Where To Get Your Hands On The Traditional West African Fufu Taking Over TikTok
Is it just me, or are we finally getting a little more adventurous with food trends? First, birria tacos started taking over the Mexican scene, now everyone is trying to hunt down the common West African (and Caribbean) side dish, fufu (or foo-foo).
To be honest, I think we owe TikTok a lot of thanks for broadening our dining horizons, and as a result adding more options to our Aussie restaurants.
If you’ve never heard of fufu before, it looks like a ball of dough, but apparently tastes either sour, bland, or tart depending on the specific ingredients used. Apparently it’s always made with a mashed up root vegetable, but beyond that there are many different types of fufu — so maybe go try a bunch of them?
It’s not something you eat on it’s own, but rather to mop up an African soup — which I’ve been told are much bolder flavours than what the Western World considers a soup.
I’m very into the fact fufu is all about using your hands, although depending on what #fufuchallenge TikTok video you watch, the method of eating it varies a little. Here’s a good one to prepare your style before giving it a go.
Using our best investigative journalist skills, we’ve rounded up restaurants around Australia that are serving fufu (and come highly recommended, because no one wants bad fufu).
Sydney
#1 El-Shaddai African Cuisine, Guildford
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Let’s start with the one my Nigerian friend said this is the only African restaurant in Sydney he goes to all the time, because that’s the best review I can give you.
Opened by Joseph Koroma, who arrived in Australia from Sierra Leone as a refugee in 2001, expect fufu and other West African food staples like okra stew, egusi (a stew made from melon seeds, cassava leaves and fatty meat) and kankankan (spiced lamb or goat skewers cooked over a barbeque).
#2 Little Lagos Bistro & Bar, Newtown
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As the name suggest, Little Lagos specialises specifically in Nigerian cuisine. Which means fufu of course, but also dishes like goat stew, jollof rice and fried plantain. Starting life as a pop-up inside the popular Earl’s Juke Joint, they’ve had their own shop front for a while now.
#3 African Feeling Restaurant, Lewisham
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Ghana-born chef, Hudu Alhassan, has created a menu “inspired by traditions and recipes from all over the African continent” at this Inner West restaurant. Located inside the Louis Hotel, they also have live reggae every Sunday, so what isn’t to love?
Melbourne
#1 African Taste Cafe, Seddon
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This very popular Ethiopian restaurant does have fufu on the menu, but serves it up as more of a gnocchi-style dish with an African twist. Given the number of stars is has on Zomato, Menulog and TripAdvsior, I’d say whatever they’re doing is working.
Adelaide
#1 OzAfrican Delights Cafe
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Specialising in West African food, this highly rated and very cute cafe serves up all sorts of traditional stews — like goat, spinach (ugali) and beef, alongside jollof rice, egusi soup and of course, fufu to eat it with.
#2 Mama Rashidas African Cuisine, Smithfield Plains
This is mama rashida, the owner and chef of Mama Rashidas African Cuisine. Rashida has lived in Adelaide for the past 19…
Posted by Mama Rashidas African Cuisine on Thursday, June 11, 2020
As the name suggests, the owner and chef of these restaurant is Mama Rashida herself. She’s lived in Adelaide for the 19 years, working to become a chef and focusing her restaurant on a variety of dishes from Sierra Leone dishes, including fufu. Her cooking has been in high demand around the country, so go find out why.
Brisbane
#1 Mama Nitiliye The Taste Of African Food, Goodna
Here you’ll find traditional dishes from all over Africa, which very much includes fufu. Expect meals like jollof rice, grilled fish, kasava leaf soup, African yogurt and more.
Hobart
#1 African and Middle Eastern Shop, Moonah
They haven’t got much of an online presence so you’ll have to pop in store, however the Google reviews are glowing and a traditional food directory put together by the Tasmanian Government lists fufu among the food items you can buy here.
Perth
#1 Aseda Lunch Bar, Balcatta
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This is the place in Perth for all your West African cravings, including fufu. You can order online, pop in for your own meal, or use them for your catering needs.
(Lead Image: Instagram / @thefoodstriker)
