Jollof Rice Meets Lobster Mac in a Harlem Bistro

Chefs Cisse Elhadji and Cheikh Ali Cisse are first cousins from Senegal who moved to the States in 1995 and now run this Harlem kitchen. Their menu folds French-Senegalese roots into New American comfort, and a single table might share lobster mac and cheese, jollof rice, and short ribs. Regulars point to the red snapper with plantains and the hot sauce that arrives alongside the dumplings. On weekend afternoons the brunch crowd fills the room, and a DJ spins throwback hits while plates keep landing. The room sits on Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, and the kitchen stays open until midnight from Monday through Saturday. It reads as a warm, unhurried place for a long dinner with friends.