I recently realized a longtime dream with the opening of Merkato 55, my new pan-African restaurant that celebrates the foods of Africa and the diaspora.

You first walk into a large room that is a bar/pub where no reservations are required. There, you can sit at a large communal table and order from our "kidogo" menu. Kidogo is Swahili for "small bites," so the menu features falafael, sambals, chutneys, and tartars -- all the small, bite-sized foods you can find throughout Africa.

Upstairs, we have a larger room with tables for 6 to 8 people, to encourage the communal-style dining that's prevalant in the continent. There, you can order everything from traditional-style foods to my own creations inspired by the spices and techniques inspired by my travels (such as Steak Dakar). Dessert ranges from the South African specialty Malvah Pudding to the more inventive, such as our avocado milkshake. At the bar, you can order rums that we infuse ourselves, as well as wines and beer from Africa and the Caribbean.

I have traveled extensively throughout Africa and have grown to love the foods, flavors and traditions I encountered there. With the new restaurant, I hope to bring an awareness of African cooking to people who may never have set foot there. Just as those who haven't been to Italy eat Italian food and people who may have never visited Asia can tell the difference between Korean and Japanese cooking, I hope that Merkato helps to make African food a part of the American culinary vernacular.

This is not to say that there aren't many African restaurants in the US. But the existing restaurants tend to be very mom-and-pop-style places that focus on one cuisine. Merkato 55 is a larger restaurant that we designed to have something for everyone. My hope is that it encourages dialogue about the flavors of Africa and the diaspora.

I hope to see you all at Merkato soon!

55 Gansevoort St.
New York, NY
212-255-8555