Alafia West African Cuisine Beninese Restaurant — Restaurant in Tucson

I ate here a bit over a year ago and that would have been a 5-star review. I ate here again, after it reopened, and it was a disappointing meal for my companions.

It was awkward from the start trying to figure out where to sit because nobody greeted us. There’s a bare minimum of professionalism needed to run a restaurant and serve customers and Alafia doesn’t always seem to meet it.

The interior is small and the atmosphere could be improved with some upbeat West African music playing. Both times I’ve been here there’s no music.

I ordered the chicken with red sauce, and the others ordered the red beans and rice with chicken and chicken with peanut sauce. The menu says there are beef and lamb options but these were not available that day. Chicken it is.

The food was served in a strange way. The beans and rice were served and then the red sauce chicken. Then the chicken to go with the beans and rice was served a bit later. And the peanut sauce chicken which was ordered was forgotten about. Use a notepad to take down the order if you can’t remember. That person had to eat rice while she waited for her forgotten meal. Also ordered and forgotten, twice, was a hibiscus drink. Worth the wait though, it’s delicious.

When you get a chicken dish, it’s a hunk of chicken dunked in the fryer. I like it this way, but that might not be everyone’s favorite.

The chicken with red sauce is a solid choice. Tastes good and tastes even better with some of the house habanero sauce. I would come back for the red sauce chicken lunch special, which is now $7.99.

The peanut sauce was disgusting. It tasted like burnt oil, or like well used fryer oil mixed with peanuts. Probably not healthy either. It was picked at and the leftovers thrown away. Not sure if it’s like this all the time but I’d never order that.

The red beans and rice is simple but decent. The cooked onion and tomato mixture served with it is the best part.

I suspect a lot of leeway was given to this place by previous reviewers because of the cheap prices, but they’ve gone up now. I might stop by and get a lunch special but I would not bring people I...

I felt at home the second I walked into the place.

The inside feels like a combo Jerry Bob's, Nicos and a neighborhood dive bar, that has been assimilated by West African culture.

The place is clean and calm. It has counter seating, 2 Top seating and a long extended family table.

The food is really good. Not really good for what it is, but really good in absolute terms. If this exact same food was served in a fancy Fleming's Prime Steakhouse atmosphere, you would not think twice about paying twice as much for it.

The food is reasonably priced, with most items priced around $9.99. And, for that money you will probably have leftovers for lunch the next day.

I am not going to do a play-by-play of what we ordered as it all was better than expected. Order anything, it will be good.

The only item I want to showcase is the Ginger Drink. If you like doing hard liqueur shots, you should get this drink. If you don't like doing shots, skip this drink. It is non-alcoholic but it does remind me of carbonated high-proof tequila. A bottle of Southern Comfort is just lemonade with a restrictor valve to me. I was only able to finish 1/2 of a glass of the Ginger Drink. Be warned.

I already know that I am going back and what I am getting. Grilled lamb. The owner said just call ahead 1 hour...

Originally, my friend and I were going to go last Friday, December 3rd @ Noon. She was closed. My friend called two days earlier, & said she was open. Well, I made it today. I was glad I did. It's a one person operation. Her English is limited, but I made it with my schoolboy French. There was no menu, she came out and pointed to pictures of the dishes. There were no prices. The only place which cards are taken for payment, is by her card machine, which I liked, because you could provide tip and email yourself the receipt. I had a Spinach and Wild Rice dish with Cassava and a little hot sauce. The Cassava reminded me of a firmer mashed potato. I had fish with the dish, good be careful of bones. It's a hole in the wall with some other shops, with one called Spiritual Healing that stands out, along the row. There is parking in the back, with a handicapped spot on the side. Leaving and getting back on Swan, can be time consuming, depending on traffic.

I like the food and wish her luck. Not sure who her main audience is. If my friend hadn't told me, it would never have occurred to me to look for it.

I'm rooting for her. I would not plan to go there, but if in the area, definitely try it. I'll go again for the food and to...