Black-owned Ottawa restaurants showcase their tastiest dishes
Black-owned restaurants are very much a part of the food scene in Ottawa.
Lennox Antoine, the owner of Island Flava, opened his ByWard Market restaurant 18 years ago.
"It’s like I’m in the Caribbean and in the freezing cold of Ottawa. It’s that needle in a haystack being downtown," said Antoine.
As Canada marks Black History Month, there’s an aim to celebrate Black culinary traditions and share experiences.
"Being from the Caribbean and being of the Black nationality, we try to support our own community in order to build and grow together," he said.
Lanre Akanbi owns Suya Palace on Somerset Street in the west-end of Ottawa.
Weaving food and culture together, it’s a place where families and friends can gather for a taste of Nigerian culture.
"To me, it’s what can I also give to the country and the community," said Akanbi. "Having moved to Canada, my focus is integrating in the community."
The restaurant highlights delicious West African food, including jollof rice, soups and Nigerian-spiced meats.
"It combines that with street food culture. We aim to reach out to the diversity of people in Canada," said Tobi Akanbi, who also works at Suya Palace.
The restaurant faced some challenges after moving to a new location during the pandemic.
"We just remained focused on the goal and target of what we want to build in Ottawa," said Akanbi.
After overcoming that challenge, the staff continue to grow the business and Akanbi looks forward to what’s to come.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
'Do I ghost her again?': Quebec minister's office ignores questions on housing as a human right
The office of Quebec Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau prefers to openly ignore journalists' requests.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.