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Sunday 25 September 2011

Suya in Peckham

As you may be aware, Peckham, my glorious riot ravaged residence is home to what seems like the overspill of Lagos' monumental populace. Colourful, loud and multi lingual, it resembles the Nigerian capital more than the traditonal working class community it once was. One of my fav pastimes (other than eating) is to sample all the great ethnic eats in the area and for African food, particularly Nigerian, you're pretty much guaranteed for some tasty treats. So, after returning to Peckham on another gruesome bus ride, I find myself standing amidst the slightly less salubrious residents of Only fools and horses territory at midnight with a rumbling stomach. I wasn't in the mood for cooking - after all it's pretty late and I fancied something hot, spicy and meaty without playing midnight chef over the stove, and I knew just the place to satiate my craving- Obadele Suya. It's a grimey, no frills hole in wall with a sparse interior, but the menu reaches out to you in all it's descriptive prose, like a tantalising poem: Goat suya marinated in a spicy sauce with Jollof rice or fried plantain and fried fish, complete with pictures as well - I was sold at this point. Suya is basically grilled meat - usually beef, goat or chicken - coated in a spicy rub of ground peanuts and chilli. Half an hour later (we're dealing on APT here - African people's time)  I was tucking into a large parcel full of goat suya mixed with grilled tomatoes and onions. I left, full and content, armed with the personal promise to return!