KD King is an erotic romance novelist from Hazel Crest. She was a guest on the latest new episode of Check, Please! as she recommended her favorite restaurant Mabovi. KD loved her experience of being on the show and is excited to share her love for Chef Bea's Afro Caribbean creations with all of you.
Say it with me
“There’s No Place Like Home, There’s No Place Like Home.” Well unless you
decide to stop by Mabovi restaurant. No sparkling red heels needed. Come and
bring an empty stomach.
When I first heard
of Mabovi it was through one of my women’s groups. We had plans to go and check
out the cuisine. At the time Mabovi was in Matteson. Unfortunately, I was busy
that day and couldn’t make it. But I made appoint to remember the name so I
could check it out on my own. I am familiar with both West African and
Caribbean cuisine, so I knew it was a place I wanted to try. I love oxtails.
And I grab at any chance to find a place that makes good ones.
When I finally
decided to try the restaurant out, they had moved to their Hazel Crest
Location. In fact they had just moved. So it was only a take out window and two
small tables pushed against the window. No more than four people could
“dine-in” at once.
I sat and studied
the menu trying to figure out what I wanted. That’s what happens when you wait
until you are hungry. Well she was baking some bread to take over to the fire
department and just pulled some loaves out.
“Here try this.”
Bea, the owner, gave me a fresh baked roll.
I knew then and
there this would be a place that would not disappoint. The bread melted in my
mouth. Filled with nuts and cranberries it was unlike any roll I had ever had.
I know many people are carb addicts. They love bread and the like. I’m not one
of those people. But in that moment. I became one. I craved the bread. And I
was sure to order an extra piece with my meal. And I have from that day on.
I decided on the
curry lamb shank. She recommended it to me. I decided to eat at one of the two
tables. I was not prepared for the Fred Flinstone portion of meat on one of the
biggest plates I have ever seen served at a restaurant. Curry lamb shank, rice
and peas, and steamed cabbage. I ate, and ate, and ate. Then I took the other
half home.
The food was great,
but I’ve never felt so welcomed. The owner talked to me, recommended food, we
talked about her expansion of the restaurant, and why she moved. I was no
longer eating by a window in a small restaurant. I was enjoying a meal at home.
It was that experience in addition to the food that had me coming back for more
and more and more. And yes her oxtails are delicious.
I finally made it to
another event with my women's group at Mabovi. This time she served family
style because the group was so large. The food kept coming, the laughter never
stopped, she talked to everyone, walked them through, made her special peach
tea type concoction and made sure that everyone left full. Well full is an
understatement. We were stuffed. Somehow we had managed to eat our weight in
food. Afterwards we lingered, relaxed, and sipped tea. That’s when I knew. I
could no longer keep this gem to myself. I had to tell everyone about Mabovi. A
home away from home. I didn’t have to kill a witch and travel down a road to
find Mabovi. Just a hop, skip, and a jump away and I found another home.
Mabovi African & Caribbean Restaurant
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