AfroCana Tukul: A taste of Sudan on Ottawa Street

Opening its doors in April, AfroCana Tukul is one of Windsor's newest restaurants. Its also the first establishment in the city to serve the cuisine of Sudan, according to owner Amani El Khabir.

AfroCana Tukul is located at 1285 Ottawa Street in Windsor. (Jonathan Pinto/CBC)

A successful legal translator in Dubai, El Khabir moved to Canada two years ago after her daughter, Sara Ataelmanan, moved here to study business at the University of Windsor. El Khabir plans on continuing her legal business in Windsor — she'll be writing the exam to become a licensed paralegal in August.

So why open a restaurant?

Ataelmanan, who helps her mom at AfroCana Tukul, described it as a means of cultural expression.

"Ever since I came [to Canada], when people ask me where I'm from, and I say, 'Sudan,' not many people know the country," Ataelmanan explained. "So we're trying to let people know [that] we exist."

A wooden map of Sudan sits at the cash register. (Jonathan Pinto/CBC)

El Khabir happened to be a very talented cook at home, so they decided to share that skill with the people of Windsor. AfroCana Tukul, whose name is a combination of Africa, Canada and the Sudanese word for a traditional kitchen, offers classic food from all over Sudan.

What is Sudanese food like?

Due to its location in northeastern Africa, food in Sudan is a blend of Middle Eastern and African ingredients and techniques.

One of the most popular dishes, for example, is kofta, an item also found at most of Windsor's middle eastern restaurants. At AfroCana Tukul, it's made with ground beef and spices formed into cylinders.

One of the more African things you'll find is kisra, a homemade bread served with many of the dishes. It's a thin, spongy, slightly fermented flatbread — sort of like a savoury crepe. It's very similar to a bread called injera that you find at Ethopian restaurants.

I ordered a dish called mulukhiya. Popular all over the Middle East and Northern Africa, it's a spiced green stew with chunks of lamb made with a leafy green of the same name.

Clockwise from top right: mulukhiya, gourrassa, peanut hot sauce, salad and falafel with a savoury yogurt sauce. (Jonathan Pinto/CBC)

I ate it with gourrassa, another flatbread Amani makes in-house, and a fantastic hot sauce made with peanut butter.

Ready to try Sudanese food?

AfroCana Tukul is located at 1285 Ottawa Street^[1] in Windsor. They are open every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The mother and daughter duo tell me the menu is a work in progress. It doesn't have a lot of descriptions because they want to talk to you about the food they're serving. So feel free to ask a lot of questions.

References

1. ^{^} 1285 Ottawa Street (goo.gl)