In case you missed it, African food and music are having a bit of a moment in Buffalo right now. Restaurants serving Nigerian, Sudanese, Ethiopian and other African cuisines have been popping up a lot in recent years. Many of these spots turn the volume up at night with regular Afrobeat and Afro-Caribbean DJ nights.<\/p>\n
As for the food, we\u2019ve been covering local African restaurants for a while now, and we\u2019re seeing more new African spots offer dishes that we just haven\u2019t seen before.<\/em><\/p>\n Serving Ethiopian and Eritrean food, Horn of Africa<\/a> on Hertel<\/a> Avenue near Military Road is a great example of where African food and culture in Buffalo is at right now. Yes, there are Ethiopian classics like samosas ($7) and special (beef) tibs ($18). But there\u2019s also:<\/p>\n All of these come with injera, the comforting, spongy pancake-like bread used to scoop up meat, rice and veggies.<\/p>\n On my visit, I found that the samosas were spicy, nutty, hot, and crispy-crunchy \u2014 just as you\u2019d expect, maybe a bit spicier than you\u2019d expect. I also went for the quanta tifir and found it sweet, spicy, fiery hot, and deeply flavored.\u00a0 The bits of crunchy and chewy dried beef gave it pops of texture, while the spongy injera was one of the best I\u2019ve had.<\/p>\n In addition to being a restaurant, Horn of Africa also has a full bar, and it regularly hosts Afrobeat DJ nights. In early November, Shalegrie played dancehall, soca, and other Afro-Caribbean sounds into the early morning. On my (much earlier in the day) visit, co-owner Tsegarada Abera told me business has been growing since she opened the place in late summer.<\/p>\n Horn of Africa and other new African spots may be a bit out of the way, but they\u2019re bringing bold flavors that demand attention. Add a bit of music culture at places like Horn of Africa, and we\u2019ve got an Afro-centric moment happening in Buffalo right now that you should be paying attention to.<\/p>\n Hours at the time of publishing (subject to change): <\/strong>Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. \u2013 9:40 p.m., Sunday and Monday 11 a.m. \u2013 9:40 p.m.<\/p>\n
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