YPSILANTI – Ypsilanti’s latest restaurant brings a novel style of West Africa to Cross Road.
Newlyweds Kenisha Warford-Diallo and Ismael Diallo opened Bon Appetit Delicacies in July, bringing her Ypsi roots and hospitality and his cooking abilities and Ghanian ancestry collectively to introduce a brand new and distinctive menu of dishes from nations like Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
The flags of these West African nations line the partitions of the renovated restaurant, which was dwelling to Golden Wall earlier than it closed final September. Every nation’s conventional meals are represented on the menu, with Ismael’s mom Marima Kaba, who immigrated to the U.S. from Guinea, crafting many of the recipes and the restaurant’s signature dressing.
Clients acquainted with African delicacies will instantly acknowledge fried plantains – a Senegalese custom – in addition to Jollof rice, a staple all through West African cooking. Entrees embrace Dibi – tender lamb shoulder that’s grilled and served on the bone – in addition to kabob, an African-style jerk rooster and even a fish entrée that includes complete grilled tilapia or pink snapper served with African spices and Yassa – an African caramelized onion sauce.
As the town’s first West African restaurant, the couple wished to craft the menu and the genuine cooking behind it to carry a completely new delicacies to Ypsilanti.
“I feel persons are simply actually excited to have one thing completely different, particularly because the pandemic,” Kenisha stated. “Then once they are available, they’ve an ideal expertise and the meals is nice… that’s why we’re rising fairly quick.”
The restaurant additionally serves refreshing house-made juices constituted of pressed, spiced ginger, in addition to Bissap – a hibiscus punch.
For the reason that grand opening, Kenisha has added a vegetarian bowl dish that’s proved extremely popular, in addition to a pupil menu geared towards Japanese Michigan College college students on the lookout for lower-cost meals on-the-go.
Earlier than the restaurant’s smooth opening in June, the couple hosted a free neighborhood barbecue on the finish of Ramadan – a convention they plan on persevering with annually and simply one of many methods they plan on giving again to the neighborhood as “ambassadors” of West African meals.
“We’re for the neighborhood – we’re right here to remain,” Ismael Diallo stated. “Our door’s open to everyone.”
Bon Appetit Delicacies, 421 W. Cross St., is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Name 734-221-5525 or place an order online for pickup or supply by way of DoorDash.
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