I was taking a casual stroll in Akasaka with my boyfriend when I stumbled across a colorful sign on the sidewalk reading ‘EKO lolonyon, Togo style buffet, 2nd floor’. It struck me that I had never eaten Togolese food before. It was around lunch time so, curious and hungry, we climbed up a bunch of very steep stairs and entered EKO lolonyon for a culinary trip to West Africa.
First thing first — if you do not know where Togo is, I invite you to check it out here. I know my basics when it comes to Congolese and Cameroonian food, but Togolese cuisine was completely foreign to me.
Although the state of emergency for the Covid-19 had been lifted, the Togolese buffet was not yet available for sanitary reasons. It was bad luck, but thankfully EKO lolonyon also had several affordable lunch sets (salad + main + drink) ranging from 990 to 1,300 yen. We wanted a real Togolese experience so we asked Edmond — the owner and chef — for his recommendations.
Azindessi (1,100 yen)
Edmond advised us to order the Azindessi. The name of this dish actually refers to its orange-colored peanut sauce. At EKO lolonyon, it is served with lamb meat, rice and vegetables. The helping was very generous and the lamb tasted good, but it was not very lean so some parts were chewy and hard to eat. I liked the peanut sauce but it was a little too mild. The eggplants and radish, however, were perfectly cooked. I was surprised to find some okra (okura) in this dish, but apparently this vegetable is also cultivated in West Africa. Live and learn!
Gboma nyanya served with fufu (2,000 yen)
Given that Togo has a coastline, we figured that a seafood dish would probably be worth a try. The fish of the day was not traditional Togolese cuisine so we decided to order the Gboma nyanya from the dinner menu. This authentic Togolese dish was very flavorful and hearty with grilled fish, prawns, crab, raw onions and Gboma leaves (which is kind of similar to spinach). Most of the seafood was left in its shell but it did not really bother me. I liked how they had nicely absorbed the flavor of the sauce.
The Gboma nyanya was served with fufu, which is a staple in West African cuisine. It is made from boiled starchy ingredients, such as cassava, plantains, or in this case yam. Even though Fufu does not have a particularly strong taste, its sticky texture is quite unique. It is great eaten together with a main or used as a dip to soak up the flavors of a sauce.
Degué glacée
We decided to pursue the trip all the way to dessert. For lunch, count an extra 400 yen for the dessert of the day. We were served a Degué glacée, which is a mix of yoghurt, semolina (flour made from durum wheat) and ice. It was nice and refreshing!
Overall
We had a nice lunch at EKO lolonyon. The prices were reasonable and the portions were big. It is too bad that we could not try the buffet, but the dishes we ordered were a nice discovery. The food tasted good but I expected something a little more flavorful and spicy. If you are curious about Togolese food, EKO lolonyon is a good — and so far the only — option in Tokyo.
One remark though, I was a little surprised because EKO lolonyon advertises itself as a Togolese and French restaurant. Indeed, they have a few French-style dishes and courses available, and they even have pizza in their dinner menu. I came to think that it may be a way to give an alternative to people who may be intimidated by a 100% Togolese menu? Too bad; I personally think it would be legitimate for a Togolese restaurant to focus on Togolese cuisine!
All the prices included in this article are without taxes.
Eko lolonyon
Opening hours: Open from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 23:00
Website: click here
Address: 2 Chome-17-72 Akasaka, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0052
Telephone: 03-6277-6979
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