Nabaya (Formerly Baté), Assaita Kaba's West African at Melrose Avenue and E. 160th Street - Melrose

[manolands]

Soooooo yesterday I tried this very new, as I understand it, West African resto. The Bronx yet again proves it's a mecca of West African cuisine. I was thinking about where to go yesterday, unlike DC I find myself OVERWHELMED IN NYC. SOOOOO many great places I almost could full time food grind and still not touch all the beauty. Anyway I digress. This restaurant was on my list as one of my sources had been there then I had read in the Times about it so I was sold that I needed to go try it. Usually when two or three good sources say go I make it happen. I would describe this as pan West African food particularly francophone West African. They sorta have a menu but these are more ideas then what they have. Go in and just say "what do you have today" was the sense my sources seemed to push and the sense I got as well. I got the dibi (roasted meat) and the attieke (Ivoire cassava thing sorta of the couscous variety). The dibi was quite nice but made no exceptions for the non West African palate. It was bony and you really had to get in there with your hands to make the magic happen. Even more of an ode to authenticity was the Maggi powder for the attieke. Maggi is an Indian brand that makes the famous Maggi noodles which are a big deal in India and elsewhere (well maybe less so then they were since the lead scandal which you can look up on zee googsss). The Dibi had a nice flavor and really tasted how I imagine it tastes at one of the countless dibieries (def butchered that spelling) in Dakar. Food overall was quite nice but this is not the place you bring a first timer in my opinion. Bring only seasoned eaters of West African cuisine. I do feel the stew looked even better then the Dibi actually so next time I have to get that and also the fish looked quite nice as well. OHHHHH BUT LETS NOT FORGET THE THIAKRY. This thiakry was really good. If you haven't had thiakry it is a sweet yogurt from the region made with couscous. It had the perfect hint of sweetness and an almost flowery accompanying taste. DO NOT GO AND NOT GET THE THIAKRY. 

[DonRocks]

21 hours ago, manolands said:

This restaurant was on my list as one of my sources had been there then I had read in the Times about it so I was sold that I needed to go try it. Usually when two or three good sources say go I make it happen. 

"West Africa Enlivens the South Bronx, at Nabaya" by Ligaya Mishan on nytimes.com