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Jennifer Fong, The Edmonton Journal
Saturday, August 09, 2008
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Patrons enjoy a traditional Somali meal of rice, chicken and vegetables at the Banaadiri African Bistro on 95th Street, south of 118th Avenue.
Greg Southam, The Journal |
EDMONTON - It's 3:30 on a Thursday afternoon and the Banaadiri African Bistro on 95th Street, just south of 118th Avenue, is bustling. The restaurant specializes in Somali favourites such as goat meat aari and fresh-squeezed mango juice at affordable prices (generous entrees are priced between $9.50 and $12), making it a social hub for Edmonton's growing Somali community.
It's also the first place Ali Mahdi, of the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, takes those who want a taste of Somalia in the city. A number of Somali businesses are centred along this strip of Alberta Avenue, which is a great place to shop for traditional foods, clothing and music, he says.
A few doors down from Banaadiri is African Beauty Supply, which carries bright African-style shirts, skirts, and shawls that are perfect for hot summer weather. The store also sells Middle Eastern wall and floor rugs, especially popular in Somalia.
Across the street is Iftin Grocery, a one-stop shop for everything from furniture to clothing to food. There's Qaxwo, a ginger-spiced Somalian coffee, and chilled cans of the fruit-flavoured soft drink Vimto, imported from Saudi Arabia. It's a popular drink at weddings, says Mahdi. Bottles of rich, moisturizing organic olive oil are sold for hair conditioning, which some customers swear by to leave curls soft and lush.
Iftin also has a resident tailor-cum-repairman, Mohamed Abdirahman, who Mahdi says everyone in the community goes to for repairs of all kinds. On Thursday, Abdirahman was tailoring a pair of designer jeans, but he's been known to sew curtains, too.
One of the last stops on Mahdi's neighbourhood tour is Yagleel Studio, across the street from Banaadiri. Here, there's jewelry, clothing, and footwear, as well as a small corner dedicated to popular African music. For $10, you can get a mix of some of the most popular tunes in Somalia. Owner Rashid Hassan says volume five (there are 11 compilations available) is most popular among the younger generation, who "might not understand the words, but they still like the music."
jfong@thejournal.canwest.com
Source: Edmonton Journal, Aug 09, 2008