La Africana Cuisine — Restaurant in Ottawa

If you go through my reviews, I love supporting small businesses and trying new things. Having been here once, blacklisted. Very, very rare for me. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE.

I have been to 4 other places in Ottawa that sell suya and jollof. This is the first place to hang up on me without telling me the cost or how much time my order would take to prepare. My first time paying $27 including tax for a plate of jollof with less than 15% meat. Look at how tiny the portion is on camera. This wasn’t ordered through the apps. Wild work. $27 from any other restaurant on bank you’re stuffed.

Customer service? Non existent. I called to place a pick up order and the customer service was unhelpful at best and driving away new customers at worst. As a first time customer, it’s normal to ask questions like how long does the food take to prepare, or to ask what are the plate options. I almost didn’t order because I kept asking her can I get a jollof rice plate, and what meat options does it come with and the person on the phone responded with ok got it. I get it, most customers have probably been here before but for new customers who don’t know the restaurant, how are we supposed to know how it works?

Worst part? I double triple confirmed on the phone and they still got my order wrong. Literally verbally confirmed that I ordered a jollof rice plate with suya and when I show up for pickup 20 minutes later, still have to wait for them to fix my order. Not only did she not apologize, she turned it around and said that’s what I ordered. Should have recorded the call and the interaction. The beef suya is also so chewy (yes I know it’s not supposed to be tender but damn my jaw hurts). I actually liked the smoky jollof rice and coleslaw, so bumping the stars to two stars. I don’t claim to be an expert in suya and jollof, but I know what good food is supposed to taste like; $27 for the smallest portion of food, I had to buy a second lunch bc most of the beef was inedible.

I was really excited to have a new jollof and suya place in centretown near the offices but I will be telling everyone I know to avoid this place like the plague. Also food is way spicier than Canadian acceptable level which is great for me but if a public servant office workers order this, you should definitely give them a heads up about the spice.

TLDR: bad service and even...

I ordered the fried chicken and jollof rice. Overall, the experience was ok. I understand culturally some people prefer a smoky jollof but I found the smell of burnt smoke too much for me. I did like the type of rice that was used. It didn't appear to be parboiled rice but rather basmati. It was soft and not dry. Then, the fried chicken was the hard chicken. I was not aware that's what I would be ordering. The menu indicated that it's just fried chicken and didn't think I would need to ask as I assumed it would be regular chicken. So I found it dry and hard to eat. I personally do not like hard chicken as it does not retain flavor well and is just difficult to chew. It also felt overcooked. However, the plantain were ripe and tasty.

As for customer service, I asked if I could have half jollof rice and half fried rice, and I was informed that wasn't an option. I would urge the owner to consider allowing such an option to allow someone to taste the other options available for future reference. Additionally, i would recommend updating the physically menu prices. As it indicated that the jollof and fried chicken was 23.99 but the pay system charged 24.99 so with taxes was about $29. Which is a little high for just a drumstick

Reply to owners response: Thanks for your response! Yes, I did not read all the reviews prior to attending your establishment. I was just recommending that it be printed on your menu or staff mention it during the ordering process. As it's not feasible to read all comments before trying a new restaurant. If you read my review again I said I liked your rice. No need to change to par boiled. No problem with not wanting to mix. Just a recommendation as most food establishments allowing for flexibility. All the best with...

The fried chicken is way too dry, fried chicken ready 4 minutes after I ordered it, means not freshly cooked, probably microwaved to heat up. It is a fast food place. Looks like good portion and reasonable price, but way too dry, part of skin so tough can’t even be broken apart, some outer layer of chicken meat so dry tastes like jerky hard texture, even the meat near the bone is dry, would rather buy grocery store fried chicken for half the price.

UPDATE: To reply owner’s response, never called in advance, I simply noticed it is a new restaurant I never been to and walked in, that just shows how owner lies about it being fresh in his comment below. I changed my star from 3 star to 1 star because of your dishonest reply, instead of taking in my suggestion to make it not so dry, you just lie about it. I have been to many restaurants and eat many different kind chicken in different kind cuisine, for it to be fried or grilled, cooked my own chicken using organic chicken from store as well, never had such dry chicken. The way how it has different dryness at different places, I can tell it is reheated, not fresh, do not lie and mislead. If you say other people like it paper dry, that is their opinion and if you want to lose customer who do not want to break their teeth eating your dry chicken, be my guest. Do not lecture me on how chicken suppose to tastes and blame me ordering the wrong dry chicken. I am kind person who always finish the food, for me to not finish them, means they are too dry, it is either your leftover chicken or your chicken just too dry that day, it happens. whatever it is do not lie here and blame...