"This Ivorian restaurant on 117th Street, in the shadow of the elevated Metro North tracks, serves some incredible West African food in a casual setting. The place is pared down, with steel high-top tables, red brick walls and musical instruments strung up at random, but the dishes are prepared with a lot of care. While we especially like the kedjenou with guinea fowl, all of the stews are layered with complex flavors like chile, black pepper or smoked fish. A gooey ball of plakali complements them perfectly. Also order a side of alloco—sweet plantains, chopped small, with a spicy red sauce. The whole menu is worth exploring, and it’s a good option for takeout or a weeknight meal. " - neha talreja, sonal shah, hannah albertine