Somali cuisine near you!

[Qalanjo]

Originally Posted by Constantine MMX

I have been to this restaurant million times.

[Xusein]

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!

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

[daahir]

Originally Posted by Xusein

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!

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

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

[Constantine MMX]

Originally Posted by Xusein

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!

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.

[Xusein]

Originally Posted by daahir

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.

[Constantine MMX]

Sambuza Village :Somali eatery serves tasty meats, savoury pastries.

BY BRUCE DEACHMAN, OTTAWA CITIZEN
Monday, May 21, 2012



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

[bayviews]

Originally Posted by Constantine MMX

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.

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.

[dalfac]

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 (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.

[Xusein]

^ Are there a lot of Somalis in LA?

Originally Posted by bayviews

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.

[dalfac]

Originally Posted by Xusein

^ 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.

[Constantine MMX]

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

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

Chicken Suqaar


A Somali steak sandwich

[Constantine MMX]

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.



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.

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

[Xusein]

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

[pulchritudinous12]

Hakuna Matata
Edmonton, AB
9411 118th Avenue




image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[pulchritudinous12]

Jubba Restaurant
San Jose, CA
5330 Terner Way



image hosted on flickr

[Rabban Al Xaawi]

Somali food is about to get popular across Northamptonshire


Northhampton Chronicle
Wednesday, April 10, 2013




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

[Rabban Al Xaawi]

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

[Rabban Al Xaawi]

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.

[ModernNomad01]

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