ADUKE NIGERIAN CUISINE & CATERING SERVICES

LA Times Reviews a Surprise Nigerian Restaurant Hidden in Mid-City | Eater LA

"I visited a smallish Nigerian spot off Pico and La Cienega that felt both homey and communal. The restaurant, Aduke African Cuisine, is named for chef/owner Aduke Oluwafunmilayo Oyetibo, who moved to the U.S. six years ago and only opened the place in March; she mostly stays behind the stoves managing catering and cooking but will occasionally sweep through to greet guests — her smile could dissipate fog. The food is interesting and abundant in flavor, leading diners on a walking path through greens, spice, and a whole country’s worth of textures: from pounded yam (fufu) to the okra stew known as ila alasepo, and a leafy tumble called efo riro (Oyetibo adapts it with spinach and often pairs it with unsmoked white fish). I was directed toward eba (pounded cassava, delicate and peachy) or semo (semolina, milder and firmer) as matching swallows. The restaurant is meandering — dishes take their time to emerge — but that delay breeds friendliness among the 13 tables and a sense that community here matters as much as the jollof rice." - Farley Elliott