We’ve long been fans of Jikoni – a pop up restaurant serving East African food which is run by partners (in life and love) James and Imam. Back in 2018 we first tasted their food at a Nectar House and followed them across venues in Bristol, even ordering takeaway from Bath! We missed their launch in February due to the arrival of our little one so decided to pop down a few weeks ago to grab some lunch and finally celebrate Iman and Jame’s move into a permanent establishment.
They recently got their own bricks and mortar spot, just behind Stokes Croft in Bristol on Upper York Street. It’s a tiny shop – really just a kitchen, counter and then a couple of outdoor benches, tables and chairs. Don’t let the outdoor eating put you off – wrap up warm and head over there because the food will take the chill off. As for summer, once word gets out, I can imagine people queuing here for a table.
The location might be a little out of the way but it’s pretty special. The Black South West Network recently took over the Coach House Business Centre and are planning to spend £3million refurbishing it to become a really fantastic support to raise up black and asian businesses like Jikoni. Right now, there’s still work to do there but I’m sure it’s going to become a real cultural hub and will soon be on the map.
So, what did we eat?
Awaze chicken on a traditional mufo sourdough flatbread – £8
Awaze is an Ethiopian sauce or condiment which includes berbere spices, honey-mead and garlic. Here, we had it on chargrilled chicken thigh along with an adzuki bean ful, bisbas green chilli sauce and awaze mayo. It was also topped with crispy onions. Yum!
There were so many things I’ve not tried before on this dish but it was all incredibly yummy. The chicken was soft and juicy with charred bits of joy along the edges. This, alongside earthy beans, soft bread and both creamy and piquant sauces was always going to be a winner. I applaud Jikoni for using thighs over breast meat too, they’re more tender and less prone to drying out. Some people really don’t like that but gimme the dark meat every time! Love it.
On researching the different elements of this dish, I realised its a real mash up of East African food – from the Ethiopian awaze seasoning to the Somali bisbas chilli sauce and mufo flatbreads. At £8.00, this was a hearty lunch dish and absolutely delicious. 100% will eat again!
Matoke curry – £10
This was a vegan dish on the specials board, made with sweet potato and matoke (East African plantain) in a tangy coconut sauce and served with Kenyan ugali (a maize flour thick porridge eaten all over Africa and also known as Fufu, Pap and many other names) and a cabbage & mango and beetroot salad.
The curry was thick and warming – sweet from coconut milk but with an underlying spice warmth. Really perfect for eating outside on a slightly chilly March afternoon. There aren’t many ways to make a bowl of curry look good but I think you’ll agree that this looks very appetising.
Clearly, two ‘main’ dishes were not enough for our lunchtime visit so we also ordered a couple of sides:
Awaze croquettes – £4 each or 2 for £7
James’s recent creation and proper yummy, these croquettes felt like the love child of French and Ethiopian cooks. Hot, freshly fried crispy spheres filled with lightly spiced and shredded awaze chicken in a bechamel sauce. Glorious on their own, even better dunked in that amazing red pepper chilli sauce.
Viazi karai
OMG. These were good. And I have no idea how much we paid for them as they weren’t on the menu – but they should be. Iman told us that these are a favourite in her family and are often found for sale on street food stalls in Kenya and across Africa in various forms. Essentially, they are deep fried potatoes, battered in seasoned gram flour and turmeric and eaten hot. We had more of that amazing red pepper chilli sauce to dip them in and dip we did!
In conclusion
Ok, if you’ve made it this far, it’s clear we’re big Jikoni fans in this house. I love that they’re cooking things which are not commonly found in the UK (certainly not in Bristol) – with mash ups and traditional dishes from across East Africa. The flavours are vibrant and warming, with spices, sauces and plenty of vegetables thrown in. We’ve loved what James and Iman are doing for several years (our ability to eat more of their food hampered by the pandemic) so now they have a permanent home, I’ll be back again and again to fill my belly with their wonderful East African food!
