(This venue has moved from Manhattan to Hackensack, New Jersey.) One proprietor of this recently relaunched storefront comes from Ghana, the other, from Nigeria. No surprise that they serve the squash-seed sauce called egusi, which is common to both countries. But I wouldn't have thought to take it with ugali, a pale pillow of maize flour often mixed with cassava, and that I've long associated with Kenya. (Sometimes the texture is not so pillowy.)
I've since learned that ugali, or a close relative, is also served in both Ghana and Nigeria, but under different names. Perhaps Voilà Afrique has retained the Kenyan moniker so that the chapati (temporarily 86'ed) won't feel lonely. As for the egusi, which I dressed with a tomato stew, it took on wondrous depth from smoked cod. The greens? Collard greens. H/T Dan Bukit Voilà Afrique
844 Second Ave. (entrance on East 45th St.), Manhattan
www.Facebook.com/Voila-Afrique-100328028261844
Weekdays only