Astoria's West African Takeout Shop Lands Glowing NYTimes Review

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Astoria’s West African takeout shop-slash-grocery store, Nneji, won a glowing review from celebrated New York Times food critic Pete Wells on Tuesday.

The small shop, located at 32-20 34th Ave in Astoria, specializes in African, and some Greek, products, sold alongside what Wells describes as “exuberantly seasoned” West African foods — all of which owner Beatrice Ajaero is quick to point out for their health benefits, Wells says.

“Unveiling the dishes that are ready for takeout, Ms. Ajaero usually follows the same routine: a lifted lid, a few turns of the spoon to bring up good bits that might be hiding under the surface and a brief gloss on the nutrients within,” writes Wells, adding that especially after the past year it is “reassuring” to hear Ajaero’s concern for your wellbeing.

And, since she is operating what is seemingly the only African restaurant in a neighborhood with historic Greek roots, Wells posits that Ajaero’s subtle message to her neighbors is “if you know how nourishing the Mediterranean diet is, you should know about the West African diet, too.”

In addition to being nourishing, Wells raves about the food’s quality, especially the various stews which he says "hold their shapes and textural contrasts in some magical state of suspended animation.”

Wells most highly recommends Nneji’s goat stew, West African red stew, okazi (a vegetable stew), egusi (a dish of crushed gourd seeds, wilted spinach, and red pepper), and yassa, a mustardy dish of “crisp-tender” onions, which Wells says are so good that they “deserve solo billing.”

Ajaero is a born-and-bred New Yorker from Roosevelt Island, whose parents — both of whom are Igbos from Nigeria — immigrated to New York City before she was born. Ajaero runs Nneji’s day-to-day operations and cooking, but her mother is responsible for the menu, and takes guidance from her aunts, says Wells.

Nneji — which Wells priced at the Times one-dollar-sign rate of “inexpensive” — is open from 12:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, and from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for dinner on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday.

Read the full New York Times review here.