There is a secret ingredient that makes Mom’s food so much better than the rest. You guessed it, love. It’s the ingredient that cured your colds and made you smile. Many establishments miss the mark on this special additive. The rumor was the Indian restaurant on Lincoln Way had been replaced with an African place — something Ames has been needing for ages. The DPD duo went looking for a little bit of home-cooked African cuisine this week in Campustown — and found it.

Atmosphere:

KB: It was a small, cramped restaurant. But that’s not a bad thing. It was cozy, like I was sitting in the owner’s kitchen. The entire time, I felt like I was his guest. The simple African decorations and bright colors looked like he had stolen them away from his own kitchen.

KF: When I stepped in the door, I wasn’t in Ames anymore. The small space was loaded with colorful African art, and any time waiting was spent looking around. There was a table with condiments and silverware on it, as well as the complimentary coffee — making me feel like I was in someone’s home.

Service:

KB: I had my food much faster than Kate’s. It was quickly placed on the plate and handed to me to enjoy. I felt bad eating in front of Kate, but I was hungry. I really wish there was another person in the restaurant, but he told Kate he gets little help besides his wife occasionally.

KF: The owner of the place was the only person working there, so when I had to wait a few minutes for my meal, I really didn’t mind. I had plenty to look at. When my food finally did come, I was beckoned to come forward and tell the man what I wanted on my rice. He had such a pleasant nature to him. You couldn’t help but smile back at him when he was giving you your meal.

Quantity/Value:

KB: A plateful of food with salad, delicious rice and a main course was more than enough for me. I barely had room for the plantains that I stole from Kate.

KF: My plate was full of color. Seriously, it was a lot of food. I couldn’t finish because I wanted to try a little bit of everything.

Quality/Taste:

KB: All I know is that was some of the best rice I’ve ever had and I really, really wish I had spent the extra money for lamb stew instead of what I got. I’m still not sure if I liked the ground beef and eggplant. It was different, and my taste buds had no idea what to make of it. But the lamb stew with my rice — oh man.

KF: I had never had Sudanese food before. (No, I’m not an expert in African cuisine; I asked the chef what area of the continent I was tasting.) The lamb sauce on my rice was bursting with unique flavor, using an unidentified spice that put a tingle in my throat. My chicken was blackened rather than grilled, but it was, for lack of a better adjective — really good.