1725 Davie St, Vancouver

Tel: (604) 336-9774

Web: https://arikerestaurant.ca/

Instagram: @arikerestaurant

Advice: Reservations suggested on weekends, walk-ins always welcome. Dinner nightly.

Love the African decor and the vibe at this West End spot where they specialize in West African cuisine with talented Chef Sam Olayinka serving up dishes with recipes from his Grandmother.

I have dined here over a couple visits, loved these sharing appetizers that included the Akara Onion Rings coated in bean flour and lightly fried to be crispy and not oily, served with a cashew garlic mayo, and spiced caramelized onion dip; the Fried Habanero Corn Fritters is another great shareable with confit garlic & salted tomato.

Much of the menu has been designed for sharing, loved the flavours of this cuisine, each dish is unique to his home country. The Braised Goat Spoons are a good dish to start with as it temps the palate with flavours of what’s to come; with ata din din pepper sauce, sprinkled with peanut crumb & topped with a pickled onion; The Fried Jollof Rice served with two skewers of grilled suya beef striploin is a notable dish that is full of flavour from the rice to the meat.

The menu features a selection of different flatbreads, although they don’t usually serve up half/half they did so for me and my friend Brandon who wanted the pork belly while I wanted the lamb. My side was the Cured Leg of Lamb with spiced peanut suya & onion sauce, soft house cheese, pickled eggplant; and the flavours were incredible. Brandon and I also shared a platter with some of the other popular dishes which included the Cassava Fries, skewers of grilled Suya Beef Striploin along with the Oxtail Boudin.

The Free-Range Chicken Wings come with two different sauce variations, the Atadindin and the Suya Bbq which was amazing and my favourite of the two.

Bronkko Stew with Pounded Yam is a dish that you would want to enjoy on your own, as it is a soupy stew with chicken, pickled peppers, onions, it’s best not to share the bowl, it is served with pounded yam, a white yam similar in texture to a smooth potato mash that’s served rolled up in a banana leaf and served on the side; this was outstanding.

For dessert there are two, and I have tried both the Pof Pofs is a good one to share with ginger honey, cinnamon sugar, mint; while the Milo Ice Cream is a delicious creation that you will want to savour on your own with salted caramel, peanut crumb, whipped pumpkin seed.

This is a wonderful place to take your loved one or foodie friends, a hidden gem in the heart of the Westend.

Review by: Richard Wolak

1725 Davie Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada