Home Style Foods

Definitely not worth your time. Walked in with my family, the lady that was in the front was so rude, not helpful at all. Walked out with just some fish. Had no flavor. They need to change there staff, first time there and we felt so disrespected. Ambiance was more like a cafeteria style... I did not mind but the staff made us feel unwelcome. Wound not come again.

Why yes! You did indeed hear correctly. The very gregarious and enterprising owner of Dollar Groceries in Aurora has now opened a pantheon of West African culinary creations right next door, with a name as memorable as it is delicious - Home Style Foods. As you may know, the proprietor himself is from Liberia, which has strong historical and cultural ties to the United States, especially from a culinary standpoint. For example, in states like North and South Carolina, sesame or "benne" seeds are used particularly by Gullah and Geechee communities (in dishes both sweet and savory) - and these same seeds are used as a paste to accompany some of the satisfying stews on offer at the restaurant. Okra pods are another ingredient from Africa which are now thought of as quintessentially American - and Home Style Foods's earthy okra soup will give you a little more insight into that particular cross-cultural connection. And, on a sweeter note, the rice-flour donuts known as Calas started out in Liberia and Sierra Leone before becoming the pride of New Orleans by the mid-1800s. And you can sample these ample (and believe me, they're big) delights at HSF also. But these are just a few temptations hiding behind that door at the intersection of Mississippi and Peoria.This brings me to one of Liberia's more (in)famous regional dishes - namely, Torgborgee from Lofa County in the far north of the country. Yes, it is definitely full of strong flavors - aged palm oil, country soda (or as we know it better over here, potash) and two different kinds of eggplant (the white ones called "garden eggs" and the small green ones referred to as Kittily) all take center stage in this sumptuous stew. But just try it! You'll see that everything melds together splendidly. (I should mention that the restaurant's preparations tend to be made with mixed meats - in fact, beef, chicken and fish might all appear in a single recipe). Depending on the day you visit, you might even get to enjoy "check rice" (rice cooked together with jute leaves - yep, *that's* where the green color comes from) as an accompaniment to your meal. But I've only hinted at a few potential choices, so see what else you can partake of - and don't forget to do a little shopping next door at the grocery before or after you eat.