By Laura Onyeneho
From – https://defendernetwork.com/
Reprinted – by Texas Metro News
In its ninth year, Black Restaurant Week has become a beloved tradition in the Houston food scene. Under the theme “More Than Just a Week,” this year’s event aims to showcase the talents of African American, African, Afro-Latino and Caribbean chefs, restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs from March 31 to April 14.
Since its inception, Black Restaurant Week has provided invaluable support to over 3000 individuals and businesses, including restaurants, food trucks, caterers, bartenders and more.
Among this year’s lineup are three standout establishments representing African and Caribbean cuisine in Houston. These restaurant owners are eager to share their culinary creations with the community and make a lasting impression during their debut at Black Restaurant Week.
One such establishment is Dibi Rapid, a Senegalese restaurant that confidently boasts itself as being the “Home of the best jollof rice” in the city. The restaurant offers a tantalizing menu filled with popular street food, including Dibi Lamb, fataya (deep-fried pastry filled with chicken/fish), jollof rice, shawarma and brochette (Kabobs), which pays homage to the diverse culinary traditions of the continent.
Mortalla Thiam, the mastermind behind Dibi Rapid, is excited to introduce his signature dishes to a wider audience during Black Restaurant Week.
“It gives us an opportunity for people to learn about the history behind our cuisine. When I first moved to Houston in 2016, I couldn’t find any Senegalese restaurants, and as a major foodie, I had to do something about that,” Thiam said. “We’ve been in business since 2021. It started as a food truck that participated in festivals to get our name out there before opening a permanent establishment, and Black Restaurant Week will help us gain visibility.”
Thiam said his goal is to tap into those communities who are curious about Senegalese cuisine and launch a jollof rice campaign to maximize the opportunity of the trending debate about “Which African country has the best jollof rice.”
“People are starting to understand where the origin of jollof comes from. Participating in Black Restaurant Week gives me so much validation to introduce this to the masses,” he said. “My goal is to one day open the first Senegalese steakhouse here.”
Keisha Griggs is the chef and owner of KG Kitchen, a Caribbean-inspired soul food restaurant. Griggs is a seasoned chef who takes pride in her Trinidadian roots and has quickly gained a reputation for her food’s bold flavors, blending the African, French, Indian and Latin influences in her cuisine. She has participated in Black Restaurant Week three times, but this is her first time participating under the rebranding of her latest venture that opened in February, KG’s Kitchen.
“We’re a relatively new-ish type of space, but we still provide classic Trinidadian soul food like our jerk chicken egg rolls, polenta bowls and curry doubles roti,” she said. “Returning to Black Restaurant Week, I hope to have more customer-based visibility awareness and show the community that you don’t have to travel outside the loop for good Caribbean food.”
Carol Kays Cafe is another gem in Downtown Houston launched by the Pecking Order and Craft Burger founders, Stacey and Shannen Tune.
Specializing in Caribbean soul food, Carol Kays Cafe offers a sleek selection of signature breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes that tie Shannen’s American roots and Stacey’s Jamaican culture together.
“We named the restaurant after our mothers. My wife’s from Jamaica, and I was born and raised in New Jersey. We’re combining dishes from our backgrounds and childhoods,” Shannen said. “We have things like the smothered chicken biscuit, brown sugar bourbon shrimp and grits, curry chicken with coconut rice and peas, jerk chicken, salmon and shrimp with rice and peas, and it comes with curry cabbage and plantain.
This year, they are introducing participants to the smothered oxtail and grits and the Houston hot catfish and grits with a hot honey glaze. Shannen said that this isn’t his first rodeo with Black Restaurant Week, but since the launch of Carol Kays Cafe last year, there are two things the business will benefit from participating this year.
“This will bring positive media attention that we don’t get from our counterparts unless there’s a lawsuit or something bad is happening. We’re located downtown, and many families don’t live there. But restaurant week will bring folks from Humble, Woodlands and other suburbs to support us,” he said. “Also, I appreciate the networking and fellowshipping opportunity. Every year, there are new restaurants in my community that I’ve never heard of, which gives us a chance to support them, as well.”
