Welcome to Eko African & Caribbean Market and Restaurant, a hidden gem nestled at 486 Bell Rd, Nashville, TN. Combining the vibrant cultures of West Africa and the Caribbean, Eko offers an authentic culinary experience that resonates with warmth and tradition.
At the heart of Eko are its diverse, flavorful dishes that celebrate the essence of African and Caribbean cuisine. The menu is extensive, featuring mouthwatering options that range from hearty staples to delightful appetizers.
Signature meals like Ewa Agoyin-a rich blend of beans served with plantain and your choice of fish, chicken, or assorted meat-promise to tantalize your taste buds. For a true flavor explosion, try the Jollof Rice served with fish and plantain, known for its perfectly spiced rice and vibrant color.
A plate of Jollof Rice with chicken and plantain.
A Culinary Journey: Eko's Menu Highlights
Here's a glimpse of some of the culinary delights you can experience at Eko:
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| Dish | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ewa Agoyin (Beans)/Plantain/Fish | A rich blend of beans served with plantain and fish. | $23.00 |
| Jollof Rice/Fish/Plantain | Perfectly spiced rice with vibrant color, served with fish and plantain. | $23.00 |
| White Rice/Red Stew/Goat Meat/Plantain | White rice served with flavorful red stew, goat meat, and plantain. | $26.00 |
| Beef Suya | Grilled beef skewers seasoned with traditional spices. | $16.00 |
| Tropical Rhythms Sorrel Ginger | Refreshing and flavorful sorrel ginger drink. | $4.00 |
Customer Experiences: A Testament to Authenticity and Flavor
Customer experiences shine through, with diners praising the stunning flavors and the warm ambiance. Scott Usher enthuses about the incredible thickness of the goat stew broth, while Jennifer Mayes notes that Eko serves some of the finest Nigerian dishes she has ever tasted-consistently prepared to perfection at reasonable prices.
Moreover, patrons often rave about the friendly service. The welcoming atmosphere draws people in, transforming a simple meal into a communal experience. The staff members genuinely care about your dining experience, making it a place you’ll want to revisit.
The Allure of West African Markets
In Mali and Senegal there are markets of every size and shape. Most of the larger markets are located in the cities and can extend over large areas. The village markets are smaller.
The market is a meeting place for different groups of people. In the large, daily city markets one encounters young and old, men and women, rich and poor, city dwellers and villagers, itinerant traders from neighbouring countries, and tourists. And they bring different ideas and thoughts into the markets.
A whole series of social exchanges takes place in the course of buying and selling in the marketplace. New acquaintances are formed here, and friendships are renewed. Information circulates among some of the participants about prices and the availability of goods.
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Market in Senegal.
Order and Chaos in City Markets
At first glance, the vast city markets can appear to be chaotic and labyrinthine places. When one looks a little more closely, however, one discovers that order reigns over this chaos. A market can be divided into zones on the basis of the type of goods for sale.
In a certain zone one finds stall after stall with cotton cloth. The next zone contains used books for sale, and, after this, there are stalls where religious articles like prayer beads, prayer hats and religious texts are sold.
Village Markets: Community Hubs
The majority of villages have a market day at least once a week. Some markets follow a three- or five-day cycle, others, a weekly cycle. The marketplace can be an open square in the centre or on the outskirts of the village, or it can be a built structure of wooden poles with a thatched roof.
Even if there is not a market every day, it is usual that some people use the place to sell things on non-market days. But only on market days is the place packed with people and goods.
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Sandaga Market: A Case Study
Sandaga is Dakar's largest market and is located right in the heart of the city which today contains nearly two million people. Sandaga was originally a food and textile market and continues to be known to have the country's - and maybe also the region's - best choice of textile materials.
There is nothing that one cannot buy in this market, at least if one is willing to buy used goods or copies. The Sahel-style main building where the food market is located almost disappears in the mass of sellers' stalls, people and boisterous traffic in the surrounding narrow streets.
The majority of the sellers in Sandaga come from a region in Senegal called Baol. The people are thus called Baol-Baol, but are perhaps best known for belonging to the Mouridian Muslim brotherhood.
The Mourides' Influence
The Mourides of Senegal are thrifty, hardworking traders who have managed to build up a worldwide trading network with its centre in the Sandaga Market, even though the majority have little or no formal education. Today Mourides from Senegal live all over the world.
The success of the Mourides in recent years, with the help of their global trade network, is due to their ability to import goods they can sell in Sandaga at prices lower than in Dakar's shops. This applies in particular to textiles, electronic equipment, and cosmetics, but is also applicable to other imported goods.
Oke Arin Market: A Modern Example
Where should an international FMCG start-up looking to test the pulse of an earthy consumer culture in Lagos begin? In a market where less than 1% of retail occurs in formal outlets, it made sense for Brett Levine after some prior research to visit Oke Arin Market (it translates as “Up the Middle” market), one of a few open markets that dot the landscape across Isale-Eko, located on Lagos Island.
Oke Arin is a live demonstration of entrepreneurial fervour choc-a-bloc filled out with diversity, colour, humanity, haggling and concept of personal space non-existent. Within this picture well known international grocery brands, livestock, vegetables and fresh foods are in a constant state of ‘haggle-flux’ between merchants, street-smart traders, wholesalers and domestic use buyers.
As a destination it has been an important grocery trip for Lagosians who buy both in bulk and on impulse for everything from fabrics, dried goods, conserves, baby formula, wine, dairy, fresh meat, fish, fruit and vegetables.
Traders at Oke Arin Market in Lagos Island.
Whether you're a local or just passing through Nashville, make it a point to visit Eko African & Caribbean Market and Restaurant. Discover the delightful fusion of African and Caribbean flavors-you're certain to leave satisfied and eager to return!
