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their new items there first and get
feedback from community members.
“Our market is central to our business,”
she said. “We get the raw
feedback from our neighbors who
tell us very directly how they feel
about every part of the business.
So we're very responsive to them,
because they've helped us grow
and be here.”
It was because of some of that
feedback that she then decided to
open Nneji, a small restaurant with
bright orange walls on the inside
that lends itself perfectly for takeout
and delivery, located at 32-20
34th Ave. — just three stops away
from Ibari on the N train.
Ibari's offerings include some
shelf and table food options, but
customers were looking for more
substantial meals. At Nneji, they
serve a variety of deliciously comforting
West African soups (many of
which are vegan) for $8, including
Egusi, a Nigerian soup made with
melon seed, spinach, tomato, onions
and a blend of savory spices,
or Yassa, a soup made of marinated
onions in mustard, black pepper,
bay leaf and their house blend of
spices.
Other fan favorites include the
West African red stew with meat
and spicy goat stew. The menu
includes grains like jollof rice,
fonio and garri to complement
the soups, as well as baked
goods by Astoria’s Rose & Joe's
Italian Bakery.
Nneji also offers products such as
glass packaged savory sauces, oils,
international spices and grains.
Ajaero noted that they created
their menu, much like Ibari, to express
the idea of “Africa and beyond”
or the ways in which shared
food traditions connect people in
all parts of the world.
“There are items that we hope
show people familiar pieces in
their cultures,” Ajaero said. “Oil,
spice, tea — these are things that
we can see in just about every
FOOD + DRINK