2032 Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Introduction
African Eats Cuisine is a local, family-owned establishment that serves delicious Nigerian and West African cuisine. It is located on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill South, just a quick bus ride from Pitt’s campus!
Owner
Dr. Saudat Lawal was a ray of sunshine from the moment we walked through the door. She personally guided us through the menu, explaining all of the options to us with great detail. Not only was she quick with a joke and a laugh, but she was also incredibly hardworking. As the lunch rush came through, she gave undivided attention to all the customers as they came in while assisting her sister in the kitchen. You can tell how passionate she is!
Restaurant
The restaurant was very vibrant and brightly lit, which made me feel welcomed right away. The massive TV screens displayed music videos and rotated through pictures of the menu, so you could see all the different choices available as you were deciding on what you wanted to try. Overall, the vivid colors throughout the restaurant added to the friendliness of the place.
The Food
Jackie: I decided to step outside of my comfort zone for this trip. The “safest” item I picked was the Chapman. It was a delicious citrus fruit drink that was incredibly refreshing. As an appetizer, I ordered Asun. Dr. Saudat warned us that this was one of the spiciest dishes on the menu, and she was NOT wrong. Although very spicy, it was incredibly flavorful and was my favorite food from the trip! For my main course, I ordered Eforiro and Fufu. Eforiro is a spinach stew, and fufu is the vessel you are supposed to eat it with. Eating with your hands was a very authentic dining experience, and the stew had flavors I had never tasted before. Overall, the food was authentic and fantastic!
Karen: The Chapman drink was not only a beautiful pink and purple color, but really delicious. The taste of grapefruit that lingered at the end of each sip was a flavor that I have never had before. For my main entree, I was glad that I gave into Dr. Saudat’s recommendation to order the jollof rice in addition to my choice of the dodo stir fry. The two paired together were extremely flavorful, and the plantains from the dodo stir fry tasted very good with the jollof rice. This meal was definitely one of the most striking spices and flavors that I have ever tasted!
Deandra: The food was absolutely delicious. For an appetizer, I had puff puff and suya, per Dr. Saudat’s recommendation. The puff puff was a dense and soft doughnut hole with ample sweetness that tamed the spices on the thin strips of beef. For my main dish, I had fufu with egusi. The fufu was so warm and round! I could not resist rubbing it on my cheeks (it came wrapped in plastic wrap). It paired well with the egusi, which is a melon soup with smoked meat. And the Chapman! It was an incredibly refreshing and fruity drink that I had to stop myself from finishing immediately. Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience and I would love to go back there again.
Conclusions
Dr. Saudat Lawal’s passion for food is shown not only through the food itself, but also through the way she treats her customers. You can tell by the way she energetically explained each dish to us that she genuinely enjoys what she does and loves seeing her culture spread and enjoyed by everyone. From the decor of the restaurant, to the delicious food served, Dr. Saudat Lawal truly creates a great experience for anyone, whether it is their first time at her restaurant or if they are repeat customers. It was truly a joy to eat at African Eats Cuisine.
African Eats Cuisine is a local, family-owned establishment that serves delicious Nigerian and West African cuisine. It is located on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill South, just a quick bus ride from Pitt’s campus!
Owner
Dr. Saudat Lawal was a ray of sunshine from the moment we walked through the door. She personally guided us through the menu, explaining all of the options to us with great detail. Not only was she quick with a joke and a laugh, but she was also incredibly hardworking. As the lunch rush came through, she gave undivided attention to all the customers as they came in while assisting her sister in the kitchen. You can tell how passionate she is!
Restaurant
The restaurant was very vibrant and brightly lit, which made me feel welcomed right away. The massive TV screens displayed music videos and rotated through pictures of the menu, so you could see all the different choices available as you were deciding on what you wanted to try. Overall, the vivid colors throughout the restaurant added to the friendliness of the place.
The Food
Jackie: I decided to step outside of my comfort zone for this trip. The “safest” item I picked was the Chapman. It was a delicious citrus fruit drink that was incredibly refreshing. As an appetizer, I ordered Asun. Dr. Saudat warned us that this was one of the spiciest dishes on the menu, and she was NOT wrong. Although very spicy, it was incredibly flavorful and was my favorite food from the trip! For my main course, I ordered Eforiro and Fufu. Eforiro is a spinach stew, and fufu is the vessel you are supposed to eat it with. Eating with your hands was a very authentic dining experience, and the stew had flavors I had never tasted before. Overall, the food was authentic and fantastic!
Karen: The Chapman drink was not only a beautiful pink and purple color, but really delicious. The taste of grapefruit that lingered at the end of each sip was a flavor that I have never had before. For my main entree, I was glad that I gave into Dr. Saudat’s recommendation to order the jollof rice in addition to my choice of the dodo stir fry. The two paired together were extremely flavorful, and the plantains from the dodo stir fry tasted very good with the jollof rice. This meal was definitely one of the most striking spices and flavors that I have ever tasted!
Deandra: The food was absolutely delicious. For an appetizer, I had puff puff and suya, per Dr. Saudat’s recommendation. The puff puff was a dense and soft doughnut hole with ample sweetness that tamed the spices on the thin strips of beef. For my main dish, I had fufu with egusi. The fufu was so warm and round! I could not resist rubbing it on my cheeks (it came wrapped in plastic wrap). It paired well with the egusi, which is a melon soup with smoked meat. And the Chapman! It was an incredibly refreshing and fruity drink that I had to stop myself from finishing immediately. Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience and I would love to go back there again.
Conclusions
Dr. Saudat Lawal’s passion for food is shown not only through the food itself, but also through the way she treats her customers. You can tell by the way she energetically explained each dish to us that she genuinely enjoys what she does and loves seeing her culture spread and enjoyed by everyone. From the decor of the restaurant, to the delicious food served, Dr. Saudat Lawal truly creates a great experience for anyone, whether it is their first time at her restaurant or if they are repeat customers. It was truly a joy to eat at African Eats Cuisine.