Co-owned by Congolese immigrants Memoire Budimbu Mabiza and Lisette Mbaki, the brand new restaurant Mama’s African Kitchen by Best of Africa Food Store is open for dine in. The restaurant shares an entrance with the African grocery. Just turn to the left to enter the restaurant.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Mama’s African Kitchen offers main dishes like beef kabobs, grilled pork, goat stew, fried turkey, seasoned chicken, a variety of fish dishes, and even desserts like mikate, West African deep-fried dough balls. Check out the full menu here.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
The restaurant offers a weekend buffet in addition to the menu of mains and side dishes by Chez Lisa Loboko.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
I went on Saturday to try the buffet ($25). The buffet was served in a small room just off the dining room. There were African dishes in hot pans and balls of fufu, a doughy swallow food, stacked on a side table.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
I put a little of everything on my plate: makayabu, egusi soup, fried rice, chicken wings, pondu madesu, and a crispy roll.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
I also picked up one of the individually wrapped fufu. The fufu was warm, pillowy soft, and easy to tear for scooping up food.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
The rice was excellent: flavorful and spicy. The makayabu, or fried salt fish, was tender, flaky, and wonderfully salty bone-in fish. I liked the saucy garlic seasoning on the chicken wings and the additions of softened onions and bell peppers. The pinto beans in the pondu madesu added a nice texture to the earthy chopped cassava leaves. The thick egusi soup had ground egusi melon seeds, onions, and diced goat on the bone. I’m not sure the name of the fried roll, but it had paper-thin crispy layers wrapped around a beef filling. The crispy outside was perfectly fried, but I wasn’t a big fan of the taste of the filling.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Mama’s African Kitchen has a great ambiance. I liked the aesthetic of the restaurant’s decor and the music videos playing. The staff were friendly and quick to point out what each dish was when diners came to the buffet.
While I was there, several diners ordered from the menu and received their orders quickly. I watched two diners laugh when the server brought silverware to their table, and the server returned with a giant bowl of water, which the diners used to wash their hands. If you want to eat sans silverware, Mama’s African Kitchen is prepared to accommodate.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
No reservations are needed. Takeout is available as well.
I will say that the buffet was advertised to begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday, but it was about 4 p.m. before the buffet was ready. This was the very first weekend buffet, so obviously the restaurant is still working on the timing. Those who ordered off the menu received their dishes pretty quickly. Next time I go, I will probably order from the menu or aim for a later arrival time for the buffet.
If you’re looking for a new place to eat, Mama’s African Kitchen offers a variety of African dishes in a comfortable restaurant right beside Best of Africa Food Store.
Mama’s African Kitchen
208 W Griggs St
Urbana
M-Th 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
F+Su noon to midnight
Top image by Alyssa Buckley.
