Reviewing Suya Joint: Traditional African food in Boston.  

Looking for African food in Boston? Suya Joint is one of the city’s only traditional West African restaurants and a local favorite. Owned by Nigerian chef Cecelia Lizotte, Suya started as a catering business before opening its storefront in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood. West African cuisine has always intrigued me, so I tried it out this past winter.  

My friend and I visited Suya Joint for a weekend lunch. There was plenty of street parking and we immediately found a spot out front. Upon entering, the first thing we noticed was the overwhelming aroma of spices. The walls were adorned with African-inspired murals, tapestries, and other artifacts. Even though the restaurant was full of patrons, it still felt spacious inside. There were plenty of spaced-out booths, tables, and bar seating.  

Once seated, we were given a chance to look over the menu. The menu had classic West African dishes including Moi Moi, Jollof Rice, and Beef Suya. We decided on Egusi Stew and Taushe Stew with added beef. The waitress asked for our choice of spice level. We chose mild. Each dish also came with fufu made with either pounded yam or eba (garri). We opted for the pounded yam.  

Both dishes took around thirty minutes to come out. The first dish we tried was the Egusi Stew. It’s a staple dish in many African countries including Nigeria, Mali, and Ghana. It had a thick mixture of African ground pumpkin seeds, spinach, and pieces of chicken and fish. The flavor was nutty, fishy, and subtly spicy.  

The stew came with a ball of fufu wrapped in plastic wrap. Fufu is made primarily of casava but also can include plantains and cocoyams. These ingredients are pounded and then made into a paste and often rolled into balls and wrapped in plastic. It is very popular in Central and West Africa. The fufu at Suya was slightly sticky and had a mild flavor since it was meant to be paired with the bold and flavorful soup.  

To eat this dish, we ripped off pieces of fufu with our hands and used it to scoop the stew into our mouths. Traditionally, the dish is supposed to be swallowed without chewing for a feeling of fullness throughout the day. I was skeptical of this, but it was surprisingly easy to do. The fufu and stew were soft enough to melt in my mouth and swallow quite easily. Even though the fufu was sticky, it held the stew together well and didn’t get all over my fingers.  

The other dish we tried was the Taushe Stew, which also came with a ball of fufu. It included creamy peanuts simmered with traditional Nigerian spices, vegetables, and herbs. It reminded me of a tasty, liquified version of peanut butter. However, the consistency made it difficult to pick up using the fufu. I’m glad that we added beef to the dish. They served a generous portion, and the meat was well-seasoned and tender. I also appreciated that it was boneless, making it easy to eat. This beef was the highlight of the meal for me!  

Overall, I’d recommend Suya Joint to anyone who wants to experience authentic West African cuisine. The staff was welcoming and the ambiance was homey. The food was perhaps a bit expensive, but it was worth it to me given the lack of similar options in Boston.