pies. However chef-owner Oumar Diouf additionally gives the diri plates and sandwiches of his native Senegal. The plates ($14.50), accessible with halal grilled lamb chops, boneless hen or combined greens, include sauteed onions and artisanal mustard. One deep-fried empanada — The Fataya, full of chili-flecked shrimp, tuna, garlic, onion and tomato — is a well-liked road meals in Dakar. Particulars: 25 W. Richmond Ave., Richmond, and 1312 Broadway Ave., Oakland; www.thedamel.com