For this year’s NYC Restaurant Week To Go (January 25-February 28), I decided to sample Somali food in NYC. I was surprised to discover that the East African cuisine was not readily available. In fact, there may be only one Somali restaurant in the city: Safari in Harlem.
Fortunately, Safari was participating in NYC Restaurant Week. Owned by Mona Birjeeb and her husband, Shakib Farah, the eatery brings Somali cuisine to NYC. As Somalis are predominately Muslim, the meat is halal (slaughtered according to Islamic principles) and no alcohol is served at the restaurant.
| Address: 219 W 116th St, New York, NY 10026 Hours: Monday-Sunday, 12PM-11PM Service: Delivery, Takeout Contact: (646) 964-4252, safariharlem.com |
The restaurant offered a choice of one of three entrees for $20.21:
- Chicken suqaar with chapati (a thin flatbread) and a side of spiced tea;
- Mango curry with grits and a side of sambusa; or
- Roasted goat with rice and a side of Somali doughnuts.
While I have had the pleasure of eating Somali food courtesy of my friend in Minnesota, I am not particularly familiar with the cuisine. I love sambusa, a deep fried dough filled with spices, meat, and veggies. Somali black tea is also delicious, made with ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom.
However, I ultimately decided on the goat entree as I was craving some meat. I ordered takeout on Grubhub and headed to Harlem. My order was available as soon as I arrived.
Tasting Somali Food in NYC
I dug into the Somali doughnuts first. The snack reminded me of Ghanaian bofrot. Known as mahamri, they were deep fried triangles with a hint of sweetness. I enjoyed the taste, but the texture left a little to be desired. The doughnuts were chewy, but a little tough.
Next, I tried the bariis, which was spiced basmati rice. The rice was reminiscent of Indian biryani in look and taste. This is understandable given the long trade history between the two countries. The rice was tasty, with the raisins and peppers adding a nice touch.
The only drawback was that there was a slight aftertaste of cardamom and cinammon. I drizzled the Bisbaas sauce, which tasted of chile and lime, on the rice. It added a wonderful acidity that balanced the sweetness of the grains.
I loved the spiciness of the lamb. It was not hard but I wish it was more tender; however, I also know that some African cuisines tend to cook their meat this way.
I was very pleased with my experience with Somali food in NYC. Safari in Harlem is a great restaurant to support, especially during NYC Restaurant Week. I got a nice portion for the price, and the flavors left me satisfied. 4 out of 5 STARS.
For more Black-owned restaurants in Harlem, check out my post on two great fast casual eateries!
I’m so tempted to try this food. Looks super delish!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
It was really good. I love trying food from different cuisines.
We’ve never tried Somali food before. We Googled places in D.C. and found Safari D.C., but it seems very different to the one in Harlem. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Yes, the one in Harlem is not connected to the one in DC as far as I know. I hope you can find some great Somali food in DC.
Okay, I’m obsessed with NYC (it may be my favorite US city) so I’m definitely going to try out this spot next time I’m there. Very detailed review and it’s making me crave some somali food!
I definitely put NYC up there as one of my favorite food cities! Glad to have shared a restaurant you are interested in trying 🙂
This looks amazing! I’m bookmarking it for the next time I’m in the city!
It’s definitely worth a try!
I live in Toronto and we have a very diverse food scene so I need to look for a Somali restaurant. I love anything with goat.
Goat is so delicious! I never ate it growing up, and I was definitely missing out. I ate at Bilal restaurant when I was visiting Toronto, and it was tasty.
I see the photos and became hungry. This looks sooooo good ❤️
Thanks for sharing ?
https://uncuaderno4cero.wordpress.com/
It was really good!!
Yum! I’m glad you enjoyed it. We have a a dine out coming up too so I can’t wait to try different restaurants soon. Thanks for sharing x
http://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
Of course! Trying different restaurants is always fun.
This looks delicious!
It really was!
My, the goat dish looks divine and I love the sounds of the chile and lime sauce. Admittedly, the black tea sounds like its flavors perhaps do not mix well with the food at hand, but I love trying new foods and ways of cooking. When you cannot travel, travel in food. 🙂
I completely agree with traveling in food! Haha the tea is great with these pancakes popular in Somali cuisine.
All the restaurants you share, Sharila, are absolutely yummy and make me so so hungry! Thank you for the inspo on my next trip x
I am happy to be helpful for building a wonderful NYC food itinerary! There are so many good eats here.
I don’t think I’ve ever consciously had Somali food, but it all looks delicious!
Katie | katieemmabeauty.com
This was only my second time having it, and I definitely recommend giving it a try.
Oo the pictures of the food look incredible!
Amber | The Unpredicted Page | https://theunpredictedpage.com
Thank you! The taste was even better 🙂