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Dining Out: African BBQ House serves exceptional chicken at bargain prices

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African BBQ House

3001 Carling Ave., 374 Dalhousie St., 385 Tompkins Ave., Unit 7, africanbbqhouse.ca
Open: Daily for lunch and dinner
Prices: combo platters $22.68 to $32.98, family meals $63.98 to $69.98

We all know there’s no such thing as a free lunch. But at African BBQ House, which opened last year on Carling Avenue across from the Cineplex Cinemas Ottawa complex, the next best thing was as delicious and spicy as it was cheap.

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I learned of this casual eatery’s lunch special last month when I drove past its strip mall and saw its sign advertising a $9.99 “quarter chicken leg with fries.”

exterior
The exterior of African BBQ House on Carling Avenue Photo by Peter Hum /ott

That sighting was enough to make me curious and even optimistic. Africa, specifically West Africa, gave the world piri-piri chicken, a dish that ranks among my favourites when it comes to eating highly seasoned, char-grilled birds. (Jamaica’s jerk chicken and Thailand’s gai yang, which Ottawa needs a lot more of, are also up on the podium.)

Soon after, my $9.99 lunch at African BBQ House rewarded me with a moist, crisp-skinned, juicy and fantastically flavourful chicken leg, on top of more crisp fries than I could eat. Of two interesting house-made beverages that were available, I had the ginger juice which was strikingly gingery and quite sweet.

African BBQ House
Barbecued chicken leg and fries at African BBQ House on Carling Avenue. Photo by Peter Hum /POSTMEDIA

This west-end location is in fact Ottawa’s third African BBQ House, which could also more specifically be called West African BBQ House, as I was told that it represents the food of Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, and other neighbouring countries.

The first location opened in Orléans before the pandemic, I was told. Its successor opened on Dalhousie Street, which could well be called Ottawa’s West African Chicken Central, given that YKO Chicken BBQ and Pili Pili Charcoal Grilled Chicken, both of which I reviewed last summer, are just up the street.

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I hope the other two locations are as good as their west-end sibling, which served not only succulent chicken but also a range of skewers (beef, chicken, lamb, goat and shrimp), all lean but juicy and tender, compellingly seasoned and halal, as well as mammoth portions of well-made side dishes.

African BBQ House
Chicken, beef and goat skewers Photo by Peter Hum /POSTMEDIA

African BBQ House
Shrimp skewers Photo by Peter Hum /POSTMEDIA

When we ordered a family meal of six skewers ($59.98), our table was filled, in advance of the meat platter’s arrival, with a slew of sides. A chef’s salad was fresh and straight-forward. Superior fries were heaped on their large plate. Just as imposing was a plate of cleanly fried plantain. Best of all was the serving of jollof rice starring spiced, thoroughly cooked, tomato-stained basmati rice studded with pieces of carrot and cabbage.

African BBQ House
Jollof rice Photo by Peter Hum /POSTMEDIA

African BBQ House
Fried plantain Photo by Peter Hum /POSTMEDIA

For good measure, the four of us ordered a whole chicken ($24.98), which came as two splayed halves, crusted with flavour. Naturally, we had a lot of leftovers from the feast to fight over.

African BBQ House

Whole chicken?at African BBQ House on Carling AvenueWhole tilapia was also available, but I’ve yet to try it.? I can vouch, though, for the shrimp skewer combo ($26.08), which I tried on my last visit.

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I get the sense that African BBQ House is trying to appeal not only to confirmed devotees of West African chicken and West African cooking, but also to newcomers. In addition to attieke, the Ivory Coast side dish made of fermented cassava pulp, and pap, the Cameroonian corn flour porridge, you can have Caesar salad and sweet potato fries.

interior
The interior of African BBQ House on Carling Avenue Photo by Peter Hum /POSTMEDIA

I’ve only ordered my food medium-spicy, but we certainly felt that much heat was sufficient. A notch higher is available, and there are containers of vinegary Tabasco sauce on each table.

My check of the African BBQ House website suggests that the $9.99 lunch special is in force at all three locations. So, there’s a bargain, and exceptional chicken, to be had, not just in Ottawa’s west end, but in Lowertown and the city’s far east too.

phum@postmedia.com

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