Las Vegas seems to have limited experience with African cuisine, mostly Ethiopian and Nigerian with some dabbling of Caribbean and Jamaican. But I have no experience, which only heightened my excitement to eat everything at the three-month-old Calabash African Kitchen, located in a quiet strip mall at Rainbow and Oakey.
Calabash creator Oulay Ceesay Fisher hails from Gambia, the tiny country beneath Senegal on the western coast. Her food focuses on the spices and traditions of that region, bringing something new to Vegas, yet the restaurant and cuisine are completely approachable and absolutely welcoming.
The airy, bright space is a refreshing retreat when seeking refuge from sweltering concrete stretches in this neighborhood. Have a seat at the bar for an icy Red Stripe, non-alcoholic Malta Goya or Senegambia iced tea with pineapple and lime juices. Once adequately cooled, dig into a menu of hearty, powerfully spiced dishes that should easily satisfy vegetarian or meat eaters alike.
It’s hard to resist ordering all the appetizers. Fataya pies ($6)—empanada-style turnovers with your choice of beef, chicken, seafood or vegetable fillings—come with a smooth, bright orange chili sauce for dipping. The spicy onion sauce accompanying the akara ($10) black-eyed pea fritters is equally delicious, and the fritters themselves are addictive. Sweet fried plantains ($7), chicken wings ($13) or olehleh “tamales” ($7) filled with smoked fish, shrimp, eggplant and other veggies are among other standout starters. Is Calabash the type of place where you could bring a couple friends and make a meal out of these appetizers? Absolutely. Do it.
Someone should also order the jollof rice ($20-$22), one of the most celebrated West African dishes. At Calabash, it’s dark brown and semi-crisp, saturated with spices and served with chicken, lamb or fish. The veggie option comes with plantains, a perfectly sweet contrast to the savory rice.
Though it might seem like a cold-weather favorite, I started my journey with kanja ($21), a fantastically rich okra stew laced with lamb, smoked fish and palm oil, and served with rice, fufu (a doughy starch made with yams) or fonio (a nutty flavored grain). I’ll definitely order it again, after I work my way through grilled dishes like chicken yassa ($20); lamb chops ($27) marinated in garlic, mustard and lemon; the street food dish of marinated meats with pickles known as debi afra ($20); and the whole fried fish attieke ($22), served with fermented cassava couscous and onion confit.
Culinary curiosity is always rewarding, and here in Las Vegas, we’re lucky to have an ever-increasing supply of something different.
CALABASH AFRICAN KITCHEN 1750 S. Rainbow Blvd. #8, 702-331-6440, calabashafricankitchen.com. Tuesday-Sunday, noon-8:30 p.m.
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