On the outskirts of Florida Blvd, nestled behind a timeless American Pawn Shop, is the home of African based restaurant BB & PF - Bean Burgers and Plantain Fries. BB & PF is an African (Nigerian) based restaurant.
This restaurant was introduced to me by a local friend of mine whose descriptions of savory seasoning, diverse menu selections, and overall ambiance enticed me to pull up to the small eatery the very next day. Though, I will admit, unless you know exactly where to go or native to Baton Rouge, the chances of becoming lost are embarrassingly high.
After countless U-turns and an unwarranted amount of frustration, I bluntly said that I would try another time. I dialed the listed telephone number and Ms. Caroline Collins answered walking me through the directions. Ms. Caroline, like most of the Black women in my life, did not heed to the defiance, but ushered me forward, persistent that I was close … n’ of course she was right.
Ms. Caroline, chef and owner of BB & PF, greeted me in the same fashion as my grandmother - a warm “good morning,” a soft hug and small talk while she prepped my food all the while making snarky commentary on whatever judge television show that was currently playing. It is in the way Ms. Caroline engulfs you as a member of her family that truly sets BB & PF apart. However, unlike my grandmother, I have not known her my entire life.
When asked why she decided to open this restaurant in Baton Rouge, Ms. Caroline said: “I [had] lived in Baton Rouge for sixteen years before I decided to open the restaurant and my main reason is there was no place like this in the Baton Rouge area … all the way up to a 100-mile radius. So, I thought I should let people know … about food … mostly West African … I just wanted to let people know about it … about our foods … [our] culture.”
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With menu items such as black - eyed pea burgers, Nigerian jollof rice, fufu and banga soup, Ms. Caroline is definitely bringing the motherland to the capital city.
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BB stands for beans burgers made with black-eyed-peas and PF stands for plantain fries. We're in the business of providing a tasty healthy alternative to high calorie meat burgers. Before now when people hear "healthy food" they automatically think "not so tasty food", but now we have the 'GAME CHANGER'!
Our BBs are very juicy and they come with all the regular dressings for a meat burger plus all the health benefits of the black-eyed-peas! This food is not just for vegetarians or vegans, it's for everyone who wants healthy and tasty in one package. We have modified a simple age old West African recipe and are bringing you 'Akara' or 'Kosie' or 'Kuse' at it's best.
PF (plantain fries) are a naturally sweet fries made out of ripe plantains with no added salt, sugar, cholesterol or msg.
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With the influx of newly emerging vegans in every corner of our country, it is always with a sigh of relief when restaurants offer more than just a salad. To date, I have tried the black-eyed peas with crispy dodo (plantains) and the black-eyed pea burger.
Both were extremely satisfying and for a mere 8.00 dollars for the peas and plantains and 3.00 dollars for the burger, BB & PF is in everyone’s budget. Don’t worry though, if you are carnivorous, there are plenty of meat options for you to choose from, including: jollof rice with fish, chicken, beef or goat, Onugbu, stock soup or peanut soup.
Ms. Caroline has added to the prolific food culture of Baton Rouge. By embedding traditional African dishes in this southern city, she has opened our minds by seeking to refine our palates for the inclusion of home.
The twisting roads often stumbled upon when expanding Black cultural connections can be intimidating, I will admit. However, the invitation is open. The atmosphere is set. Our only task is to show up. So, BB & PF is up to us.
We have a treasure that we must help mold and more importantly, we have a crucial diasporic connection that we must nurture in order to truly understand a place that we may not yet have been but will always be ours. It is up to us to see the value in sharing meals in a small dimly lit restaurant with a woman who laughs at daytime television and asks you about your name.
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