My wife and I were looking for a unique place to have a Friday dinner and we're so thankful we found the African Hut! Yinka, the owner/cook, and his wife run the small restaurant and they help make the experience. Both are so friendly, smiling and engaging. Yinka's laugh is infectious, satisfying the soul, while his wisdom quenches the mind. And that's on top of the wonderful African cuisine: slow-cooked the way his mother taught him back in Nigeria. For an appetizer we had a difficult time deciding between the Akara (a deep fried fritter made from black-eyed peas) and the Zanzi Fries (fried sweet yams) so after settling on the Akara we were thrilled when they brought us a healthy serving of Zanzi fries too, just to taste! And the Katanga sauce that comes with both is not to be missed. While my wife quaffed an Ethiopian Tusker beer and I sipped my merlot, we explored the list of entrees. She's a vegetarian which makes most dinner decisions a breeze: either "this one" or "that one." Not tonight. Yinka offers a seemingly endless number of meatless dishes. Meanwhile I wanted something traditional and meaty. Finally, Yinka dropped by the table to help. I was intrigued by the Fufu and Yinka supported my decision while explaining how it's eaten (with your hands, rolling tiny nuggets of dough used to scoop stew from the accompanying dish. He says with a laugh, "if you can do this without your spoon, you be okay when you travel anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa."). I settled on the Fufu with Egusi Stew. It turned out to be a hearty, meaty stew full of unique, rustic flavor. My wife chose the vegetarian platter as Yinka guided her through the decisions. She loved the Jollof Rice and Efo (stewed spinach), but the Banfi (a peanut reduction stew) was her favorite! We couldn't leave without trying Yinka's Mindinmindin for dessert. Amazing! And while we ate he freshened it up with a little Marnier poured over the top. What a treat! Thank you Yinka, we're definitely coming back!
Pros: Experience, service, variety, vegetarian options, food prices reasonable
Cons: Free parking difficult to find, alcohol prices a bit high
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