Who Wins The Jollof Wars? #SavorTheCulture Gets A Taste Of Senegal’s OG Recipe From Brooklyn’s Café Rue Dix
For #SavorTheCulture, Café Rue Dix enters the chat for Jollof Wars with a dish from where it all started in Senegal. NewsOne’s Deveen Taylor and BOSSIP’s Char Masona give us a look (and a taste) of the restaurant’s OG recipe.
The African diaspora loves a friendly bit of competition. When it comes to Jollof, everyone wants bragging rights about serving the best. Only one country can claim to be the originator of the beloved rice dish, and that’s Senegal.
If you want to try the original Jollof recipe, Café Rue Dix brings the authentic experience to Brooklyn. Deveen and Char went to the Crown Heights Café to try it in the Senegalese national dish, Thiebou Jen. Take a look at their tasty trip below.
Owner Nilea Alexander discussed how the restaurant represents the country’s fusion of French and West African flavors.
“There are a lot of French influences, the pastries, the beignets. All of that influence is there so it really is like being in Senegal, like being a part of Senegal,” she said.
As Deveen and Char dove into a plate of Thiebou Jen, they explained that they cook the rice with the protein of choice. The “Jen” in Thiebou Jen means “fish,” and they snapped with this red snapper that’s perfect for seafood lovers. Don’t fret if you’re fish-free because the menu offers plenty vegan options.
Does Senegal automatically win the Jollof wars? Café Rue Dix’s owner only admitted that they do a great job with it in Thiebou Jen. If you want to know how it compares to other countries’ diasporic deliciousness, like Ghana and Nigeria, you have to try it for yourself.
Either immerse yourself in a piece of Senegal in Crown Heights in person or have Café Rue Dix’s beignets and Jollof delivered to enjoy at home.
What do you think of this take on Jollof rice?