Since mid-June, GTA residents craving authentic Nigerian comfort food have been able to nip their cravings in the (taste) bud at Blessinglicious, a Scarborough restaurant specializing in Nigerian street food.
The name says it all. Blessinglicious is owned and operated by Blessing, a passionate young chef with serious entrepreneurial chutzpah whose Instagram claim is that she “only serves Delicious Street Food.” The claim is fiercely supported by many Nigerian expats who, like one commenter on her website, believe that Blessinglicious “should be your only plug when it comes to Nigerian food in Ontario… just one bite of her jollof rice with suya chicken and Gizdodo gave me an instant food orgasm.”
Born and raised in Nigeria, Blessing was plunged into Nigeria’s rich culinary universe from an early age, working at her mother’s catering business and at the restaurant/bar at a hotel owned by her father. By the time she came to Canada in 2015, as a student, she was already an accomplished cook. Indeed, she recounts that “MOST of her friends befriended her because of her cooking skills!”
Positive feedback from friends and family inspired Blessing to go pro. She launched Blessinglicious Bites, a catering and takeout service which, as time passed and word spread, led to pop-ups and appearances at food events and street markets. The next logical step was a brick-and-mortar space on Kingston Road, Blessinglicious Restaurant, where diners can sit down and enjoy Blessing’s spiced and saucy dishes in a more relaxed ambiance.
Although the menu is fairly narrow, there are lots of possibilities for mixing and matching mains and sides. Among the most popular specialties are suya chicken, succulent grilled meat marinated in a spicy peanut sauce, and peppered beef. Particularly beloved by homesick Nigerian expats, is the gizdodo, peppered deep-fried chicken gizzards with plantain. Numerous sides include jollof rice, yam chips, coleslaw and moi moi, a pudding-like cake of steamed and seasoned black-eyed beans.
To drink, try the gorgeously purple and refreshingly tart Zobo drink, made from the dried flowers of a type of West African hibiscus known as roselle. Then count your blessings.
Blessinglicious Restaurant is located at 2849 Kingston Road and is open daily Monday from 3 to 10 p.m., Tuesday to Wednesday from 12 to 9 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 12 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 2 to 10 p.m.
