Egusi & fufu is a super popular West African dish that’s been blowing up on TikTok lately. It’s made with fufu -- a soft, stretchy dough usually from cassava -- and paired with egusi soup, a thick, hearty mix made from ground melon seeds, leafy greens, spices, and meat or fish. The soup is rich and flavorful, and you eat it by grabbing a bit of fufu with your fingers and dipping it in.



Theoo's African Cuisine serves up authentic African meals right from Dunbar. Egusi and fufu are on that lineup, as well as jollof rice and plantains. The egusi soup is thick and hearty, with ground melon seeds giving it a nutty depth, while tender chicken and leafy greens add layers of flavor. Watch for bones! The fufu, with its mashed potato-like texture, doesn’t have much flavor on its own - but that’s the point - it’s the perfect blank canvas to scoop up the soup and let those spices shine.

The Kenyan Cafe has moved out of its Chelsea Square location, and a new African restaurant has taken its place. I'm told the Kenyan Cafe has moved to the old mall on Greenbag Road.

Africana Cherith opened recently and is serving up soups, stews, curry, fish, vegetarian dishes and more. According to their menu, "Africana Cherith is an oasis to meet, eat, and drink in a warm welcome environment. Our kitchen offers a healthy meal at all times. Our band offers local sound to generate a true feeling of well being and joy. Africana's biggest joy is to have our guest leaving with a full tummy and a happy heart. So come in as a stranger and leave as family." Cherith is where God fed his servant with food for healthy body and a happy soul, the menu says.

Africana Cherith has a counter at the front where customers can order and dining in that main area, as well as off to the right dining room. They're still working out kinks - like not having register tape, and there were workers fixing the cooler near the front. They were also moving things about and seemed to be getting prepared.


The first menu item that struck me was the peanut butter soup (rich creamy, mild African sauce with beef, served with rice), but the owner didn't have any made. I'm guessing some of this is cooked previously and heated. Instead, I went with the curry chicken. It is seasoned in curry powder with special herb and spices mixed and slowly stewed until tender.





The curry chicken was fine. There was seasoning on the chicken, but it wasn't super flavorful, and a few pieces of my chicken were lukewarm. I get that this isn't going to be a super rich or creamy meal. And that's why it's healthier, but it still just ... isn't super exciting to me. Tony went with the spicy chicken, and I think his verdict was similar: fine.

Africana Cherith is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. The restaurant is closed. Call 304-599-3814 for more information.

Grade: C

The Kenyan Cafe is located in Chelsea Square, which is near Applebee's. It's one of the more unique restaurants in town, as I believe it's the only African cuisine in Morgantown. The restaurant focuses on healthy food and organic drinks. The Kenyan Cafe has vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.



When we walked in, the woman waited a minute before coming over to us. This confused us, so we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves or what. She finally came over and asked what we wanted to do. She grabbed menus and seated us at a table. Once we were seated, she cleaned it off. When I was sitting there, I had a chance to finally take in the scenery. The walls were brightly colored - oranges and greens, and some sophisticated art littered the walls.


Our table had a cup of silverware that you plucked your own from. That wasn't my favorite part of the dining experience, but I made it work. I looked over the menu - Briani caught my eye. It is a mixture of well-seasoned beef, rice, corn and green beans. I ordered that, as well as a side of vegetarian samosas, which is sough with African spices wrapper in a flour rub. I also ordered a water, which was convenient, because the fountain machine was right across from us.

We waited for what seemed like a long time, and then my samosas came out. Steaming hot, two small pastry-looking pockets came out. I bit into it, and my first thought was that it was a potpie. It had carrots and peas and green beans. It was tasty, though. It was like a a miniature potpie with almost a sweet aftertaste.


Finally, our meal arrived. In a big bowl, a mixture similar to stew came out. Not only was it steaming hot, but it was spicy. The beef and vegetables were tasty together, but after two bites, my mouth was on fire, and the dish was starting to taste bland. I had originally ordered a water, but I refilled with a coke, and it was exactly what I needed for this dish. The sweet coke balanced out the heavy, spicy meal. The meat was tender, and the veggies were cooked until they were almost mush. It was exactly like a really thick stew. Once I had my coke in hand, I finished the large meal and felt satisfied.

We went to the front counter to pay, and the staff asked us how we liked our meal. Though $15-$20 isn't worth it to me, I liked the experience of trying something new. The hearty, spicy dishes aren't my fancy. But I do know a lot of people prefer that type of food. I might go back and try something different - though all the dishes are fairly similar. It's a good addition to the scene, but it's just not my type of food.

The restaurant has a great little story, though, and supporting local business is a great thing. I think a lot of people would be a fan of this.

Grade: C