Idman restaurant, London, UK:

http://idmanrestaurant.com/wp-content/gallery/idman-photogallery/re_20091214_0334_master_hdr-w1024-h790.jpg

http://idmanrestaurant.com/wp-content/gallery/idman-photogallery/re_20091214_0296-w1024-h790.jpg


http://idmanrestaurant.com/wp-content/gallery/idman-photogallery/re_20091214_0450-w1024-h790.jpg


http://idmanrestaurant.com/wp-content/gallery/idman-photogallery/re_20091214_0302-w1024-h790.jpg

http://idmanrestaurant.com/wp-content/gallery/idman-photogallery/re_20091214_0438-w1024-h790.jpg

http://idmanrestaurant.com/wp-content/gallery/idman-photogallery/re_20091214_0338_master_hdr-w1024-h790.jpg

http://idmanrestaurant.com/wp-content/gallery/idman-photogallery/re_20091214_0429-w1024-h790.jpg

http://idmanrestaurant.com/wp-content/gallery/idman-photogallery/re_20091214_0382-w1024-h790.jpghttp://idmanrestaurant.com/wp-content/gallery/idman-photogallery/re_20091214_0400-w1024-h790.jpg

http://idmanrestaurant.com/wp-content/gallery/idman-photogallery/re_20091214_0281_hdr-w1024-h790.jpg

http://www.safariexpresstogo.com/Images/interiorpic2.jpg

Safari Express success


The proprietors of Safari, the Midwest’s most adventurous African restaurant, have opened a spin-off in the Midtown Global Market. Safari Express offers fast food based on the innovative menu of the original Eat Street location, but with its own signature style.

The new restaurant is a buffet serving much of the eclectic menu popularized by Sade Hashi when he opened the original Safari on Nicollet and 15th Street in 2000. Safari quickly gained notice by adding a gourmet touch to East African dishes.

Safari Express is the brainchild of younger brother Jamal Hashi, who has worked alongside Sade the past several years.

“I got the idea in 2004 on a visit to Europe,” said Jamal. “I was in Stockholm, Sweden, and there was this amazing international bazaar. I thought Safari would really fit a mix like that, and when Midtown Exchange opened, I knew I had to get in there.”

And get in there the Hashis did, with considerable help from the African Development Center. ADC provided training, extensive technical assistance and financing over the past two years to help launch Safari Express, its fifth client business to open inside the Midtown Global Market.

That opening came in mid-September of 2006, after much anticipation. Jamal acknowledges that he had hoped to open in June, catching the wave of the Midtown Global Market’s grand opening. However, the financing and construction came together slower than anticipated.

“Challenges like that are what teach you,” Jamal said. “You’ve got to expect the unexpected. Adapt.”

He said traffic was brisk during Safari Express’ first week. At one recent dinner hour, the restaurant had a steady stream of customers, Jamal’s outgoing personality drawing people in, and the food — including a Safari Express signature dish called “green chokula” — bringing them back.

http://www.adcminnesota.org/files/600X350.JPG
Mr. Jamal Hashi is serving one of his clients

“It’s different, it’s new,” Jamal says of people’s interest in Safari Express. “I think when you open a restaurant you need to ask yourself, ‘Why should people eat at here?’ For Safari Express, it’s the uniqueness. For most people, we’re exotic because we’re serving African fare, but even then we have a twist because we have our own taste that adds new flavor to traditional recipes.”

Indeed, with its fusion of ethnic dishes and a contemporary style, Safari Express has the catchy menu and brand awareness that has launched other immigrant-owned start-ups on Lake Street into local chains. Two such expanding brands, Manny’s Tortas and La Loma Tamales, are Jamal’s neighbors in the Midtown Global Market. Jamal says proximity to other growth-oriented entrepreneurs is one of the perks of being part of the market.

“It’s great meeting these guys and hearing their stories,” he said. “They’ve walked in my shoes, and I take inspiration from what they’ve done.”

Jamal said Safari Express has five employees on its busiest shift. He himself is a constant presence, working from 7 am to 9 pm every day, a schedule made a bit easier because he lives upstairs in an apartment at the Midtown Exchange.

http://www.adcminnesota.org/page/success-stories/safari-express

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nHBltBinxsU/R1ZreRUi0eI/AAAAAAAAA8g/EMPx-vPaY-A/s400/IMG_0964.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nHBltBinxsU/R1ZrexUi0gI/AAAAAAAAA8w/YATrykykd6Q/s400/IMG_0966.JPG
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nHBltBinxsU/R1ZrvhUi0kI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/KYpTX6bbq0A/s400/IMG_0970.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nHBltBinxsU/R1ZrexUi0hI/AAAAAAAAA84/GSN_t3cparY/s400/IMG_0967.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nHBltBinxsU/R1ZrvBUi0jI/AAAAAAAAA9I/45WQBTpTriw/s400/IMG_0969.JPG

http://www.dhacdo.com/images/news/saf10.JPG

Kulmiye Family restaurant, Edmonton - Canada

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4991805478_994c9804be_z.jpg

good thread constantine,

there is a somali restaurant in Rinkeby (sweden) called Restaurant blue moon. I had a good time there, and wasn't expecting something that big and organised from somalis but still it was quite a shock.

I love bariiiiis, basto, laxoooooox (my mom is good at) and shax canaleh (yummy).

P.S! can HUSSEIN try to talk to his higher ups about letting us somalis (djibouti, somalia + somaliland) get our own section of this website like the ethiopians do.

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/8775/salaama.png

Daallo, London - UK
http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/6075/daallo.png

New Bilan, Toronto - Canada
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/952/bilan1.png

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs022.snc4/33464_160079574015656_160013320688948_431036_2536167_n.jpg
http://cache.thephoenix.com/secure/uploadedImages/The_Phoenix/Food/Restaurant_Review/BaravaMain.jpg

Safari restaurant, Minneapolis - USA
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs384.ash2/66208_160078720682408_160013320688948_431029_3358674_n.jpg

Somali restaurant, Dubai - UAE
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs636.snc4/59650_160027024020911_160013320688948_430620_5777013_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs813.snc4/69298_163991523624461_160013320688948_452315_7856076_n.jpg

Safari Grill, San Diego - USA
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs316.ash2/59645_160078204015793_160013320688948_431024_3241755_n.jpg

Imaan, Calgary - Canada
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs186.ash2/44965_160078240682456_160013320688948_431025_204520_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs785.snc4/66529_161865050503775_160013320688948_441224_5635861_n.jpg

Daresalam, Edmonton - Canada
http://can-restaurantnews.com/content/uploads/1/dares.jpg

Jubba, Phoenix - USA
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs002.ash2/33442_162187790471501_160013320688948_443018_376573_n.jpg

so the closest Somali cuisine to me is 850km away :colgate:



That's close, I will go there for lunch sometimes

There are other nice Somali Restaurants in Streatham, London....about 5km from where I live.

Lovely Thread anyway

http://alteats.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/img_8434.jpg?w=500&h=375

http://alteats.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/img_8425.jpg?w=500&h=375

Banadiry Cuisine, Cleveland - USA
http://alteats.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/img_80601.jpg?w=500&h=375
http://alteats.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/img_8057.jpg?w=500&h=375

Al Aruba restaurant, Toronto - Canada
http://media.thestar.topscms.com/images/92/34/11064291493cb958ecd236b1f5d0.jpeg

http://alteats.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/img_9019.jpg?w=500&h=375
http://alteats.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/img_9016.jpg?w=500&h=375

I've been to one in Beijing ! I just don't remember the name !

I had been to dozens in Nairobi Eastleigh.

http://www.thisweeknews.com/wwwexportcontent/sites/thisweeknews/food/stories/2010/07/07/0701me67411-0002ac.JPG
Vegetarian restaurant moves, expands menu to appeal to all tastes

Wednesday, July 7, 2010 01:13 PM
By GARY SEMAN JR.

For two and a half years, Nadira Abdirahman dangled a carrot for the campus vegetarian crowd but few bit.

It seemed that her restaurant, Oatganic Natural Food Market just outside of South Campus Gateway, couldn't compete with pizza, burgers and burritos.

"They just didn't know where I was coming from," she said of the students.

Recently, she renamed her restaurant and relocated it to the Northland area, staying true to her vegetarian base while broadening her appeal with several meat dishes. Solay Bistro is located in the Columbus Square shopping center. The 3,000-square-foot restaurant seats about 100. Abdirahman said she had no such inclination to follow any dietary restrictions until a year ago, when she excluded meat.

"It's not easy," said the former omnivore.

Putting her son, who is a diabetic, on a vegetarian diet and cooking his meals helped her transition into the new nutritional program.

"I love my grains," she said.

Convincing her fellow Somalis to follow her lead proves to be a difficult sell.

"They're not vegetarian," she said. "I'm the only one in the community."

So, she's opened up her menu to goat, chicken, beef and fish. Most entrees are in the $10 range. Yet, her vegetarian menu still is extensive, offering such dishes as hummus, vegetable soups, wraps and vegetarian platters, such as green lentils served with injera, an Ethiopian bread.

Solay Bistro also bakes its own flatbread, sabaya, made from wheat and unbleached white flour. She said she offers samples to diners in an effort to persuade them to try vegetarian options, such as tofu, instead of a meat protein.

"They love it. They think tofu is chicken," she said, adding that the food at Solay is not spicy.

There is no alcohol but there is a selection of tea, pop, coffee and fresh-made smoothies.

The restaurant also sells related health-food items, such as supplements, honey and tea.

http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/food/stories/2010/07/07/tabletalk.html

http://oi53.tinypic.com/ejsuug.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4750663696_3411912577.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4750662944_258111a138.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4750660520_f6c6d7021a.jpg

Some of those dishes look quite nice actually. The tastiest one looks like the last pic in the third post. Some of those dishes look very similar to other meals you can get.

Very nice thread!

My mom calls my dad Somali because he like's to put Moz in everything. :lol: I wanna see those dishes..

there is a somali restaurant in Rinkeby (sweden) called Restaurant blue moon. I had a good time there, and wasn't expecting something that big and organised from somalis but still it was quite a shock.
Do you know if there's any Somali restaurant in the inner city?

http://www.hiiraan.com/images/apr2009/Maskali.jpg

Maskali restaurant is a little East-African joint right on the edge of Vanier (23 Selkirk, corner of Montreal Rd. and River Rd.). It’s a nondescript little restaurant in a nondescript little strip mall; a mall that also houses one of our favorite Chinese grocery stores. So we had seen the restaurant before, but neither of us had set foot inside.

First of all – the smells! Oh my god. We opened the door to the restaurant and were just about floored by the spices. It smelled soooo good. We haven’t yet got a sense of how good a business this restaurant does, but if people would just walk through their doors, they would have no trouble selling their food. And the price is right. At $6.99 for a good-size sandwich, it definitely fits the Cheapeats price structure.

But what about taste? The flavor of this food is to die for. Marinated spicy meats (chicken or beef) and onions fried up and rolled into a fresh piece of crispy homemade flatbread. Flavour and texture all in one bite! The beef sandwich was nice – if a little greasy – but the chicken was like heaven. So tender and so much flavor. We knew then and there it wasn't gonna be long before we headed back to this place.

Cue Friday night: And back we go. This time for a couple of platters. You couldn't ask for a more generous meal. We got a chicken platter for $10.99 and a lamb platter for $11.99 - both of which resulted in full-bellies.

The chicken platter featured a hind quarter roasted in spices and served along with rice topped with a flavourful tomato based sauce (think cinnamon and cardamom more than marinara) and some sort of marinated raisin chutney. The weak, iceberg-lettuce salad was a throwaway item, but everything else was delicious. The second platter held the same sides, swapping the chicken for stewed, fall-off-the-bone-tender lamb. Delish!

And there's still more to try on the menu. Dine-in or take-away. we can’t wait to head back for another dose. Sorry Arby's, you're gonna have to wait
http://www.ceotblog.com/2010/03/two-very-different-sandwiches.html?cid=6a00d834205d2753ef01310f9f3494970c

Do you know if there's any Somali restaurant in the inner city?

you mean downtown stockholm ? no but there is probably many there, you could ask somalis for direction, they will tell you where.

and i thought you knew sweden better than me ? I only know rinkeby (my hood, got a lot of buddies there) and the buss/train station in stockholm, other than that, i never set foot on the city. i have yet to visit and explore more of it.

in fact im from the east nord of the country, just north of GÖTEBORG.

good thread constantine,

there is a somali restaurant in Rinkeby (sweden) called Restaurant blue moon. I had a good time there, and wasn't expecting something that big and organised from somalis but still it was quite a shock.

I love bariiiiis, basto, laxoooooox (my mom is good at) and shax canaleh (yummy).

P.S! can HUSSEIN try to talk to his higher ups about letting us somalis (djibouti, somalia + somaliland) get our own section of this website like the ethiopians do.

Blue Moon is a very nice restaurant, unfortunately there aren't any good quality images of it. You should go to Dubai and visit Somali Road, or Suuq Somal, and you will be shocked at all the Somali hotels, jewelries, restaurants, textiles, electronics shops etc.

I don't think a section for Somalia is necessary, stable countries like Ghana should be given one before the former, you could make an argument for Djibouti though, discuss it with Xusein.


so the closest Somali cuisine to me is 850km away :colgate:

That's close, I will go there for lunch sometimes

Where do you live?:)

There are other nice Somali Restaurants in Streatham, London....about 5km from where I live.

Lovely Thread anyway

Good to know man, I will look them up.:)


I've been to one in Beijing ! I just don't remember the name !

That's cool, hope you remember the name, would love to check it out.:cheers:

Very nice thread!

My mom calls my dad Somali because he like's to put Moz in everything. :lol: I wanna see those dishes..

Your pops is the man :lol:, I took a Korean classmate once to a Somali restaurant and ordered two rice dishes, the waiter then supplied us with two bananas, and she looked at me with a WTF face, but then she tried it and now she eats it with everything:lol:

you mean downtown stockholm ? no but there is probably many there, you could ask somalis for direction, they will tell you where.

and i thought you knew sweden better than me ? I only know rinkeby (my hood, got a lot of buddies there) and the buss station in stockholm, other than that, i never set foot on the city. i have yet to visit and explore more of it.

in fact im from the east nord of the country, just north of GÖTEBORG.
Alright, I haven't seen one in downtown. I'll ask someone next time I'm in R-by. :)

North of Göteborg? You mean the west coast then, near Oslo I presume. I don't know much about Swedish cities in general, but I find my way around Stockholm.

Alright, I haven't seen one in downtown. I'll ask someone next time I'm in R-by. :)

North of Göteborg? You mean the west coast then, near Oslo I presume. I don't know much about Swedish cities in general, but I find my way around Stockholm.

your damn right, its west coast and not east cast, i screwed up a bit.

Where do you live?:)




I live in Sydney :banana: Australia

and the closest is in Melbourne Victoria: which is like 900km from me :ohno:


I might be goin there this month :banana:

I live in Sydney :banana: Australia

and the closest is in Melbourne Victoria: which is like 900km from me :ohno:

I might be goin there this month :banana:

There is one closer to you at 60a Auburn Rd, AUBURN, NSW 2144. - http://www.business.com.au/business-directory/cafes-restaurants/state-nsw/location-auburn/

http://www.yell.com/reviews/uploads/placepics/115456_9968b656.480.jpg

Dalxiis, Brixton - UK
http://www.urban75.org/brixton/history/images/scala04.jpg

Lula's Cafe, Milwaulkee - USA
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs809.snc4/68922_161865060503774_160013320688948_441225_6513970_n.jpg

http://media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/Ma4pitLAle9mMe5-T9KfsA/l
http://media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/2jjTr2nYw6QXIvEreGxhVg/l
http://media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/TG_HBFfLt0yq_mjOs_Dqfg/l

Very strong reviews, it has a high rating on Yelp(local review site):

daaaaaaaaaaaang, what a great find! this place is located weird next to a nice apartment complex and conveniently neighbor to a light rail station. my friend told me about this place and we drove all the way over to the other side of san jose to see what all the hubub was about. and boy was it different--and delicious. my bf and i shared a huge, and i mean HUGE plate of food for $20. the guy who sat us said anything in the fridge was up for grabs and so was this traditional hot tea. if anything, you should go just to try their tea! i'm not into drinking tea at like, dim sum or chinese restaurants, but i could seriously drown happily in this stuff. it took a while for the food to cook, but it was definitely worth the wait. plus the guy with the blue tooth in his ear was friendly and attentive. we stayed later than they were open and we never once felt rushed out.

TRY IT! - STEPH V

I absolutely love the goat, which is a fairly simple dish of bone-in chunks of meat. I too was surprised that it wasn't more like Ethiopian, or even spicy/exotically flavored. The goat wasn't plain - there were definitely spices involved - but seasonings were used with a light hand and I couldn't really pick any out - I just know that the result as outrageously tasty.

I've also had chicken suqaar, which is a sort of spicy stir-fry, over spaghetti. All the dishes come with your choice of rice, chapati, injera, or pasta. I had tried and really liked the jumbo-sized, slightly sweet Somali version of chapati, but I was curious about the pasta, which also comes with a banana. The whole thing was like a mash-up of Peruvian saltado and spicy spaghetti.

Service is a bit odd - the owner can be friendly or kind of brusque depending on how occupied she is. But when I asked about some injera I saw her dousing with ghee and sweet tea, she gave me a piece to try. It's less fermented/sour than the Ethiopian version, although what I had was actually quite light in color and I wouldn't call it sweet - the chapati was more sweet. I preferred the more flavorful Ethiopian injera. But I love the sinus-clearing chai, which is sweetened but milk-free. It's in a carafe at the back of the restaurant for self-serve.

I'm looking forward to trying that beef stew, the sambusas, and the rice. I had Somali rice that someone's mom made at a picnic once and it was really good, with turmeric and cinnamon and raisins. -Clcely W.

more here:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jubba-restaurant-san-jose

http://oi52.tinypic.com/9joqig.jpg

http://media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/ChUxhtY_98FEOpcPS9JaEg/l

http://oi52.tinypic.com/2vrvimu.jpg

I tried African Paradise for the first time tonight. A former coworker and good friend has a group that tries new foods from different countries once a month. Tonight we went Somalian.

The food was amazing. The staff was exceptional, polite, funny, and very helpful. It was nice to go to a place where the meal is more of an event. And good lord it is inexpensive. 6 adults cost a mere $59 and there was so much food left over.

There were a few courses. We started off with soup that seemed to have a potato and onion base, but it was not heavy at all more of a broth. Then there was a flat bread with a tomato and olive oil sauce with just the right amount of spice. There were a few beverages with a mango drink, water, and the most amazing tea. The tea was dark amber, sweetened with honey and had a blend of ginger and cinnamon.

The main course was roasted goat with rice. The goat was good. The rice was nicely seasoned and blended well with all the other spices throughout the evening. It was never overwhelming or too much of any one thing. We sampled each others dishes and the chicken will be my next dish.

They have an amazing hot sauce. So good that it gets its own paragraph. It starts out sweet - kind of like sweet barbecue, but it was not barbecue. Then after you finish the bite the heat comes on slowly, like an old man easing into a warm bath. Then it heats up and lingers in the center of your tongue like a first kiss. Your second and third bite of food after sampling this sauce and spice is still there to flavor your food. Too much of it will cause a light sweat and a little watering of the eyes, if you are not careful. And like a hard liquor too much too early and it will hurt you. The approach to this hot sauce should be the approach to a long and happy life. All things in moderation, savor, and only take what you need - do not over indulge.

I expect to return many more times. I really like the idea of slowing things down and enjoying food. The atmosphere is a very nice place to relax and enjoy your food. I really liked the wide array of flavors from sweet to spicy.- Frank D.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/african-paradise-restaurant-columbus

This topic has given me a big appetite, peace out! :lol:

Toronto has a few Somali restaurants, I always get some when I'm up there.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nHBltBinxsU/R1ZreRUi0eI/AAAAAAAAA8g/EMPx-vPaY-A/s400/IMG_0964.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nHBltBinxsU/R1ZrexUi0gI/AAAAAAAAA8w/YATrykykd6Q/s400/IMG_0966.JPG
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nHBltBinxsU/R1ZrvhUi0kI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/KYpTX6bbq0A/s400/IMG_0970.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nHBltBinxsU/R1ZrexUi0hI/AAAAAAAAA84/GSN_t3cparY/s400/IMG_0967.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nHBltBinxsU/R1ZrvBUi0jI/AAAAAAAAA9I/45WQBTpTriw/s400/IMG_0969.JPG

This is where I eat regularly. Best Somali restaurant in Melbourne, Australia

http://www.hiiraan.com/images/apr2009/Maskali.jpg

Maskali restaurant is a little East-African joint right on the edge of Vanier (23 Selkirk, corner of Montreal Rd. and River Rd.). It’s a nondescript little restaurant in a nondescript little strip mall; a mall that also houses one of our favorite Chinese grocery stores. So we had seen the restaurant before, but neither of us had set foot inside.

First of all – the smells! Oh my god. We opened the door to the restaurant and were just about floored by the spices. It smelled soooo good. We haven’t yet got a sense of how good a business this restaurant does, but if people would just walk through their doors, they would have no trouble selling their food. And the price is right. At $6.99 for a good-size sandwich, it definitely fits the Cheapeats price structure.

But what about taste? The flavor of this food is to die for. Marinated spicy meats (chicken or beef) and onions fried up and rolled into a fresh piece of crispy homemade flatbread. Flavour and texture all in one bite! The beef sandwich was nice – if a little greasy – but the chicken was like heaven. So tender and so much flavor. We knew then and there it wasn't gonna be long before we headed back to this place.

Cue Friday night: And back we go. This time for a couple of platters. You couldn't ask for a more generous meal. We got a chicken platter for $10.99 and a lamb platter for $11.99 - both of which resulted in full-bellies.

The chicken platter featured a hind quarter roasted in spices and served along with rice topped with a flavourful tomato based sauce (think cinnamon and cardamom more than marinara) and some sort of marinated raisin chutney. The weak, iceberg-lettuce salad was a throwaway item, but everything else was delicious. The second platter held the same sides, swapping the chicken for stewed, fall-off-the-bone-tender lamb. Delish!

And there's still more to try on the menu. Dine-in or take-away. we can’t wait to head back for another dose. Sorry Arby's, you're gonna have to wait
http://www.ceotblog.com/2010/03/two-very-different-sandwiches.html?cid=6a00d834205d2753ef01310f9f3494970c

Glad to see they have a Djiboutian restaurant in Montreal. The Djiboutian food is a bit of everything: Somali, Yemeni, Afar (though very close to Somali besides some specialties) and Ethiopian.

Overall I miss the tasty Somali food... The Horn of Africa is a gastronomical paradise. We should emphasize on that...

Glad to see they have a Djiboutian restaurant in Montreal. The Djiboutian food is a bit of everything: Somali, Yemeni, Afar (though very close to Somali besides some specialties) and Ethiopian.

Overall I miss the tasty Somali food... The Horn of Africa is a gastronomical paradise. We should emphasize on that...

I've never tried Afar, what are their dishes like?:)

I've never tried Afar, what are their dishes like?:)

Everyone basically eats the same in city, but in rural areas, you see the difference. Its usually related, just slightly different. Like the Afar's version of the Somali "Moofo" is "Gocambo", fish sauces eaten in Tadjourah, the "Doomo" which is some kind of traditional beer made out of the palm tree, (weird I know) ect...

Beer as in alcohol (and not liver)? I thought the Afar were Muslim.

Beer as in alcohol (and not liver)? I thought the Afar were Muslim.

Yep, I still do not understand. According to what I have been told, its a kind of traditional beer, yet they insisted it was "halal". Anyway, I never tried it.

Its usually the men who drink it to "boost" their sexual performance...(some kinda natural viagra)

Halal Beer. :lol: If has alcohol in it, it's not halal, end of! Afar definitely retained many of their pre-Islamic practices compared to Somalis.

Still I wonder how Afar food tastes, AFAIK most Djiboutians abroad are Somali so meeting an Afar or eating Afar food abroad must be hard.

Xusein I read somewhere that Somalia had its own local version of Rum, though it wasn't consumed widely.

I wouldn't be surprised to be honest.

Xusein I read somewhere that Somalia had its own local version of Rum, though it wasn't consumed widely.

What about the Somali traditional beer made of "caano geel"?

What about the Somali traditional beer made of "caano geel"?

Maybe we are talking about the same thing?:scouserd:, never had a drop of alcohol in my life though, but did try the alcohol free beer once and it was disgusting. :lol:

There is a beer in Somalia made of fermented goat's milk, I forgot the name but it started with an R.

Before the rise of wahabism in the late 80s, Somalis used to get down. :banana:

:lol:
I didn't know Somali's used to make their own alcohol.

:lol:
I didn't know Somali's used to make their own alcohol.

The Italians build a factory in Jowhar, near Moga.. which used to produce Rum.

What about the Somali traditional beer made of "caano geel"?

I never heard such a thing.

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Pssh, where is the meat in that? :ohno:

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^^ Missed the kaluun

There is a beer in Somalia made of fermented goat's milk, I forgot the name but it started with an R.

Before the rise of wahabism in the late 80s, Somalis used to get down. :banana:



Janub Are you Somali or something?

Janub Are you Somali or something?

Yes, born in Kelafo, Ogaden region & raised in Baladweyn.

There is one closer to you at 60a Auburn Rd, AUBURN, NSW 2144. - http://www.business.com.au/business-directory/cafes-restaurants/state-nsw/location-auburn/

Yes, I know a lot of Somali hang out in Auburn :) and there was some news about a restaurant, but I never knew it was materialized. All I always see is somali men arguing and no restaurant.


I will check it out sometime.

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^^ check out the British weather :laugh: i know only one Somali restaurant, its called 'The Village' in London.

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the food is simply fantastic. all pictures taken by me, soz about the poor quality, iphone camera :bash:

Thanks for the pics 'Get Smart', I hope you had a great time.:)

Dining Domino: Chef Roblé

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Posted by Chrystal Parker on Apr 22, 2011

Models do eat. At least if Roblé is cooking. Statuesque Somalis longing for a taste of home flock to NYC hot spot Avenue for a taste of the samboussas that put the twenty-something on the map.

Roblé’s culinary heritage extends to his maternal grandfather, Jesse Harris, who was a chef for President John F. Kennedy. He grew up in Poughkeepsie, just 20 minutes away from his alma mater, the Culinary Institute of America. Since graduating in 2005, he’s been “getting his ass kicked” in NYC kitchens and crafting a signature menu with flavors that represent his Somali and African-American DNA.

The witty chef quickly gained cred catering A-list events on the East Coast. Now that his new commercial kitchen in Brooklyn is complete, he’s making the leap to chef-preneur. Roblé and his sister Jasmine just launched a catering company, Roble & Co. Hungry voyeurs will be able to track the progress of their start-up this summer on the Bravo series of the same name. - Uptown Magazine (http://uptownmagazine.com/2011/04/dining-domino-chef-roble/)

yZgyNpRUj_U

Sogal Cafe aims to be "sogalicious"

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"How do you feel about goat meat?" asks Aziz Ahmed, owner of the Sogal Cafe, 1835 N. Martin Luther King Dr. The recently opened cafe offers specialty African food and unique tasting American food, in addition to coffee, espresso, tea and smoothies.

Goat is a staple Somali food. "In Somalia, if you respect your guests, you prepare goat for them. I want to bring that tradition over here and introduce it to my American friends," says Ahmed.

This is only one reason Ahmed started Sogal, which means "come in" in Somali. The cafe offers new perspectives on many American beef and vegetarian dishes, including an interesting line of wraps with names like "cow on the carpet" and "two turkeys talkin'."

Another reason is the growing African community in Milwaukee, which Ahmed says numbers over 100 families now.

After months of planning, Sogal Cafe opened on Saturday, Oct. 8. Ahmed has been very pleased with how things have developed in the short time since.

"I am happy. So far, we've received a lot of support from the African community as well as from the neighborhood," says Ahmed, who is already a business owner, having opened the Sogal Market, 1745 N. Martin Luther King Dr., four years ago.

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Customers at the convenience store told Ahmed they wanted more food options in the neighborhood. Ahmed also realized that there weren't any restaurants near his store -- you either had to go Downtown or to the Subway on North Avenue to get something to eat. Listening to his customers and residents in the neighborhood, Ahmed heard that the community wanted something different from what the average cafe offers, and the idea for Sogal formed around Somali cuisine.

Sogal Cafe has a small but comfortable seating area on the floor, two high-backed padded chairs in a nook perfect for reading the paper and sipping one's morning coffee, a counter with stools on an elevated platform that looks out onto the street and outdoor seating on a pleasant, shaded patio that's tucked between Sogal and the building to its south.

Ahmed developed the menu over a two-month period with a friend who Ahmed says has "in-depth knowledge of the food industry." They refined several Somali dishes, such as goat and potatoes and a goat and pepper soup, and created new versions of other soups, paninis, wraps and salads.

Sogal offers a couscous salad, tossed with dried cranberries, celery and spices and one called "a stroll in the garden," which is spinach, arugula and romaine, mixed with basil, cilantro, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Sogal's sambusa, a version of the triangular pastry that's served across Africa and Asia, can be stuffed with either beef or spinach and chickpeas. The Somali rice rounds out the African options on the menu, but the sweet potatoes, seasoned with cardamom and other spices.

More traditional approaches to the wraps, like the mozzarella fresca (with pesto, basil and tomatoes) are joined by the "cow on the carpet" and "two turkeys talkin'." The dressings on these two meat-lovers specialties will make the roast beef and smoked turkey pop.

Sogal has a changing soup of the day, served with Basmati rice, and a beef stew and peanut soup, which are menu staples. The peanut soup has a chicken stock base and is made with tomatoes, carrots, red bell peppers, sweet potato and a creamy peanut butter, which Ahmed experimented with.

This author, being more a "non-meat eater" than a vegetarian, was tempted by the goat but ultimately had to pass. But the chicken stock base in the peanut soup didn't bother me and upon trying it I found its spiciness to be a real treat. The soup is thick, not stew-like, but certainly richer and creamier than most peanut soups, which often seem watered down.

Add the collard greens and grilled vegetable sandwich of marinated eggplant and zucchini on sourdough bread, and I had an excellent sampling of what Sogal has to offer: well-done cafe food that's appropriately spiced to allow all the flavors of the ingredients to come out.

Most menu items are priced between $5 and $7, the paninis and wraps are all $6 or $7. The most expensive menu item is the $10 meal of Somali rice, seasoned goat meat, drink and a banana.

"But it's worth it," Ahmed says.

Sogal offers Kenyan and Ethiopian coffees, espresso, Somali teas and specialty drinks such as the Madagascar vanilla milkshake and the Belgian chocolate shake. Sogal uses Belgian chocolate in its cafe mocha as well.

Ahmed, who lives near 60th Street and Brown Deer with his two kids, is a single dad. Ahmed came to the United States as a war refugee on Sept. 26, 2001.

"My port of entry was New York and later that same day I flew to Milwaukee. I was not conscious of the terrorist attacks, about what was going on in the U.S. I came looking for work, for the opportunities and to be safe," Ahmed says.

Ahmed could tell there was "a mood" in the nation, after the fact, but he plowed forward for himself and his family, his daughter was five years old and his son was just three when they arrived. He worked five years in a clinic handling medical records and customer service before opening the Sogal Market in January 2008.

"To be honest, I haven't experienced prejudice in Milwaukee. People helped me find a job. There was a good atmosphere here, better than the circumstances of being in a war-torn country," he says.

Now 15, Ahmed's daughter is doing well at Ronald Reagan College Prep and his son attends Golda Meir School, just down the street from dad's businesses.

The cafe currently has two employees. Ahmed has a chalkboard below the television display that lists what's playing: ESPN for soccer and, currently, CNN. Ahmed plans to to have Al Jazeera English soon.

Ahmed's immediate goal is "to serve the local residents and the African community." He envisions Sogal as being an African and community meeting place and plans to have live African performances on the elevated platform, where the stools can come off and make a nice stage.

Sogal Cafe's tagline, "Sogalicious flavors," comes from Ahmed hearing the early comments on the cafe's recipes: "so delicious."

"You take, 'so delicious' and, playing with the words, I kept hearing 'so-del-icious, so-gal-icious,'" Ahmed says, with a laugh. -- Source (http://onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles/sogalcafeopens.html?28016)

.........

It's good to see Somali restaurants branching outside cities with large Somali communities. NYC and Milwaukee have small Somali populations. Not only do they serve as hangouts for the small communities there which helps create more of a sense of community there, but they have more exposure to non-Somalis, which helps popularize the cuisine overall. While on vacation in the summer, I went to a Somali restaurant in Chicago which doesn't have a large community compared to say, Minnesota, and at least 1/4 to 1/3rd of the people eating there weren't Somali.

^Another one in NYC (North Salina Street):

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Horn of African plenty: Mohamed Gelle (left) and Muheyidin Mohamoud prepare traditional Somali dishes at their North Salina Street eatery. Among the delicacies are rice with beef (pictured), though variations can use goat meat or chicken; for those with an American palate, friend chicken and french fries appear on the menu as well. -- Source (http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/newyork/article-5689-filling.html)

Blue Moon is a very nice restaurant, unfortunately there aren't any good quality images of it. You should go to Dubai and visit Somali Road, or Suuq Somal, and you will be shocked at all the Somali hotels, jewelries, restaurants, textiles, electronics shops etc.

I don't think a section for Somalia is necessary, stable countries like Ghana should be given one before the former, you could make an argument for Djibouti though, discuss it with Xusein.




Where do you live?:)



Good to know man, I will look them up.:)




That's cool, hope you remember the name, would love to check it out.:cheers:



Your pops is the man :lol:, I took a Korean classmate once to a Somali restaurant and ordered two rice dishes, the waiter then supplied us with two bananas, and she looked at me with a WTF face, but then she tried it and now she eats it with everything:lol:

^^those in Dubai are many, they is one in Deirra opposite the Bus Stop i love the Canbulo, Saren and even their marakh their serve with every meal, the cities i frequent in China like Yiwu, Guanzhou, ningbo Don't have Somali restaurant, Shanghai i was told they is one but personally i haven't seen it during my visits:)

^You should take pictures brother, they would make a nice addition to the ones already posted.

Check out Three One Cafe in Lewiston, Maine. It was a great place to eat and hang out till they closed it a month ago and deported the owner:bash: Now, there is no restaurant in the city.

TEAHrVDhaqg

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It is VERY modest restaurant but the food is exceptional. :banana:

:)

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I have been to this restaurant million times. :lol:

Something I don't like from Somali restaurants is their names.

I remember going to a place called "SINAI CAFE" in Toronto. What do Somalis have to do with the Sinai peninsula??

LOL, I am just kidding.

^Another one in NYC (North Salina Street):


Sxb, this is in Syracuse, New York not NYC! :laugh:

For some reason, there are more Somalis in Upstate NY than NYC itself.

Something I don't like from Somali restaurants is their names.

I remember going to a place called "SINAI CAFE" in Toronto. What do Somalis have to do with the Sinai peninsula??

LOL, I am just kidding.



Sxb, this is in Syracuse, New York not NYC! :laugh:

For some reason, there are more Somalis in Upstate NY than NYC itself.

There is a neighbourhood and a market in Mogadishu called Sinai.

Something I don't like from Somali restaurants is their names.

I remember going to a place called "SINAI CAFE" in Toronto. What do Somalis have to do with the Sinai peninsula??

LOL, I am just kidding.

Sometimes they do it for the exotic factor.

Sxb, this is in Syracuse, New York not NYC! :laugh:

For some reason, there are more Somalis in Upstate NY than NYC itself.

LOL, I'm not American, NYC and New York are the same thing to me regardless of the various divisions. :lol:

There is a neighbourhood and a market in Mogadishu called Sinai.

The guys in charge of the restaurant are not from Xamar though. They are reer Waqooyi. :dunno:

Sambuza Village :Somali eatery serves tasty meats, savoury pastries.
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BY BRUCE DEACHMAN, OTTAWA CITIZEN
Monday, May 21, 2012


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Sambuza Village’s stewed goat is wonderful and its breads and pastries are delicious, Bruce Deachman says. Photograph by: BRUNO SCHLUMBERGER.

Despite the difficulty in accessing it from either side of Bank Street, Sambuza Village boasts a lineup at its cash around dinnertime. On a warm evening, some of those customers are neighbourhood youngsters looking to slake their thirsts with a Mr. Freeze from the small ice cream cooler near the door. But for the most part they’re long-time, loyal fans of the Somali restaurant where, according to its takeout menu flyer, “the taste of the Horn of Africa and North America meet.”

(In fact, a very informal straw poll with patrons on a recent Saturday suggested that many of owner Mohamed Mohamud Elmi’s customers are former residents of the Ledbury Park area where the restaurant is located, who faithfully and regularly return, as well as diners who drive over from Hunt Club and Greenboro.)

Regardless of how and from whence they arrive at this too-brightly-lit, two-room hole in the wall — or, more accurately, hole in an 11-storey wall, as Sambuza Village sits on the ground floor of an apartment building like a tuck shop or dry cleaners — they’re most certainly here for the food: tender chicken, beef and goat, flavoured with cumin, cardamom and paprika; soft warm breads that very nearly melt in your mouth; and sambuzas that rival any samosas in the city.

Occasions when Elmi is serving are best. He knows his food, even if he’s not completely forthright about it. “Oh, this?” he says, when asked about the dollop of spicy tomato sauce that accompanies the perfectly cooked basmati rice. “This is our special spicy sauce.”

First, however, he’s delivered the salads that are sides to our chicken brochette and goat dishes. “I bring this first,” he says, “to make sure you have some salad, because once you try the goat, you will not want to eat anything else.”

This is true on a couple of counts. The large hunks of stewed goat are wonderfully tender and easily capable of making you ignore most salads. In addition, the salad is an unexceptional collection of iceberg lettuce, cucumber, carrot and underripe tomatoes that, a nice creamy dressing notwithstanding, is the bane of takeout restaurants the world over.

The chicken brochette, meanwhile (and do not be fooled by the photo on the menu board that shows some colourful vegetables in between the pieces of chicken; the brochettes here are all chicken, all the time), served with a tangy green chili sauce, boasted a deep-fried crispiness on the outside, but was tender after that, and flavourful throughout.

Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for the king fish, which arrived dry and overdone, although none the worse for it in terms of piquancy; it still tasted mighty fine.

Sambuza Village’s most outstanding dishes, though (though I did not try the steak-and-spaghetti platter, presumably the North American part of the aforementioned East-meets-West collision), are its sambuzas and sabayah wraps. The former, served with decent if unremarkable fries, were perfectly cooked, the pastry flaky but not dry, the savoury chicken filling warm, spicy and inviting. The sabayah (bread) wrap, in this case with sweetly spiced beef, was outstanding, the pita-like bread manna enough for a meal on its own.

The place is unlicensed, so those who choose to eat in will have to make do with pop, juice, tea, coffee (when available, see below) or water.

The dessert is halwa khayrta, named after the restaurant’s chef — and Elmi’s wife — Khayrta Alawi. It’s a sweet made of sugar, cornstarch, oil, nutmeg and cardamom. Think of candied ginger, but with cardamom instead. Sold in one-, half- and quarter-kilogram blocks, it’s best taken home.

Additionally, Sambuza brews a spiced coffee, but had none left on the pair of visits I made.

“It’s more of an afternoon thing,” one waiter said on my first visit. On the second, Elmi assured me he’d make some, but when I’d finished eating said simply, “We’re out. I promise you one next time.”

A disappointment, for sure, but I’ll hold him to it. -- Source (http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Sambuza+Village+Somali+eatery+serves+tasty+meats+savoury+pastries/6632610/story.html)

Sometimes they do it for the exotic factor.



LOL, I'm not American, NYC and New York are the same thing to me regardless of the various divisions. :lol:

Many of the Somalis came to the US as refugees. In contrast to regular immigrants most refugees were resettled in Buffalo, Rochester & other smaller upstate cities where housing was much cheaper & more plentifull.

I'd guess that the refugee status of Somalis also had a lot to do with how so many Somalis ended up in the Minnesota Twins, rather than in much larger cities like Chicago.

A somalia restaurant opened almost two years ago in Inglewood, CA .. a city in Los Angeles, within minutes to LAX.. I'm not a big fan of anything other than my favorite bariis with xeeliib/suqaar and muus (not sure if that's how you spell it) ... and it was top notch.

It's called Banadir Restaurant (http://www.yelp.com/biz/banadir-somali-restaurant-inglewood) (Yelp link).

You know what I miss the most? Xaalwo... I remember back in the days when I was living in Dubai.. all it took was a single call to Somalia and the hot Xaalwo gets transported all the way from Mogadishu to Dubai.. 5KG at a time and it was the best Xaalwo my mouth tasted.

^ Are there a lot of Somalis in LA?


Many of the Somalis came to the US as refugees. In contrast to regular immigrants most refugees were resettled in Buffalo, Rochester & other smaller upstate cities where housing was much cheaper & more plentifull.

I'd guess that the refugee status of Somalis also had a lot to do with how so many Somalis ended up in the Minnesota Twins, rather than in much larger cities like Chicago.

I think the majority were scattered all over the country, but migrated to MN by "word of mouth" and it eventually became a large community over the years.

^ Are there a lot of Somalis in LA?

I wouldn't say L.A. has one of the heaviest concentrations of Somalis but definitely a good size of Somalis here. The closest city geographically I could think of that has more Somalis is San Diego.

Exotic spices and secret family recipes in authentic Somali food at Samosa House

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Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Amina Hassan has owned Samosa House restaurant on Washtenaw Avenue with her sister, Hawa, since November 2011. She says that in high school she used to make her family's Somali samosas for Red Cross fundraisers, and friends told her, "You need to do this every day." So when she started thinking about a name for her new place, "it had to be something with samosas."

Although the name is the same and the common influences are apparent, Somali samosas are different from Indian samosas. The smaller tri-corner Somali version is deep-fried golden brown with a shatteringly crisp wrapper. The wrapper dough, called foliyo, is rolled out as thin as a veil, and Hassan says they make it by hand with just flour, salt and water.

Inside a hot, crispy samosa is a savory filling of grated potato and carrot with peas, flavored with curry, onion and a tiny hint of jalapeno. The vegetarian version has coconut, and others have ground beef, chicken or lamb. Read more (http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/exotic-spices-and-secret-family-recipes-in-authentic-somali-food-at-samosa-house/)

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Chicken Suqaar

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A Somali steak sandwich

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Hamdi Restaurant is a perfect example of Toronto's culinary multiculturalism. Specializing in Somali and East African cuisine, the restaurant chain serves as a much-loved East African food Mecca. It offers a little taste of home for those who are abroad and craving a taste of their mother's cooking, as well as a delicious departure from the everyday for the adventurous.

Hamdi has two locations in Toronto: the first is tucked away on a street corner in Cabbagetown, and the second its original flagship in Rexdale, surrounded by South Asian and East African clothing and grocery stores. We arrive on the last day of Ramadan, so the place is packed - and while this restaurant is regularly busy, we were in for a twenty-five minute wait. But trust me when I say it's well worth it.

We begin with mango juice, which for $1 is not only refreshing after our wait, but easy on the wallet. Connoisseurs of mango juices will appreciate Hamdi's, as it's rich and textured, rather than watery.

Starters include meat sans carbs, fish, and bread, all priced between $5 and $10. However, with Hamdi's generous portion sizes, you generally don't have enough room to stomach both an appetizer and an entrée.

My favorite thing about Hamdi is the Bisbas. A hot sauce made of green chili, garlic, lemon and spices, which is definitely not for the faint of heart, but full of some tantalizing flavors.

Hamdi is all about the meat and rice, and occasionally spaghetti--it's definitely suitable for carnivores. The entrées are all priced between $10 and $15, and the plates are huge. They arrive stacked with goat, beef, chicken, and fish, and paired with rice or spaghetti and some salad.

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I order the goat stew for $12. Picture this: five huge chunks of goat meat on the bone, cooked to perfection, with steamed golden rice and veggies, and just enough salad to constitute a tad of healthy eating. Spiced and sizzling, the goat is tender, and when paired with bisbas, it creates a rich, layered combination of flavours.

My companions order a variation on the theme. Big chunks of chicken steak with rice, chicken stew with rice, and beef stew with spaghetti - which is a tasty and well-paired alternative to rice. You can also order chapatti with your meat, which is a soft round flatbread. As well, I have it on good authority that Somali food must be eaten with a banana. It adds sweetness to the spicy and tangy meal, and enriches the texture. :cool:

Hamdi doesn't overwhelm you with flashy décor, but rather puts its bang where it belongs: in the dishes. Hamdi's one downside is how difficult it is to get your server's attention--it almost necessitates a ten-foot high flame and smoke signal--but you can't get portions this huge for this price in very many places in Toronto, and the flavour is worth it. -- Source (http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/hamdi-restaurant-toronto)

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Any visit to TO isn't complete without a visit to Xamdi.

Hakuna Matata
Edmonton, AB
9411 118th Avenue
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Jubba Restaurant
San Jose, CA
5330 Terner Way

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Somali food is about to get popular across Northamptonshire


Northhampton Chronicle
Wednesday, April 10, 2013


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With thousands of Somali people living across Northamptonshire, it is perhaps surprising that there are not more eateries providing the typical food of this country.

It is may be a mark of prejudice that, until recently, the mention of Somalia would, for me, only conjure up images of civil war and famine.

But for some years many Somali people have made Northamptonshire their home and are now keen to reveal a little more about their country’s culinary culture.

These efforts can be seen in a new enterprise called Somali Soul Food, set up by some members of the Northamptonshire Somali Women and Girls’ Group in association with the Livity Community (which focuses on promoting health and well-being).

Somali Soul Food was launched at a recent market event at Castle Hill United Reformed Church in Spring Boroughs, Northampton, in which its founders showcased a huge array of the nation’s traditional food.
The scheme was set up as 
a result of a project, supported by Enable Community Grants, to look at more creative ways of employment for 
a group of 10 learners.

The women have now set up a social enterprise capable of providing Somali food to order and are also hoping to get involved with more local markets.

The pioneers of Somali Soul Food talked me through some of the typical delicacies. Foods produced by the team include zigni, a traditional spicy meat or vegetable sauce made from a tomato base, with onions, garlic, coriander, mixed spice and chilli. There is also Somali tea, black tea combined with spices such as cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Sambusi is also popularly eaten; this is similar to an Indian Samosa but with hot spices, coriander and garlic. There is also baryaani - mixed rice and meat dishes.

Somali food seems similar in many ways to Indian, but far less commonly known in the UK.

Fardowsa Sahal said: “People know Indian food and Caribbean food, but no one knows about Somali food. We want to teach people what Somali food is about, we want to show more of our culture.”

She explains how anjeero is made, a commonly eaten bread made from yeast, plain flour, water and salt; just one Somali dish they hope to promote.

Roda Mohammed said: “I’m from the south, where people typically eat fish and spaghetti. I think Somali food could be as popular as Indian food is everywhere.”

Laney Holland, of the Livity Community, said: “This project was around long term unemployment and it had to be in this area (Spring Boroughs) which has high deprivation. We wanted to show people how to make food into an enterprise. Some women have four or five children and we know they can cook food for many people. We wanted to show them how to take what they are doing and use it.”

She continued: “They have their plans and people can order it now and they are available to attend day events and events like farmers’ markets. All the women have been through the food hygiene process and there is nothing stopping them.”
To contact Somali Soul Food, ring 07507 644763 or to find out more about the project, email somalisoulfood@live.com

Al-Yusra Restaurant right next to the Jamia Mosque in Nairobi.
[a personal favorite]

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Hamdi restaurant Nairobi

<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g294207-d2278665-Hamdi-Nairobi.html"><img alt="Photos of Hamdi, Nairobi" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/a6/84/ff/filename-imag1051-jpg.jpg"/></a><br/>This photo of <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g294207-d2278665-Reviews-Hamdi-Nairobi.html">Hamdi</a> is courtesy of TripAdvisor

<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g294207-d2278665-Hamdi-Nairobi.html"><img alt="Photos of Hamdi, Nairobi" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/a6/85/27/filename-imag1087-jpg.jpg"/></a><br/>This photo of <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g294207-d2278665-Reviews-Hamdi-Nairobi.html">Hamdi</a> is courtesy of TripAdvisor

It has good view of central Nairobi

Sample review

Had the pleasure of having a family lunch on 30th of October 2011. There was a power blackout in the general area. But still the waiter outdid himself with excellent & friendly service. And also advised us on the different Somali dishes available. It was a good experience & the portions were very generous.

Rabban are you in Nairobi? I always thought of you as a British citizen for some reason lol