Golden Safari

I was in line at Deccan Morsels Fremont recently, waiting for a cup of Irani chai , when I got talking to a young man from North Africa. As we discussed African food I told him about Hayward's own Golden Safari, and how it has been awarded best in the bay for Nigerian food. Then I realized I haven't posted a review about their food in a while. I mean you go there, you order a meat pie, follow that with a tomato stew with meat of your choice, get the plain or jollof rice, a side of the fried plantains. Man I tell you, life doesn't get better than that. The flavors, the portions, the yumminess, makes you glad you are in the Bay Area. Extra points for the hibiscus drink , the very clean restroom, and the sweetest, kindest people working there.

Safari so GoodFun fact: 90% of what we watch these days is cooking and/or food related, and we're especially hooked on cooking competitions. From Chopped to Beat Bobby Flay to Wildcard Kitchen--we've seen them all. What we love most is how they always seem to find new foods and cuisines that have somehow eluded us over our great many years. Take for instance, Chef Eric Adjepong; his Ghanaian background, flavors, and devilish good-looks (oh, my...) had intrigued us over the years, but it wasn't until recently watching a West African Chef on The Great American Recipe that really drew us in. Her amazing cooking and recipes made us crave for some legit African food. That's where the handy-dandy Yelp app comes into play, because did you know you can just type in a dish and it'll spit back results based off reviews mentions? Well that's what happened when I put in "Egusi" in the search bar and Golden Safari was the top choice, which led us here on one fateful Sat afternoon. The Good:*Large shared lot with plenty of parking, as well as street parking*Great décor*Service was fine. They had one young man doing it all, but he was friendly trying hard, so big ups. *The food was everything we'd imagined it and wanted it to be. Definitely highly underrated cuisine, and also extremely underserved. *Egusi Stew was where it was at for me, as the earthy and slightly sweet soup of Egusi (ground seeds of a melon), greens, and meat of one's choice. I, ofc, chose Goat and it was fantastic. The concomitant FuFu was very, um, interesting as the texture was like mashed potatoes but not the flavor you'd expect. I mean, it's not Poi bad, but it definitely leaves a lot to be desired. It was, however, really good mixed in with the Egusi, which I suspect is how it's meant to be eaten. *Naked Fried Chicken is where it's at. The crispiness you desire but without all the added carbs of breading. *The Jollof Rice was also outstanding as the grains had a great texture and deep earthy flavor from all the peppers and tomatoes cooked down to nothingness. The Meh:*No outdoor dining*Need a code for the restroom*We arrived shortly after opening and *none* of the apps were "ready" to be ordered. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯*I'm not sure if this was because we arrived after opening, but it took a loooong time to get our food. Fortunately, we both had a decent breakfast so we weren't starving. Otherwise, the hangries would've kicked in... 0_o *Despite them being open almost eight years (2017), the restaurant felt like it was being run by someone who's never owned a restaurant before (see above). I mean, they're not deal killers but just don't expect a smooth experience from soup to nuts. The Ugly:*It's kind of in a strange part of town, as there was definitely some character in the lot on a good one, if you catch my drift. Basically what I'm saying is lock your doors. :)Conclusion: SNAFUs aside, I would definitely love to come back and try more dishes at some point. Because as the Great Communicator once said, "It's all about the food, stupid."

I ordered the Egusi Soup with chicken, which came with a side of fufu, and it was absolutely incredible! You can choose between spicy or mild--I went with spicy, and it was perfectly balanced, just enough heat to enjoy without being overwhelming.I called ahead, and it took about 30 minutes to prepare, so I'd recommend giving them enough time if you're placing an order. The staff at the front, a friendly lady and gentleman, were very welcoming. The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated with African art pieces that are available for purchase.This spot has definitely become my new favorite for Nigerian food!

Saw this all over my TikTok and definitely had to try! Luckily my friends live nearby and I had this delivered to their house. It was my first time trying fufu and egusi. The texture combined is incredible. The meat was also tasty. Will definitely be stopping by any time I'm in the area again!

Love this spot. Owner is super friendly and helpful. As soon as you walk in, you can smell the wonderful aromas. We usually get a jollof rice plate, a few side orders of meat and one of the soups. I've never had a bad experience dining here. The food comes out fresh and is worth the wait.

Who would've thought that you could find authentic Nigerian food in downtown Hayward? Golden Safari specializes in Nigerian soups, including Egusi, made of crushed egusi melon seeds and greens in a spicy broth, along with chunks of bone-in goat (or other choice of protein). However, I was an even bigger fan of the house special Edikaikong Soup, made with a savory broth of stockfish, crayfish, and minced meat, along with greens and pieces of hake fish (or other choice of protein). The broth had a deliciously deep, savory seafood flavor; the greens reminded me of seaweed; and the pieces of bone-in fish had a pleasantly dry, meaty texture! The staple food with which both of these soups was served was fufu, a square-shaped mass of pounded yam, which had a dry yet mushy texture and the flavor of mashed potatoes. The relatively bland fufu paired nicely with the flavorful soups, and the super friendly service explained the dishes to us in detail. Overall, visiting Golden Safari was a memorable culinary and cultural adventure, though the prices were high for the portion sizes.

Food was delicious! This was my first time trying it. I've heard from many people in the Bay Area that this is the spot to go to if you want to try African food. The Egusi soup and fufu was what was recommended and it did not disappoint! The puff puff... that was just delicious!

Golden Safari is West African fare. There's a large parking lot in back. No need to look for a space in front. Walls are decorized with African artifacts, pics.Offerings: house special, African soups, appetizers, salads, starters, rice plate, drinks, sides, Promptly seated upon entry. After consulting with server, placed my order. Food came out when it was fully cooked/assembled. Drums & soft vocals music in background.Eats: Egusi Soup (18.99) +goat meat (3)-soup is a blend of blended melon seeds, palm oil, various kinds of chilis. Taste edge of pungent. Hotness localized in mouth, not transmitted to stomach...Fufu is a type of "bread" made with cassava root & plantains. Steamed, dense. Pairs well with Egusi. -goat meat tender, not much flavor.Meat pie (5) looks like an empanada.-meat dry, subtly savory. Moistness comes from potato, onions.Drink: Ginger Beer (L.5.99)-large sugar content neutralized by sharp gingerness. February is Black Heritage Month...

Lots of vegan choices at this African restaurant. Love to keep coming here. Awesome....

Another bookmark down, many many more to go!I came to Golden Safari because I've been wanting to try fufu. I ordered goat meat, jollof rice and fufu. The lady working the register said the fufu only came with soup. So I switched my order to efro riro w/goat,spicy. She told me it'll take about 10min. As I sat and waited, it dawned on me that she misinterpreted my request. I was buying everything separately. The fufu should have been charged as a side item. Instead the fufu was 'free' bc it came with the soup. I really wanted to try the rice. O well. I don't know what part of Africa this meal originated from. I requested spicy but there wasn't much heat. I think the meal could've used more salt. The goat had a gamier flavor. Stronger than i'm used too. The food was not bad. I would recommend this place to someone who wanted to try African food. I wouldn't eat it again tho. So far my 'African' food preference is still Ethiopian.