REVIEW: KEOBI, Albany
Keobi
189 Lark Street, Albany keobirestaurant.com/
Keobi opened during the pandemic bringing a full range of Nigerian and African dishes to the Capital Region from ogbono soup to peppered goat meat, jute leaf ewedu, plantain porridge and goat head isi ewu. Owners Obinna and Kelechi Nwagboso moved their family upstate from the Bronx a few years earlier and were close to opening in 2020 when the pandemic hit. Rather than wait, they shifted gears, built online ordering into the business model, and have been a popular spot downtown ever since.
The vibe: Fast casual, bright take out spot with a few tables for eating in.
We like it for: Lunch, dinner, take out. The occasional late night dance party (IYKYK.)
Must try: Egusi soup, made with ground gourd or melon seeds, and fufu, a swallow food of pounded cassava root. Pinch off a clump to dip in the soup. Don’t skip their traditionally spiced African jollof rice with goat or crispy fish.
Good to know: Order ahead online to avoid waiting in line. It’s a small space and when the line’s long, it can go slow.
Dishes: Try the Nigerian bitterleaf soup with smoked fish; ewedu, a jute leaf soup with tomato, locust bean and slow simmered meats, or Nigerian egg stew scrambled with tomatoes over palm oil-fried plantains. Add sides of grated cassava abacha, fried plantains or vinegary red cabbage salad, or Keobi pastry hand pies filled with chicken, beef or fish, and moi moi, a steamed spicy bean cake. You’ll also find familiar Jamaican dishes like oxtail and curry goat.
Drinks: Order soft drinks or cold beer. Definitely try the funky, creamy Ghanaian palm wine.
Style: Like a fast casual takeout restaurant, Keobi is white with pops of bright orange, a few tables for those eating in and a functional, utilitarian style.
Inside/out? Inside dining only.
Parking: Lark Street is notoriously hard for parking, but try metered parking on Washington Ave or cross streets in Center Square or Washington Park.
Nearby: 1. Herbie’s 2. Bar Vegan 3. Bitchin’ Donuts (vegan) 4. La Polleria (Peruvian rotisserie)
