Akoko
Fitzrovia, London
Stalled by the first wave of the pandemic, Aji Akokomi’s startlingly creative homage to West African cuisine finally went live on Berners Street in autumn 2020 – and it was worth the wait. Pulsating Afro-beats drown out the traffic noise as diners congregate at well-spaced tables (or perch at the counter) in the warm, buzzily informal dining room, where cutting-edge African art, Nigerian ceramics and hand-whittled wooden cutlery lend some cultural authenticity to the crepuscular terracotta-toned space. Culinary inspiration comes from the native recipes and traditions of Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana and beyond but everything is given a revelatory modern spin with a little help from seasonal British produce. Each item on the tasting menu ‘brings something fresh, unique and full of flavour,’ noted one visitor – from bowls of joloff rice served from beneath a smoke-filled wooden cloche alongside Ivorian aubergine sauce and carrot terrine to the signature barbecued short-rib (or hogget belly) invigorated with traditional Nigerian ‘suya’ spice, leek and tomato. Other dishes are also guaranteed to thrill: a Gambian oyster stew; Cornish turbot with shito (Ghanaian hot pepper sauce), plus N25 caviar as a supplement; squab pigeon with yaji-spiced leg and cacao; Launceston lamb with charred greens. Start things off with warm, crusty Guinness bread and a dollop of savoury butter blitzed with the umami richness of chicken yassa (a Senegalese stew); finish with the indulgent many-textured chocolate shell with a ganache filling and a crunchy base (a ‘satisfying surprise’) or a pairing of pineapple and custard infused with musky Nigerian uda pods. The equally fascinating, eclectic wine list journeys from Wales to South Africa via Greece, Slovenia and elsewhere, with well-chosen by-the-glass selections matching the food.
Dining Information:
Counter seating, Wheelchair access, Credit card required
21 Berners Street, Fitzrovia W1T 3LP
020 7323 0593
