Africa Kine

Sometimes, suppa kandja (Soo-pah Con-dyah; $9) is a stew that stands up on rice, but given the consistency of the okra-and-palm-oil sauce, this restaurant's version was fairly described by my waitress as "okra soup."

True, it did contain sizable chunks of fish and fatty lamb on the bone. My dessert that day, thiakry (Chak-ree; $3), millet couscous in something like sweetened yogurt, had a one-note pineapple flavor. (The impression was not improved by how it arrived at my table, in a sealed plastic container.)

Africa Kine's default version of thiebu djeun (Cheh-boo-Jen; $9), the Senegalese national dish, is this "rouge" style, tinged with tomatoes; their tomato-free style, which I prefer, gives greater play to the underlying fish stock. Whichever you choose, you'll get your vegetables — here, habanero and red bell peppers, carrots, cabbage, cassava (or perhaps yam), and okra, plus couscous and chunks of lamb and fish.

The dining room, upstairs, is brighter and more refined than that of many other African restaurants in the neighborhood.

Africa Kine
256 West 116th St. (Frederick Douglas-Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvds.)
212-666-9400
www.africakine.com

Comments

[msadinah]

My boyfriend went this afternoon for the first time. I am Caribbean American and he is African American. From the moment we stepped into the dining room, we felt unwelcomed. No one greeted us, and the waitress was SLOW to arrive (because she was too busy talking and rolling silverware). When she did arrive, she says "order- what do you want to order." No smile or anything. We knew to expect slow service, but she was rude and cold as well. Although there were only 12 people there, service was absolutely terrible. We came in before the Hispanic family, (european) French family, and interracial family. We ordered before 2 of the three families, but were served last. Served 15 minutes after the last family to arrive, which was almost an hour after we sat down. While my boyfriend and I were wondering where our food was,our waitress sat down with her back facing up and proceeded to eat her own meal. After watching her eat for about 10 minutes, we got up to leave and another waitress assured us our food was on its way. We did NOT order complicated meals: shrimp and chicken skewers. So why were we ignored until the food arrived and served last? There were only 2 of us, compared to the non-black families of three and four that were served with kindness before us.