Most Delicious Top African Restaurant, Hamilton, ON
African cuisine is the latest trend hitting mainstream menus. The continent of Africa has always been filled with high-quality, flavor-rich food. As people are looking to expand their palate and dining experiences so has an appreciation for African cuisine. Not only is African food mouth-wateringly delicious but it’s also healthy.
Africa is a huge place and the food is as diverse as the land. Even if you look at a small country in Africa, within that small country you still have multiple cultures and regions. The diversity is countless. In West Africa, you have jollof rice, in Central Africa, you have more starchy food like cassava and plantain.
Most people start trying African cuisine because it’s filled with vegetables and grains and packed with intense flavor. People see African food as home cooking and that’s where the trends are leading right now. Trends aside when people take their first they’re hooked. True African cuisine is more than just taste though, it’s also about education. African food tells a story of a culture and its society.
African Cuisine
African cuisine is made up of local fruits, grains, milk, and meat. Now eating habits vary by region. Milk may be a staple in one region but not another due to diseases in cattle. Grains are a staple in East Africa, while Central Africa loves meat so much that they also go out and hunt to look for different types of meat.
North Africa: Think Morrocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia. They are more grain-oriented like couscous. You will also see a lot of olives and olive oil in their cooking along with saffron, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Foods that define North Africa are tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes, and chili peppers.
East Africa: East Africa is not big on meat. They rely on grains and vegetables. They use saffron, cloves, and cinnamon. Foods often used in East African cooking are oranges, limes, lemons, chili peppers, corn, tomatoes, and pineapple.
Central Africa: Staple foods are cassava and plantain. Although all meat is hunted other staples you can find are okra and chili.
West Africa: West Africans love their starchy and fatty foods along with a lot of spices. If they do eat red meat it’s typically goat and they love their seafood. Palm wine is a beverage enjoyed by West Africans and can either be sweet or sour.
South Africa: This cuisine has multiple influences attached to it. Seafood, vegetables, and grain are a big part of their diet. Staple foods are mangoes, papayas, and bananas. Fresh fruit is usually the dessert of choice.
If you’re wanting to experience true authentic African cuisine and culture then you have to experience the best African restaurant Hamilton has to offer, Afrolicious! From the moment you step in the door, it’s like you’ve time-traveled back to the motherland. The atmosphere is so warm and inviting and the smells from the kitchen will knock you off your feet. If you’re looking for a place to chill after work on a Friday night you can also find some sweet Afro beats going on by one of their local DJs. You’ve got to eat here!