Afro Cook House in Oklahoma

"I really enjoyed my visit to Afro Cook House / Heritage Afro Tropical Market on Friday. The food was absolutely delicious, the place was very clean, and I also enjoyed browsing the market. I had a great conversation with the owner, who was such a friendly and wonderful man it really made the experience even more special. It’s beautiful to see a family working together, with the restaurant right inside the shop. Great food, great products, and genuinely kind people. I’m definitely looking forward to coming back."

"Once again I found myself making a trip to the 71st and Lewis area, so I landed on the Afro Cook House on Lewis. First off, the place doubles as an ethnic market with the eatery tucked into a back corner. That said, while small, it's open, airy and doesn't feel at all cramped. I was hoping for the Suya beef, but they were out of that. Not having just a ton of time on my hands, I opted for the Smoked Chicken and rice. To his credit, the gentleman asked about my spice tolerance, making sure I understood that the dish was fairly spicy. Being a pepper belly, I told them to bring it on. While waiting I strolled around the store, looking at the myriad of exotic ingredients available, many totally new to me. This was my first foray into African cuisine, so I was totally a fish out of water. While preparing my meal, the lovely lady in the kitchen called me over and we chatted about the dish. She wanted to let me know the dish was not the usual chicken that Americans are used to. She advised me not to expect, plump, juicy chicken pieces, but rather meat that was slightly chewy and boney, as that's how the dish is prepared traditionally. Gotta admit... I appreciate the honesty. I told her I had no preconceptions, so let's do it. In just a few more minutes the dish was on my table. While strolling around, I noticed she took the chicken portion of the dish out of a container and microwaved it. Ordinarily that would be a deal breaker, but I understand that they have to do it this way because of volume. I suspect most of their dishes are not a 'cook to order' recipe, because of the nature of how they're prepared. Obviously microwaves aren't authentic to the cuisine, but I applaud them adapting to fit our culture and the Tulsa marketplace. While I was there from around 12:30 to 1ish, I was the only diner, so I don't imagine there's near enough volume to prep and hold those dishes. I say all that to point out that sometimes you need to accomodate situations. Once the food hit my table, I plowed in. When she brought my order, the cook mentioned that the chicken is meant to be eaten with your fingers, and that was part of my love language. If it's worth eating, it's worth wearing. The chicken was indeed spicy, rating right up there with some of the hotter cajun food around. The accompanying rice was hot, fluffy and right on point. And the chicken was indeed stringy, bony and sparse. But you know what? It worked. I took time to reflect that while I'm a protein guzzling all-American boy, the rest of the world doesn't eat like me. The cook explained to me that this is as traditional as if gets for this type of food. So I realized that in some cultures, you offset the lack of quantity with an excess of flavor, and this dish did just that. I found myself pouring the sauce from the bowl of chicken over the rice, and that just amped it right up for me. All totaled, there probably wasn't a half cup of meat in the entire meal, but I left full and satisfied. The rice, once seasoned, was awesome. Honestly, in any other restaurant, I'd have sent that chicken back to the kitchen and been mad as hell. But the cook's time spent managing not only my expectations, but my perceptions made all the difference. I would imagine the Suya beef has a lot more protein (based on a couple photos), so I won't assume every dish is as protein scarce as mine. But if you go there to eat, *and you should*, just understand that the Afro Cook House isn't like all the other mainstream franchise joints that load a plate with marginal food. They make authentic, flavorful dishes that speak to their roots and heritage, and it's worth you making the paradigm shift. All done, with a bottle of water and a generous tip, the total was around $23. Could I have gotten more food for that money? Absolutely. But I couldn't have had the experience of a genuinely new cuisine served up as authentically as possible that peaked my taste buds in astoundingly new ways. And THAT made all the difference."

"the food is sooo good!! the service was great. the jollof rice and chicken was my favorite, so flavorful. the plantains were sooo yummy. I would definitely come back."

"I ordered Ogbano with fufu along with trying a few other dishes. That being Jollof rice with chicken, and the suya. They were all delicious! The suya has a great smoky taste and pairs nicely with the onions. The jollof rice was very flavorful due to the herbs and spices, seemed like it had a slight "earthy" taste. And I enjoyed the ogbano soup, the taste doesnt jump out at you, it's subtle (yet well seasoned) with a slight tang."

"Amazing experience. From the second I stepped foot into the store I felt welcomed. Everyone was extremely helpful and the owner even walked around with me discussing all the different products they carry. Great variety of African snacks, foods, and other products. Ordered the Egusi and Fufu as recommended by the chef. Her recommendation was spot on. Absolutely delicious and will be back"

"Had the pleasure or dining here for the first time and it was such a treat! The egusi with fish was bursting with flavor, the okra and fufu was chef’s kiss and the fried plantains are worth driving across town for! 10/10 recommend for a truly authentic experience with exceptional customer service!"

"I can't express how good this food was. I had the jollof rice and egusi soup w/ fufu. I had been wanting to try those dishes for years, but had not had the chance until I found this place. In short, it was outstanding. The beef was so good, I had to stop the conversation I was having with my family to comment on it multiple times. The juices were exemplary. The experience was everything I expected, and frankly more as the chef kindly talked to us about the quality ingredients of the cuisine and how to eat it. I will be returning. It's the kind of place Tulsa needs and deserves."

"I always get the fufu and egusi. It was good as always. I tried the jollof rice the last time I went and I probably wouldn’t get it again, because it was dry. I also pick up Dettol soap and African Black soap almost every time I stop by lol. I wish they offered delivery lol"