A great conversation starter is the restaurant “jollof Ecetera.” This tiny but large shack is located in Annapolis Maryland. You know the saying “good things come in small packages?” Jolloff Ecetera is one of those good things.

The fact that I have nothing plenty to say about this place is because they “killed” everything with their awesome food. Have you ever tasted a meal so good, you constantly replay how you ate it and it’s taste in your mouth?

I walked into Jollof Ecetera not knowing what to expect. It looks like a “to go” kind of restaurant. What that means is that, you simply make an order and pick up your food or have it delivered once it’s prepared.

Even as small as the space for the restaurant is, there are a few chairs and tables for patrons who wish to dine in. I dined in.

Ambiance: There is really none but for the soft gospel music playing from the tv set. The place was crowded with people and it just seemed so little to navigate through.

Make over: Jolloff Ecetera needs a total make over. a least some new chairs with tables that fit the space. Nothing more or less.

Apart from the ambiance and the need for a make over, I liked the little notes that sat on the table. The notes had scriptures on them. Oh, I forgot to tell you that the restaurant is owned by a Christian who doesn’t ever settle. He doesn’t even serve alcohol in his restaurant. Drink your Schweppes or water and enjoy your meal or nothing.

One thing I liked about Jolloff ecetera, was the sink they had in the restaurant for patrons to wash their hands; and beside the sink was a motion censored trash bin. A great feature if you’re a germaphobe.

The good stuff: Now to the good stuff. The food! With all the delicious photos on their Instagram’s page @jolloffetcetera, it was even better in person. I ordered a plate of rice and fish stew to make up for all the meat from the previous day. Along with the rice, I ordered a side of spinach and plantains. My hosts ordered Eba, onugbu and vegetable soups respectively.

Before our food was brought to the table, the restaurant owner gave my hosts and I a complimentary bowl of Chinchin. A little stale it was but it was really good. Our food came without a waste of time and the portions were huge. Mere looking at my bowl and that of my hosts, I was full. I didn’t even know how to start spooning the stew into the rice. And the fish, it filled the bowl and eating it was orgasmic to experience. The side of spinach, it was melt in your mouth good. I am here writing and trying to describe how delicious my food was, but I can’t even begin to find the words. My hosts ate theirs so quickly, you could tell they enjoyed their food with the way they cleaned their bowls. There were no traces of eba or soup in sight And with a cool bottle of Schweppes, everything hit the spot.

food for thought: Sometimes, it’s not always about having nice restaurant furniture, it’s about having mind blowing meals, meals that would make you not want to eat anything else. Now, if one restaurant can fix their furnishing, have working and clean bathrooms and cook really good food like Jolloff Etcetera.

In the beautiful DMV area is the restaurant 5 sisters that caters to the gastronomical needs of the African people who live around the area. When you hear the word “5 sisters,” the first question that comes to mind is “is it a music group of some sort?” Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but it’s an African restaurant owned by a Cameroonian lady with 5 daughters. I didn’t get the full history but I know they are 5 and they even own a boutique too.

Walking into the restaurant, it was like walking into a club in broad day light. Not that people don’t club during the day, but na those day time clubbers sabi. I have been to restaurants that double as event halls or clubs but this one was lit from the afternoon when my host and I got there until we left at almost midnight. I actually thought there was a party going on because of the loud music but I guess the DJ was just too excited to be at work that day. While this restaurant seems like a great place to sit and have “life changing” conversations, I don’t want to listen to very loud music in the early evening, shouting on the top of my lungs while trying to eat and have a “meaningful” conversation with my friends.

The Ambiance at the 5 sisters restaurant was a little mixed and confusing. They had ‘bluish’ disco lights on in the night time and close to the bar with the restaurant part on both ends of the hall; the Dj and his loud jockey set was right by the door. I can’t explain the whole restaurant’s set up, but the entire character of the place screamed “make me over!”

Now to the good stuff! The drinks! My favorite drink in the world is “sex on the beach.” If you don’t have that, give me some Tequila silver with salt and lime and I’m good to go. My host ordered a glass of sex on the beach for me and when I received my drink from Riley the bar tender, it didn’t quite look the part as he pointed that they were out of an ingredient, but for some reason he made it work and I couldn’t even tell the difference. If Riley hadn’t told me of the missing ingredient, I wouldn’t have been able to distinguish what was missing. He worked with what he had and created something so tastily beautiful that I couldn’t even tell the difference.

Don’t mess up a good meal: If there’s one thing you shouldn’t mess up as a restaurant that caters to Africans; especially West Africans, it is Suya. Mba, you can make your Ogbono soup a little watery and add a little too much oil in your Egusi soup, but the small chop that is suya must NEVER be tampered with. I have two rules to follow when making suya regardless of the cut of meat you use.

Rule1. Always cut out the fat before/after grilling. I understand that cooking with a little fat gives food/meat a little flavor, but I don’t want my food drowned in it. And no, I’m not on the Keto diet.

Rule2. If you catch yourself making Suya, always have some suya pepper or Yaji! That’s what makes it suya. I don’t want to eat chopped steak with onions and peppered sauce as Suya. Don’t play with my Suya. If your Mai Suya is a little confused or doesn’t know how to make suya, Google is your friend. There are hundreds of Nigerian/West African food blogs with Suya recipes and basic Yaji recipes which you can tweak to fit your customers.

Basically, we ordered for some Suya and what came to the table was chopped steak with sweet onions, fried plantains and peppered sauce. If I wanted Asun, I for tell you na. I’m not someone who eats a lot of meat, so when I order anything that looks like meat, it better be good like that goat meat from Kings way. Now that’s another story to tell The plantain was an added plus but the Suya kind of spoilt it for me.

Asun: My host’s friends ordered peppered goat meat(Asun) and Nkwobi and what came to our table were two bowls full of bones; not literally, but that bowl of Asun had more bones than the goat that was killed for it’s purpose. When the waitress came to the table with the bowl of Asun, I looked at the bowl and I had nothing to say. I don’t want to go into any restaurant to wrestle with bones. While I understand that you have to make your money, you don’t have to serve your patrons a bowl full of bones. Peel out as much of the bones as you can and just price the dish a little more. Let the Asun be worth traveling for. When you pay attention to detail in your kitchen and you make good food, people will come by the droves and they will eat to their fill and even recommend your restaurant to their friends. Ask the owners of Fo go De Chao how they have survived the restaurant business with no bones

Nkwobi….Two meals I take personal when not done right is Isi ewu and Nkwobi. Nkwobi is pretty much a casserole made with cow foot. Yes, the cow foot is boney, but there’s plenty of flesh in it too and it takes just a minute to debone the meat after cooking until soft. I don’t know how my hosts friends ate those bones. Just like the Asun, the Nkwobi was bony and I guess the Guinness they were drinking kind of helped them adjust to the bony situation.

While I’m not sure how African restaurants prepare their oil for Abacha, Nkwobi and Isi ewu, there are healthier options used these days instead of potash. You could thicken your oil with palm nut ash, baking soda and cold water. With my favorite being the palm nut ash and baking soda, the cold water option comes in very handy. Some people say the oil breaks down when they use the healthier options. I’d advice that when using the options I have listed, it would help to let your meat cool down before mixing with the oil. this way, your oil stays thick and your belly thanks you.

Food for thought: I love African food, especially when it is done right. There is really nothing to it when it is your passion; knowing that you want your customers to ultimately enjoy their African food experience. These days people would rather pay for good service and comfort. Some days, I like to shop at Walmart, other days, I prefer Publix because you get great service at Publix. If I cannot find something, there is always someone to help. When my bags are too heavy to carry out side, there’s always someone to help. Running a business is not always about the money. It is sometimes about the length you go to please your patrons; which keeps them coming back and adds money to your pocket.

 

If there is one food I revere, it is the Nigerian salad. It is one dish that can serve as a full meal or a side dish. It can also be made in a whole lot of  different ways with different types of vegetables. For more than a year, I have been aiming to making this salad, but the opportunity never came until we went to Massachusetts this past summer and I had to make it per request for a Summer birth day party. Even at that, I almost did not share this recipe. I didn’t think the picture was pretty enough, but listen, it’s the recipe that counts

Making “the Nigerian salad” takes patience. Making any type of good salad/food takes patience. Once thing that grinds my gears is eating chunks of vegetables in the name of eating a salad. In fact it turns me off. You don’t have to serve your guests or yourself, chunks of vegetables which look as big as yam or cassava tubers all with the aim of trying to eat a salad.

Growing up Nigerian and helping my mom with kitchen chores, she taught us how to cut our vegetables for salad either into tiny and long strips or into very small pieces. The work involved seems a bit tiring, but I tell you, the yumminess at the end is totally worth it. We made salad every holiday and I was never fond of salad duty. I liked meat duty; plenty of meat tasting for me.

The Nigerian salad is a staple; just like rice in Nigerian parties and most Nigerian homes. And to enjoy it’s health benefits, please do not drench it in salad dressing or Mayonnaise. Some people bath their salad in Heinz salad dressing. Well, delicious as it may seem, it defeats the purpose of your fit fam; if that’s your reason for making your bowl of salad. If not, carry go, drench away….kuku pour the salad dressing join body.

The Nigerian salad is like an Ankara fabric that can be sewn into different styles which can be easily over done; like some people with their bogus haute couture The same way the Nigerian salad can be made in different ways but become too much. Some people like to add corned beef or baked beans to their bowl. I’m not a fan of baked beans in my salad and I can do the occasional boiled potatoes or pasta. But for today’s recipe, I’ll be sharing a very easy version that I have come to like. This version to me is just clean and easy to make in a jiffy. With the Nigerian salad, less is more. No need to bother with any cans, cooking anything, draining anything or peeling anything.

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The Summer of 2018 can be said to be the Summer of our lives. I ate so much food and gained 10lbs; even my many trips to the beach couldn’t help my weight gain. And of all the foods we ate, my brother’s Suya wings were my favorite.

There is something that brings Nigerians together when you serve spicy meat and beer. There is Nkwobi and beer, Isi Ewu and beer, peppered meat and beer and the ultimate street snack, Suya and beer. And for this recipe, I literally combined both; hence the name “Drunken Suya wings.”

I love chicken wings and slightly sweet beers, so this was ultimately it for me this summer.

It’s the perfect appetizer and the perfect finger food for any kind of party.

My brother grilled some at a cook out and all were gone at the drop of a hat.

Knowing that Suya is inauthentic without being served in the signature news papers, these chicken wings can also be served news paper style; but to stay healthy, a bowl or parchment paper would do the same magic.

If you’re like me and you love to entertain and cook for your guests, this recipe is very easy to follow and by the end of your evening, you would have super satisfied guests and your chicken wings would be the talk of the whole continent….forget the town

One thing you must know before making this suya chicken, is to always use a sweet or almost sweet tasting beer. Attempting to use the likes of Guinness may cause your chicken to be slightly bitter to taste. So the milder/sweeter the beer, the better luck you have at making a batch of finger licking chicken. One with flavors etched in your memory; you’ll never forget how good it tastes in a hurry.

 

 

Freshness From Coast To Coast: Urban Plates Expands From California To Washington, D.C. Area

San Diego-based Restaurant Brand Taps D.C. for First East Coast Locations

 

TYSONS, Va. – July 16, 2018 – Urban Plates – the fine fast-casual restaurant concept that combines a passion for serving sustainably sourced, made-from scratch meals with the variety and vibrancy of a food marketplace – announces the much-anticipated expansion to the East Coast, opening their first ever D.C. location on Monday, July 16, at Tysons Galleria (2001 International Dr., McLean, Va.).

With an emphasis on high quality food at affordable prices, Urban Plates empowers guests to make equally wholesome and delicious food choices. Urban Plates carefully prepares 100% of menu items on-premise daily, thoughtfully sourcing every ingredient, including fresh local produce, grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and sustainably sourced seafood. UP Tysons Galleria will add a couple east coast twists to the brand’s seasonal inspired menu, including Roasted Old Bay Potatoes and fresh Harissa Corn on the Cob.

“In a market brimming with cultural and economic advancement, it only makes sense the food community has evolved alongside it, cultivating the opportunity for our brand to expand here,” said Urban Plates VP of Operations – East Coast, Gil Fornaris. “We’re excited to bring our ‘Culinary Theater’ to the region to forge one-on-one connections with our guests and neighbors, while showcasing each chef’s skill of creating not only a nourishing meal, but a memorable experience.”

Urban Plates’ vibrant, line-style layout presents engaging chefs at each station serving complete plates, hand-tossed salads, hand-carved sandwiches, hot and cold sides, composed bowls, and decadent desserts. Beverages include seasonal natural juice Replenishers, Kombucha on tap, regional craft beers and upon opening there will be an array of California wines. Once established in the location, Urban Plates will serve Appalachian wines, continuing in their dedication to ensuring each location is influenced by the environment around it.

Every Urban Plates location features warm, elevated, rustic indoor-outdoor dining spaces with comfortable seating and communal tables for couples, families and groups. Featuring, spacious dining areas embellished with vine-covered walls, Urban Plates crafts their locations to reflect the local communities from which their food is sourced. Take-out ordering and catering are available online and by phone, with local delivery via DoorDash and Uber Eats.

Menu prices start at: $9.95 for a Plated Meal with two sides and grilled rustic bread; $9.95 for Hand-Tossed Salads, $8.95 for Chef-Crafted Sandwiches; and $9.95 for Slow-Cooked Braise Bowls. Kids’ Meals start at $7.50.

The Tysons Galleria hours of operation are: Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

With each new restaurant opening, Urban Plates strives to support local communities through charitable contributions. UP Tysons Galleria has partnered with local non-profit Horton’s Kids and will provide 100% of donations collected during pre-opening events.

For additional information on Urban Plates, please visit www.urbanplates.com.

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With over 400 spoken languages, Nigeria is a country filled with people from different walks of life. Currently, Nigeria is going through a lot; the whole country seems to be in total chaos.
In the northern region, there is the group known as Boko haram slaughtering the citizens of Nigeria with reckless abandon. But through it all, struggles in continuing to find unity.
In the north and as well as in other regions of Nigeria, there are recipes that seem to have been extinct, but these days I see them being resurrected and even made better by different bloggers and chefs.
I wish for a day when the Nigerian people will live in tranquility. A day when we would bond all regions through food.
Today we are visiting northern Nigeria through the dish known as Dambu Nama.
Dambu Nama is a fried and shredded meat made with suya seasonings predominantly known to be a staple amongst the Northerners of Nigeria. Even as a northern delicacy, the rest of Nigeria’s citizens enjoy making this street snack. Even through all chaos we celebrate the north and their contributions to the country’s food chain.
A lot of Nigeria’s raw food ingredients come from the north. They are known to contribute more than 60% of the countries food supply. They grow rice, beans, yam, tomatoes, peppers, onions and even supply most parts of the country with beef; through the rearing of cows. Even with the economic and domestic crisis, the north has continued to thrive. And just like Suya, Dambu nama is making waves in Nigerian kitchens; even in the disapora. Good things still come out of the north.

Although with no measurements in place for this recipe, eyeballing will make you a great plate.

Recipe inspired by Chef Lola

Besan cheela or chilla recipe, the Indian savoury ‘pancake’ also known as veg omelette, usually served in a bread roll and drizzled with chutneys, this delicious and healthy dish made of besan or gram flour flavoured with spices and topped with onion, coriander and tomato […]

This cold cucumber dill mint soup with feta and red onion recipe is the perfect summer cooling. The superb pairing of cucumber, Greek yoghurt and fresh herbs in a super easy and quick recipe, ready in just 10 minutes but best served chilled for 8 […]

Summer is here and we’re ready to enjoy the long days and bountiful produce with the return of some favorite seasonal dishes and a couple new creations from our chefs.

Roasted Vegetable Farro Cold Side
This cold side is one of my favorite new additions to our seasonal menu items. Farro is an ancient wheat grain that has been eaten for thousands of years in many cultures. We commonly find it in Mediterranean, North African and Middle Eastern cuisines. This hearty whole grain is a great source of protein, fiber and iron, which makes it the perfect base for an array of sweet summer peppers, lightly roasted corn, fresh grape tomatoes, raw green onions and roasted red onions.

We cook the farro al dente so it has a perfect firm texture with just a little bite. The sweet peppers and melty roasted onions balance with the nuttiness of the farro, while the corn and grape tomatoes add a burst of freshness that is met with our bright chipotle lime vinaigrette. The chipotle adds just a hint of spice while the fresh lime juice makes all the flavors pop. I’ve enjoyed eating this side with our oven baked salmon, but it would make a great accompaniment to any of our proteins or even added to our Caesar salad!

Replenishers

Watermelon Pineapple Mint Basil

Our replenishers are the perfect way to refresh during the warm summer weather. Every year I anxiously await watermelon season and the return of our popular Watermelon Pineapple Mint Basil replenisher. We hand cut juicy watermelons and blend them with fresh mint, basil, pineapple, a splash of lime juice and a pinch of salt. The sweet watermelon is an excellent way to hydrate and is perfectly balanced by the light acidity of the pineapple and lime. The herbs add a beautiful aroma and freshness to this drink that have me addicted. This replenisher has the bonus of being loaded with antioxidants, lycopene, fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C! This has to be one of my all-time favorites, delicious and nutritious!

Orange Turmeric Aloe Ginger

This summer we are debuting the Orange Turmeric Aloe Ginger replenisher. Our chefs were inspired by the exploding juice trend to create this energizing and healthy drink. We puree whole peeled oranges with pure aloe juice, raw ginger, turmeric and agave. The flavor is a beautiful mixture of slightly sweet orange with a bite of spice from the ginger and turmeric. The whole oranges make this drink unique by giving it a velvety body and maintaining the vitamin C, fiber and potassium. The aloe and ginger both aid with digestion and the turmeric has anti-inflammatory benefits making this a functional food, that goes beyond basic nutrition.

Roasted Corn and Poblano Soup

As a chef I love creating recipes that are specific to a season. It means that the ingredients are unique to that time of the year and ensure that the final product will be the best it can be. Corn and peppers are at the peak of freshness during the summer months and inspired me to craft this soup in our flagship location in Del Mar, California. It has become a guest favorite that we look forward to highlighting during the season. We start by husking fresh corn, roast it on high heat and then cut off the kernels. The cobs are kept to make a corn stock used as the base of the soup. We then sauté organic carrots, onions, celery and garlic until they are just beginning to tenderize. We add organic potatoes, the corn stock, roasted corn and herbs. We gently simmer everything together and then partially puree the soup to create a creamy thickness without the addition of dairy or gluten. We then stir in roasted poblano peppers, raw cilantro and fresh lime juice at the end. The sweet summer corn is balanced by the creamy potato and rich – mildly spicy poblano pepper. By adding the cilantro and lime juice at the end of the cooking process we preserve the brightness of both ingredients and give this soup a clean finish. We garnish the soup with chopped cilantro and a drizzle of lime sour cream. If you want to keep it vegan we will be happy to omit the sour cream garnish.

Mango Habanero BBQ Ribs

Our famous ribs are back for the summer with a luscious mango habanero bbq sauce and our grilled pineapple mango salsa! We marinate the no added hormone, and antibiotic and GMO free pork ribs in our thirteen-spice mix with sesame, garlic and ginger. We then slow cook the ribs overnight until they are almost falling off the bone and finish them on our grill. They get glazed with house made mango habanero bbq sauce that is made with tamari, lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves, a hint of brown sugar and a splash of rice wine vinegar. The bbq sauce has a beautiful velvety texture that coats the juicy ribs perfectly and adds a nice lightly sweet, salty and spicy kick. Our grilled pineapple mango salsa cuts the richness of the ribs and pairs perfectly with the bbq sauce. This is truly an Urban Plates signature and great for your summer gatherings.

Strawberry Vanilla Layer Cake

Our pastry chef loves strawberry shortcake, probably because she grew up eating it every summer made with the strawberries from her grandfather’s garden. The Urban Plates strawberry vanilla cake was inspired by this childhood favorite and has become a favorite of many guests. Our cake is composed of four fluffy angel food cake layers filled with vanilla bean pastry cream, lightly sweetened whipped cream, house made strawberry jam and fresh sliced strawberries. We leave it unfrosted so you can see all the delicious layers and bright red strawberries. This cake is the perfect summer treat, not too sweet or rich. We offer our cakes by the slice and whole in case you feel like sharing!

I hope you are having a great start to summer and we look forward to sharing our new summer menu with you.

 

Cheers,

Chef Jen

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