A combination vegetarian and meat entree is photographed at Barcote Ethiopian restaurant in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. (D. Ross Cameron/Bay Area News Group)
Fataya. Egusi. Suqaar. Popular dishes from three different African countries. While they may not be as familiar or as widely available in the Bay Area as Moroccan tagine or Ethiopian doro wat, with a bit of exploration you can find these Senegalese, Nigerian and Somali dishes and others from the massive, multicultural continent. Here are five restaurants from San Jose to Pleasant Hill to get you started.
Golden Safari, Hayward
This West African restaurant has been serving up Nigerian specialties to the East Bay since 2017. Helmed by a second-generation restaurateur from Lagos, Golden Safari specializes in traditional soups ($16), including egusi and ogbono, made with ground African mango seed, peppers and palm oil, as well as spicy jollof rice with beans ($12) and crowd-pleasing chargrilled chicken suya ($12). Don’t forget the puff puff, sweet and soft yeasted dough balls. Details: 22431 Foothill Blvd., Hayward; https://goldensafari.net
Barcote Ethiopian Restaurant, Oakland
Combo plates are the star at this family-owned restaurant, which sits in the middle of the East Bay’s Ethiopian cuisine corridor that stretches from Uptown Oakland to Berkeley. Standouts include Siga Alicha ($13.95), tender beef cooked with onions, garlic and ginger in a tangy turmeric sauce, and Doro Wot ($15.95), chicken on the bone, cooked with berbere sauce — spicy with chili powder, says our critic — and served with hard-boiled egg. Don’t miss veggie options and two types of Ethiopian honey wine. Details: 6430 Telegraph Ave., Oakland; http://barcote.com
Jubba Restaurant, San Jose
The Bay Area’s only Somali restaurant, Jubba is tucked behind the VTA light rail parking lot in San Jose’s Blossom Valley neighborhood. Known for its generous “sports plates” for two ($35), Jubba is a popular spot to get your fix of juicy chicken suqaar ($18) with onions, veggies and spices, and roasted goat cutlet with basmati rice. Don’t miss the No. 1 selling sambusas or the Jubba wraps — marinated and grilled chicken, beef or tilapia with veggies wrapped in fresh-baked chapatti ($11-$12) — which are great on the go. Details: 5330 Terner Way, Suite 40, San Jose.
El Morocco, Pleasant Hill
Open since 1977, this family-owned Moroccan restaurant claims to be one of the first in California. We can’t confirm, but we can say the menu is legit. A full dinner with entree — say, braised chicken tagine with preserved lemon — will run you $45 and comes with lentil soup, Magreb salad and bastilla, a North African meat pie. Oh, mint tea and baklava are included in that stellar deal. El Morocco has Moroccan wines and lager, too. Details: 2203 Morello Ave., Pleasant Hill; www.elmoroccorestaurant.com
The Damel, Richmond
Bay Area empanada aficionados are familiar with this Oakland and Richmond restaurant’s wide selection of meat and non-meat hand pies. But chef-owner Oumar Diouf also offers the diri plates and sandwiches of his native Senegal. The plates ($14.50), available with halal grilled lamb chops, boneless chicken or mixed vegetables, come with sauteed onions and artisanal mustard. One deep-fried empanada — The Fataya, stuffed with chili-flecked shrimp, tuna, garlic, onion and tomato — is a popular street food in Dakar. Details: 25 W. Richmond Ave., Richmond, and 1312 Broadway Ave., Oakland; www.thedamel.com
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