Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Splendors of Ghana in the Bronx

Splendors of Ghana in the Bronx

Even newcomers to Ghanaian food can eat well at Accra in the Bronx, bigjeff assures us. Just put yourself in the hands of the engaging staff—they won't steer you wrong. "Wow, what flavors!" marvels bigjeff, who savored a rich and spicy afternoon feast with friends. One highlight was a knockout version of Jollof rice, a West African standard that was topped with fried cassava powder, which gave the dish an intriguing texture. Spinach with egusi (pumpkin seeds) is another must-order because it is "fresh and tender and totally green, yet totally infused with flavor." The restaurant's smoked turkey tail might come as a revelation to anyone who has only experienced turkey in its Thanksgiving holiday guise; at Accra, it's deeply delicious and full of "bacony goodness."

Everything's meant to be eaten with starchy mashes like fufu (made of rice, plantain, or the tuberous cocoyam, among other things) and sour, fermented banku (cornmeal and grated cassava tuber). These are an especially good foil for the fiery pepper soup with beef and cow foot, or the palm nut soup with beef, which gets a kick from dried fish. Amp up the seasoning of these dishes with shito, a deep-red and smoky—but not incendiary—Chile paste. The kitchen doesn't hit high gear until midafternoon or evening, bigjeff notes, so don't arrive too early if you want to see the full offering of stews, starches, and roasts.

Some may find Ghanaian fare on the heavy side—that was soopling's first take on Accra. But the flavors left a positive impression, and a "day or two later, I started craving it! SO many interesting things to try," soopling says.

Accra [Bronx]
2041 Davidson Avenue (at W. Burnside Avenue), Bronx
718-584-8500

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