"Bennachin" is a Central African word for the dish we call jambalaya. The owners, who are respectively from Cameroon and Gambia, cook the food of their homelands--related to, but not to be confused with, African-American food. That said, it's not too far from the kinds of stews and soups I ate growing up in New Orleans. Like much Creole home cooking, the food here tastes a lot better than it looks our sounds. Service and surroundings are honest but minimal.
"Bennachin" is a Central African word for the dish we call jambalaya. The owners, who are respectively from Cameroon and Gambia, cook the food of their homelands--related to, but not to be confused with, African-American food. That said, it's not too far removed from what we ate growing up in New Orleans. Creole cuisine has a big African component.
Alyse Njenge and Fanta Tambajang opened Bennachin in Fat City (of all places) in the early 1990s. (It was where Kanno is now.) The restaurant has moved around a bit over the years, to the Marigny for awhile and more lately to the downtown end of the French Quarter.
The surroundings are colorful but minimal, both in size and decor. It's possible to walk right in front of the restaurant's door without seeing it. The service is friendly and quick to make recommendations.
This is a restaurant for those who want to try some new flavors--but not too exotic. They cook a lot of the food to order, so don't come in a hurry.
| Attitude | 1 |
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| Environment | 0 |
| Hipness | 1 |
| Local Color | 1 |
| Service | 0 |
| Value | 2 |
| Wine | 0 |
