Las Vegas Mixtape v39: Supersonic Honky Tonkin,’ West African Eats, and New Downtown Funhouse

Track #2: Calabash African Kitchen @S Rainbow Blvd

Looking for a culinary adventure to celebrate our country’s fantastic diversity? Try Calabash African Restaurant  on Rainbow in a plaza near Zia Records. The colorful mural inside at the entrance of this hidden gem instantly embraced my family and I—and our warm-hearted server guided us through a menu offering Senegambian cuisine, “a delicious combination of both Senegalese and Gambian food.”

Owned by Oulay Ceesay Fisher—who hails from “The Gambia, a small country in West Africa within Senegal” on the coast—Calabash has a large dining room, with seating for 80, and a stylish bar. It’s a place to recommend and covet. There were deep, seductive flavors and thrilling new sensations in all the appetizers and entrées we ordered.

The magical flavors in the Bean Stew “Ndembe” dance right off the plate and into your mouth.  (Image: Vegas 411)

We started with their luscious fataya pies/empanadas—offered with chicken, beef, seafood, or vegetarian filling—and a side of fried plantains, segueing into three standout entrees. Working its magic was the Yassa chicken, described on the menu as “char-grilled meat marinated in garlic, ginger, Cajun, lemon, and authentic Calabash seasonings, covered with tangy caramelized onion on a bed of rice.”

If you favor lamb chops, this is your place. Three char-grilled lamb blade chops came marinated in garlic, mustard, lemon, authentic Calabash spices, caramelized onion, and vegetables. A terrific meatless option was the Bean Stew “Ndembe.” It’s a black-eyed pea stew cooked with onions, bell peppers, garlic, and seasonings. Having a restaurant in Vegas like Calabash, with such deeply soulful cuisine,  makes me extra proud to live here.