Let’s face it, we all love to eat out! But it’s easy to get a little bored of the hum-drum chain-restaurants that dominate the high-street. So, if you’ve overdosed on Dominos pizzas recently or chomped through one Nandos burger too many, then boy do we have a refreshing change for you!
We’re all about supporting local businesses at Her Campus Exeter, so we were super excited to be invited by Afriteo (an independent Afro-Caribbean restaurant on Exeter’s South Street) to sample their delights.
The place opened up last year, by an Exeter alumni with Nigerian roots and has been serving up exotic dishes from Cameroon to the Caribbean ever since!
It is safe to say we were not disappointed; the vibrant, exciting flavours, great quality produce and charming staff left us wanting to book another visit pronto.
The large menu gave us plenty of choice, and though we wished we could have tried it all, we settled on the Beef Suya (Nigerian style beef) and Jerk Chicken filo parcels to start – both were completely new tastes for us, and they were thoroughly enjoyed!
The beef was tender, rich in flavour and totally more-ish. The filo parcels were crisp, generously filled and the accompanying mango and ginger sauce was especially delicious. As you can see – the presentation was really attractive too!
Spice-phobes needn’t fear. Whilst there is definitely a kick to the dishes, there is no strong heat! However, if you are hot-headed, feel free to request extra spice, as the accommodating chef is more than happy to cater to your preferences.
Our main courses soon arrived. The first was the West African Classic, Jollof Rice, served with fried plantain, and sautéed beef with onion and peppers.
It packed an absolute flavour punch; the rice was infused with rich tomato and plenty of spices, the plantain offered a lovely contrast with its sweetness, and the beef was well-cooked and delicious. The side salad was a nice touch that helped balanced out the strong flavours.
Plantain was a particularly welcome discovery – for those who haven’t tried it, plantain is an African vegetable that tastes somewhere between a banana and a pumpkin, and is divine fried. (We have it on good authority that the Grocers opposite Odeon is the only place that sell it, if you fancy trying it for yourself. You’re welcome!)
West African Peanut Stew served with coconut rice was our second choice.That too had amazing depth of flavour, packed with succulent chicken breast and was a warming, hearty choice for such a miserable October evening!
Though we were thoroughly stuffed, we were not about to pass up an opportunity to sample Afriteo’s desserts!
We shared a home-made Orange and Elderflower cake. Though not an African dish, we are suckers for Elderflower and thought it sounded intriguing!It is obvious that African cuisine is not all that Afriteo excel at because the cake was moist and the flavours were fresh and clearly distinguishable.
Overall, Afriteo provided us with friendly service, and unique dishes with outstanding taste. Prices are very reasonable, the location is convenient and it’s always nice to support your local community.
So the question is, what are you waiting for?Head to http://afriteo.com to check out more of the mouth-watering menu