Tasting the Menu at Choukoya Resto Bar

On March 28, 2021 Choukoya Resto Bar held (what I believe was) their first menu tasting event.  To start, let’s consider the venue.  Choukoya has a beautiful laid back setting, from the dim lighting to the Afro-Centric paintings, beautiful décor, comfortable chairs, mirrored walls, and an acoustic system and stage allowing for both DJ’s and live music.  Upon arrival the staff was not quite ready to begin the tasting, however they did inform the tasters that there were staffing issues however they event would continue, with the owner manning the serving tables and explaining the dishes himself.  Soon after the DJ began playing music until the band, Tribe of Eli, was ready to play.  The first appetizer was toast with a delicious garlic sauce.  It was very nice; however I was unable to catch the name.  Then we were brought a sample of the Pomme Lyonnaise.  The potatoes were nicely fried however; I and my table mates couldn’t help remarking that they were missing salt, or perhaps would be very nicely paired with the sauce that accompanied the toast.  Then (after a wait) several appetizers were brought out and served buffet style.  Unfortunately a few appetizers ran out towards the end of the line, however management and staff made and brought fresh ones to the table and they were tasty.  The appetizers consisted of sweet potato fries, meat pies, fried plantains, salad, and African Doughnuts.  The various fried fries and salad were fine but standard and the African Doughnut is reminiscent of a very crisp, slightly lest sweet beignet, the plantains were nice with thick slicing that left the sweetness and texture intact.  The over arching star of the appetizers were the meat pies, which are similar to Jamaican meat pies, yet are unique due to African seasonings with the noted flavor of lotus beans (Choukoya also offers a vegetable version of the pies if you prefer not to eat meat).  Shortly after we were served the Riz Mosaique and Jollof rices, well seasoned chicken wings (Poulet Roti), Fruit De Muir (?),  fufu, and the sauces consisting of eguissi, peanut, and feuille.  Each rice dish was fine yet very standard but would probably be greatly improved with the juices of your main dish poured over it; the chicken wings were seasoned, juicy, and delicious, and the Fruit De Muir(?) was a delicious, slightly sweet coconut milk based sauce with seafood and veggies.  For those that have never had the pleasure of eating fufu, fufu is a soft ball of pounded cassava that is very much like a stiff ball of mashed potato making it a perfect conductor for sauce to mouth.  The peanut sauce tastes very similar to very smooth, freshly ground peanut butter which could pair well with rice, egussi is a flavor bomb which I can only describe as Africa, and the feuille was a surprising and refreshing blend of spinach and collard greens that maintains is fresh green taste in spite of being well stewed.  After the buffet service of the rice and sauces, the owner and event organizer came to tables with red snapper, tilapia, two types of lamb, and steak.  The fish was very well fried and well seasoned due to marinating prior to cooking.  The various meats were tender and well seasoned, a bit fatty (which I prefer because fat keeps meat juicy and enhances the flavor), and all around delicious.  I left the event happy, well fed, and (most importantly) informed of the flavors of Choukoya making it easier to try something new at a new favorite place.