Mayowa Nigerian Cuisine — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I ordered the Jollof rice, plantains and protein plate for $30. I chose the chicken for my protein. I placed my order On Wednesday, July 23 During lunchtime.

I did not take a Picture of my order I apologize for that.

My food arrived in An insulated container to ensure it was still warm, I appreciate that.

The portion of Jollof was quite large. I appreciated that.

However, the Jollof was underwhelming. It had a good color. It was obvious it was a tomato based rice, and there was oil used, however that appeared to be the extent of the ingredients. There was little to no flavor to my food. It tasted as if not one bit of pepper was used. I understand if you skip the scotch bonnet or even don’t go with a habanero but my God in heaven, why was there nothing, no flavor, no pepper no taste of Africa.

I expect there to be flavor differences between a Ghanaian or Nigerian Jollof, But this tasted more like a grocery store, Spanish rice than a west African staple.

I believe yesterday was a bad day for this place so I am leaving five stars because I feel the potential is there, I believe energy Exerted in preparing the food was there I just can’t ignore that the flavor was Nonexistent. I will try the restaurant again in 30 days. I pray to God in that time. Pepper finds This restaurant. I pray flavor finds This restaurant ooo.

I almost forgot I purchased a bottle of Zobo…. Sssk It too lacked flavor.

Abeg to the owners to revisit your...

My friends and I were working for six hours straight at a studio nearby and we were starving. Mayowa was around the corner and we’ve never had Nigerian food before so we excited ordered the Suya wrap and the jollof, plantain, & protein combo (we picked chicken).

The wrap was good, but the star of that order were the sweet potatoes that came with it. They were a bit firmer than regular sweet potatoes and came with a delicious spicy sauce that was perfect on every item.

The jollof rice was our favorite. It was rich and seasoned to perfect, with each bite of onion and bell pepper bursting with flavor. Wasn’t too salty either despite having so much flavor! The plantains had a mild taste and wonderful texture (which paired great with the sweet potato sauce). The chicken was good, a little bit dry but still very enjoyable with the rest of the dish.

When we picked up our order, the gentleman handing our order greeted us with a smile. He also included two hibiscus drinks on the house (most likely due to the extreme heat and humidity) which was greatly appreciated! They tasted wonderful—lightly sweetened with a soft tartness that chased each sip.

We would definitely return to try...

This was my very first time trying Nigerian food, and I have to say it was such a fun experience! The restaurant offers take out and delivery, and the owner was super welcoming and understanding that I was new to the cuisine. He even gave me small samples to try, which I really appreciated.

To be honest, there were a couple of dishes that weren’t exactly my taste, but that’s part of the fun of exploring something new. My absolute favorite was the Egusi soup with fufu—I loved the tradition of using the fufu as a spoon (even though it was hot on my fingers, it was worth it!). My spouse really enjoyed the plantains with rice and fish, which ended up being their favorite.

The best part was that the food didn’t leave me feeling bloated or tired afterward—it was filling but still light and energizing.

Overall, my spouse and I had a blast and left full and happy. I’ve never written a Google review before, but this experience definitely deserves one. Highly recommend if you want to try something new...