Bennachin is a budget-friendly lunch option in New Orleans
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Bennachin is known for its jollof rice, pictured on the bottom right. Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios
Bennachin in New Orleans is serving up comfort African food on a budget at its casual Royal Street restaurant.
Why it matters: Check out this gem during your next visit to the French Quarter.
The big picture: Bennachin has been cooking dishes inspired by Gambia and Cameroon since 1992.
- The menu is large with soups, lamb, seafood and vegan and vegetarian options.
- The restaurant offers a dozen lunch specials for $15 each. It's a steal in the French Quarter, especially with its large portions.
Between the lines: Bennachin is a longtime Jazz Fest food vendor, too.
- You can get the Jazz Fest combo for lunch for $15.95 — chicken on a stick, fried plantains and sautéed spinach.
What I ordered: Akara (black-eyed pea fritters, $9), bennachin ($14.95) and African herbal tea ($3.50).
- The akara looked like a hushpuppy but had a bouncier texture. My lunch buddies and I gobbled these up with the tomato dip.
- The bennachin, or jollof rice, is an African relative to jambalaya, and it's served with sautéed spinach, roasted beef and a roll. You choose the spice level with cayenne pepper.
- My friends got the sisay singho, which was a baked chicken quarter with spinach, fried plantains and coconut rice. Two thumbs up.
If you go: The restaurant is BYOB and has several alcohol-free African drink options.
The bottom line: I can't wait to go back for the naouki-ngond (a West African soup made with egusi melon seeds) with fufu and the African-style desserts.
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