Ruth’s is also stocked with Nigerian beverages, including the divisive malty soda Malta. On the side, there’s a generous rectangle of moi moi, a smooth, steamed bean pudding flecked with corned beef. The chicken was more consistently tender - just not as impressive as the fish.ĭo add some extremely affordable appetizers to your order, such as chin-chin, a crunchy fried snack puff-puff, a Nigerian doughnut or a savory meat pie with soft pastry. When I ordered beef and goat, about half of the pieces were tough and chewy. I also ordered the whole fish, a tilapia covered in tomato sauce and cooked perfectly with more of those plantains on the side. With the jollof rice, I received firm, fleshy whiting soaked in tomato sauce. There is, for example, a goat pepper soup, but the fish was so meltingly tender that I don’t think you should pass it up. My general recommendation is to go for the fish. With the meat of your choice, it’s a delicious, wholesome, and hearty plate of food. The tomato-stained rice retained a nice bite, the pile of sautéed greens tasted fresh, and the plantains arrived caramelized to prime sweetness. I cared the least for the okra soup, which was the blandest of the lot, and its slimy texture also presented a logistical challenge - again, rice would make it easier to enjoy.įor those new to West African food, Ruth’s Buka’s jollof rice combo plates are approachable crowd-pleasers. The banga, a palm fruit soup, was sweet and savory, though its oily consistency made it extra challenging to scoop up with fufu. The efo riro, a combo of leafy greens and tomatoes, was simple and comforting. The egusi, a Nigerian classic thickened with pounded melon seeds, was complex and fiery. I was surprised it cost $5 extra - on the phone, Ogbe told me it should have actually been $3 - but it was some of the most delicious, nutty white rice I’ve had in awhile.Įvery soup I tried was tasty. If you’re not a fan of fufu and the like, you can substitute white rice instead. Ruth Ogbe opened her restaurant two years ago. You’ll also get a big bowl of water to wash off your hands. Regardless of which one you choose, you’ll rip off a chunk of the stretchy, elastic dough and use that to spoon stew into your mouth. Whether it was fufu, pounded yam, or amala, the overall texture and blank-slate flavor felt very similar - at least they did to me, someone with admittedly little-to-no prior experience with them. The other soups follow a mix-and-match format, where you can choose your meat and accompanying ball of dough, most of which contained cassava root or yam flour. As winter approaches, I’d return for this sinus-clearing dish. Pepper soup is the exception, and it was one of my favorite dishes - light, thin, and slurpable, intensely peppery and floral, with a mass of boney, skin-on tilapia swimming within the pool of grey. The bulk of Ruth’s Buka’s menu is devoted to soups, although the majority are more like saucy stews paired with a starch. These particular spice sensations are difficult to come by in the East Bay. Your rewards are potentially huge, though, especially if you crave West African flavors. If you come with a group, plan to share, as the dishes always arrived one after the other with a lengthy lag time. Everyone seemed to know each other, catching up in their native tongue before digging into their meals.Įven without many other customers, service tended to be a bit slow. closing one evening, though, I witnessed Ruth’s Buka transform into a real gathering place for the local Nigerian community. Despite checking the place out at different times for lunch and dinner, I always seemed to interrupt one of the family members eating or texting in the otherwise empty, burnt-orange space. (In case you hadn’t heard of it, the venue, BlueSkys Arts Lofts and Market, is located in Queen Mary Park within a burgeoning, mini-food area also home to Salz and Honest Dumplings.Over the course of my three visits, I encountered the whole family and felt like I accidentally stumbled into their home - sometimes uninvited. Nigerian pound cake with hibiscus flower ice cream is the dessert. It starts with a non-alcoholic hisbiscus drink, followed by chicken pepper soup, and asaro and plantain with steak bites. The June 29, alcohol-free event at BlueSkys has two seatings at noon and 4 p.m. Follow Dube on Instagram at where there will also be free giveaways to each event done once a month. The exact menus for each event will be released a month prior to each event on social media. The event dates are June 29 at the BlueSkys Arts Lofts and Market, July 27 at Strathearn Hall, August 24 at Cafe Lavi and Sept. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
1 Comment
7/1/2024 10:18:08 am
Welcome to Altus, a culinary haven where the essence of Ethiopian flavors meets the mastery of Altu Tadesse, our celebrated owner, founder, and flavor virtuoso. Altu’s journey with food began in the vibrant landscapes of Ethiopia, where she transformed simple ingredients like lima beans and cabbage into extraordinary delights through her loving and intuitive preparation.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |