Food & Drink
Cafe Songhai: Western African cuisine meets high-end dining
International Restaurants: Find Cuisines from Across the Globe Just Down the Road
Although the U.S. Census Bureau uses five racial and ethnic categories (six if you count “other”), the world is made up of so many diverse cultures that it would be nearly impossible to categorize them all.
Perhaps more interesting than categorizing people is learning to enjoy the different cuisines they share with others.
One of the greatest aspects of living in one of the most diverse counties in the country is that Gwinnett is home to a variety of food styles.
While Italian, Mexican and Chinese dishes may be familiar, have you ever tried a West African, Jamaican or Persian dish?
Peachtree Corners Magazine visited purveyors of these different fares operating here in town. We encourage you to give them a try.
You’ll never know if your taste buds have more in common with a place across the globe than with the food you’ve been eating your entire life.
Bon appetit! Or, in other words, Ɛyε dε, Eat good or Nooshe jân!
If you’re craving fufu or jollof rice, you’re in luck. Those traditional Nigerian dishes are on the menu at Cafe Songhai, a West African-themed restaurant in Peachtree Corners.
Owners Matthew and Catherine Owusu opened the restaurant in 2017 with a desire to feature the cuisine of Matthew’s native land.
“My husband is Ghanian by birth and moved away from there in his early twenties,” said Catherine. He went to England to study and worked in the pharmaceutical industry.”
But his passion for cooking was strong. So, he worked part-time in an African restaurant as well. He eventually moved to the U.S., where the two met.
Catherine is a Bermudian and a professional in the banking industry. While studying in South Carolina, she applied for a Green Card during a lottery period for Bermudians. She was awarded permanent residency but was required to maintain a full-time job.
To do that, she worked at her uncle’s dental office in Nashville. Upon graduation, she applied for a banking job, but the city didn’t have many options for international banking, her specialty.
So, she ended up in Atlanta at Wells Fargo.
By 2008, Matthew was working with and helping one of the major West African restaurants in Atlanta. As a result, he wanted to open his own with his wife helping in the background.
“He’s the one that manages the restaurant day to day. I am typically there on the weekends because I still have a full-time position,” she said.
Catherine now works in fintech but enjoys her role at Cafe Songhai.
A new concept is born
With Matthew’s strong culinary skills and science background, it was clear that he would run the kitchen.
The two came up with the concept together and chose the name based on an old West African kingdom, the Songhai Empire.
“My husband did a lot of work to open the place, renovating it and everything,” she said. “I am typically the one who is there in the front, overseeing and managing it while interacting with customers and the staff.”
Cafe Songhai opened in 2017. Its goal was to be an upscale West African restaurant for metro Atlantans.
“We knew that there was a market for it. That’s why we chose a location in Peachtree Corners,” she said. “It met certain criteria — it had a diverse population, it was close to a population who would perhaps not be West African but would be open to trying that sort of food, and it had a patio for outside dining, was accessible and had parking.”
She added that Atlanta parking can be challenging to find, and accessibility is so crucial to customer satisfaction. Finding parking can add another $20 to the evening’s expenses.
A few years after Cafe Songhai opened, the COVID pandemic wreaked havoc on the restaurant industry, but Matthew’s versatility was a saving grace.
“Where many places had to close down or lay off their staff because they just weren’t getting the business, he was able to cook it, serve it up and hand it to those customers who were ordering takeout,” Catherine recalled.
“There were times when he was there by himself doing takeout online orders. We made it through because he could handle it,” she explained.
At the time, the couple revamped their restaurant style and pivoted to online takeout only.
“I distinctly remember that day; it was a Friday. That sounds like a song or an intro to a book,” she said. “It was a Friday, and I was there, and I remember we just started getting a lot of phone orders.”
Again, luck was on their side. They had just implemented an online takeout system and managed to keep up with the demand of loyal patrons who still wanted Ghanaian and Nigerian dishes but wouldn’t eat out in public.
“We never closed. I know a lot of places closed for a couple of weeks,” she said. We reopened to full service a little later than others, but we needed to rebuild our staff, and we wanted to do it right.”
Catherine credits resilience, reputation, and customer loyalty for their continued success.
“We have customers who have been with us from the beginning,” she explained. “I wouldn’t want to go through that again, but [my husband] was able to keep us going, whereas maybe some other owners weren’t necessarily able to do that.”
Come for the food, stay for the ambiance
Now that everything is back up to speed, the Owusus continue offering an excellent West African dining experience. During the day, the focus is more on takeout and quick orders. But in the evening, the operation turns to upscale dining.
“We aim to educate people,” she said. “I know there are some who come, and they just want to try West African food. They’re not familiar with it.”
She and the staff have no problem explaining the options.
“We’ll even try and equate the food to the familiar,” she said. “For instance, I will ask someone, ‘Where are you from? Where is your family from?’”
Those familiar with Black American soul food can relate to black-eyed peas, rice and okra.
Someone with Caribbean roots might be steered toward a whole grilled fish, plantains and spicier options.
“We might have someone who just wants to try a certain dish like fufu,” she said.
More Americans are familiar with African fare thanks to food and travel channels and social media.
“There was a big fufu challenge on TikTok or Instagram not long ago,” she said. “So, we had quite a few people who would say, ‘I want to try fufu.’”
“It’s a starch that you eat with something else,” she said. “There are soups and stews that go with fufu.”
For the complete experience, the eatery offers live music on some Friday evenings.
“We have good food portions and a really good quiet but comfortable atmosphere,” she said. “My husband has excellent music. He plays anything from Marley to Afrobeat to jazz to pop. And we’ve had customers who will ask for a copy of his playlist.”
The Owusus work hard to make Cafe Songhai very personable and unique based on the food, the atmosphere and the art.
Cafe Songhai
3380 Holcomb Bridge Rd
Peachtree Corners, GA 30092
www.cafesonghai.com
470-359-2969
Find two dozen more international restaurants in Peachtree Corners here!
Photos by Tracey Rice
If you’ve been to or near the Forum in the past few months, you’ve probably noticed cranes and construction crews. The anticipation of the first phase of renovation of the 22-year-old retail center has left a lot of Peachtree Corners residents as well as nearby patrons excited to see changes.
The Forum administration invited the media for a hard hat tour on July 17. The event showcased the redevelopment progress ahead of The Plaza’s grand opening on Aug. 8.
Scrumptious bites incoming
Executives from the development and leasing teams joined on-site management and led attendees around the new central gathering space, guest amenities and Politan Row, the newly created 10,000-square-foot food hall.
Dining concepts from veterans at Sheesh, Twenty-Six Thai and newbie Gekko Kitchen were the first food vendors announced for the space, which is expected to open in January.
“We can’t wait to introduce the Peachtree Corners community to our food hall experience,” said Politan Group CEO Will Donaldson in a news release. “Every detail from the design to the bar program to the cuisine is thoughtfully curated to inspire guests to not only mingle with one another but to connect with our incredible restaurateurs and discover new favorites.”
During the tour, Donaldson explained that eventually there will be seven different global cuisines in the Politan Row food court at the Forum featuring well-known and up-and-coming local talent. Once complete there will be a central bar, a private event venue and a covered outdoor patio.
“One of the things that we’re excited about is this unique design that we’ve come up with, that’s very specific to this area,” he said. “We’ll be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Whether you’re with a group for lunch or with your family, it works great for multiple settings.”
Twenty-six Thai owner Niki Pattharakositkul said the restaurant will work with local vendors to source the freshest meats and produce possible.
“There are certain types of produce and protein we try to source locally, but sauces and the more exotic produce and herbs, we have to import from Thailand,” she said. “Our brand is trying to move towards doing things locally and sustainably.”
Working with organizations such as Georgia Grown limits the use of large food distribution companies. Since starting Twenty-six Thai in 2016, Pattharakositkul has launched seven locations across metro Atlanta, including at Politan Row’s Ashford Lane and Colony Square.
The eatery describes itself as an “authentic wok-fired Southeast Asia-inspired menu featuring items such as pad Thai, pad see ewe and classic drunken noodles.”
Sheesh, a Mediterranean concept that uses simple, wholesome ingredients prepared with unique spices and blends, is run by corporate executive chef Charlie Sunyapong and director of operations Raquel Stalcup. The two are also members of the group behind full-service restaurants Stäge at Town Center and Pêche at the Forum.
The popularity of those suburban concepts has already taken off. With Sheesh, they’re looking to do something different.
“There are going to be some things that are unique to Sheesh that you’re not going to get at the other places,” said Sunyapong. “You’re not getting a whole restaurant; this is quicker fare.”
Gekko Kitchen, a former food truck transformed into a hibachi and ramen experience, will be serving fresh, fast bowls that are more colorful and lighter than traditional hibachi fare.
Gathering spots
Development Manager Nick Lombardo explained that NAP is moving away from building big construction projects from scratch like Colony Square in Midtown Atlanta and Avalon in Alpharetta.
“As a company, North American Properties pivoted around 2020 from building big ground-up construction to more redevelopment with already existing properties,” he said. “With the thought of great assets that just need a little more attention Infused into them to create value, we bought the Forum in 2022.”
He said that value-add propositions done at The Forum will create a more walkable center.
“Trying to compete with the internet on convenience is a very tough task, so the way we differentiate is by experiences,” he said. “We host between 150 to 200 events every year. We have things like concerts, wellness and fitness events and we have child playtime events. Our marketing team does a great job and they’re the differentiator when it comes to what makes our property stand out.”
By the first week of August, a large gathering space will be unveiled in the central area of the property between Pottery Barn and seafood restaurant Pêche. It will have a nine-foot LED screen capable of hosting movie nights and sports viewing. There will also be musical performances featuring local artists.
“We’re not in competition with Town Center,” said Charlotte Hinton, marketing manager at The Forum. “Town Center has gates like a real music festival and we’re more like a ‘chill and enjoy the music’ vibe where you can grab a beer and hang out or maybe kind of walk around.”
The smaller space and artificial turf are unlike the Town Center space where attendees spread blankets and bring chairs. The Forum will have furniture and seating in the space so folks can just gather and either enjoy time with family or partake in events.
The Forum will also offer valet parking on a limited schedule at that end of the property.
More improvements
Although the construction equipment will have moved out, the jewel box building will house a yet-to-be-named restaurant that will open early next year.
“We’re pretty much done with what we’re doing as far as landlord work,” said Lombardo. “We ask our tenants to bring their brand and their design and their material pallet and put that on the building to express their brand identity. They know their brand better than we do. They know how to best design their building and how it functions and works.”
It’s the same process with retail stores, he added.
“We always ask all of our new tenants to come in here when they’re building their storefront,” he said. “They’re not just selling their clothes; they’re selling a lifestyle in the brand so we ask them to push their brand out to the street.”
Even with the new spaces, there will be no shortage of parking, Lombardo added. “There’s plenty of parking behind these buildings,” he said pointing toward Pêche. “What we’ve done is enhance the connectivity to those areas. We’ve redone this breezeway and we’re adding lighting and connecting the parking lot to the main boulevard here. The goal is to replace cars with people and activity and bring a sense of community to the property.”
The Taste of Peachtree Corners has been in the works for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic put many key events on hold for the Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA).
But luckily this year, the dedicated staff of volunteers successfully executed a memorable event and introduced a lot of local business owners to their neighboring restaurants and caterers.
As I walked up to the Community Chest Room at Peachtree Corners City Hall on June 27, there was a line outside the door. I later found out that over 100 people had registered to attend the event. I got checked in quickly and was faced with a “passport” of 10 Peachtree Corners restaurants serving everything from high-end bakery items to good old-fashioned barbecue, and modern twists on seafood and American cuisines.
Let’s talk about the food
The idea was to visit all 10 restaurants and collect stars while trying samples and small plates. My first stop was Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, and they had my favorite – homemade chips and queso. The queso was smoky and mildly spicy with a great depth of flavor. What a great start. Next up was Chopt. Creative Salad Co. I had never heard of this restaurant before, but they blew me away with a perfect amuse-bouche of cherry tomato, pesto, mozzarella, and olive oil. These guys understand simple and fresh Mediterranean flavors.
The folks from Marlow’s Tavern were also on-site serving shrimp and grits with jalapeno, spinach and tomato beurre blanc. This is definitely the style of elevated food I’ve come to expect from Marlow’s. And as a nice touch, they prepared a refreshing blueberry cocktail.
Another familiar face was set up on the other side of the room. J.R.’s Log House Restaurant served southern favorites like pulled pork sliders, baked beans and mac n’ cheese. I couldn’t pass this one up. The pulled pork was tender, tangy and saucy. Exactly what I want from a barbecue. Lazy Dog’s table really impressed me with its presentation. The tuna cup with rice, avocado and chili with chips on the side, was a real stunner.
Moe’s Southwest Grill was also on-site handing out tasty tequila lime chicken with rice, avocado, and black beans. This super hearty and comforting entrée was followed by a seafood course from PECHE Modern Coastal. Crab cakes with a croissant pinwheel, roasted garlic and lemon aioli and arugula were on the menu and the flavor combinations were simply fantastic.
PECHE’s sister restaurant STAGE Kitchen & Bar was next door offering a tuna and salmon tostada with avocado, eel sauce, spicy mayo, and cilantro. This was easily one of my favorite bites of the night. The tostada was crunchy and light with clean and bright flavors. No kidding, I could probably eat this every day for lunch.
I moved on the Smoke’s Family Catering and owner Phillip Smoke had whipped up enough barbecue to feed an army. I had the pleasure of trying the smoked chicken with potato salad and it was the perfect pairing. Last but not least: dessert. I capped off the evening with a beautiful chocolate ganache-filled croissant with perfect lamination and flaky texture.
The inspiration behind the event
With a (very) full stomach, I caught up with PCBA President Lisa Proctor to talk about the event.
“We knew that COVID was really hard on a lot of our restaurants to get people back in,” said Proctor. “We wanted to do it in June because we wanted to celebrate our military. Everybody remembers them maybe on Memorial Day or different things, but June is the 80th anniversary of D-Day.”
“The military is always close to our heart,” she added. “We’re also very proud of our restaurants. They all have gone above and beyond.”
Tonight, the PCBA was honoring the Armed Forces and its brave veterans while bestowing two donation checks to very worthy causes.
The first check for $500 went to Folds of Honor. Since 2007, Folds of Honor has provided life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military. And now, their mission expands to the families of America’s first responders.
The second check for $500 was given to Light Up the Corners, a 501(c)(3) volunteer organization with an annual glowing, flashing, blinking, shining, nighttime running party and fundraiser in one. All proceeds from the event go to benefit less fortunate children and families in the Peachtree Corners community who are struggling by giving them the chance to participate in life-enhancing programs and activities at the Fowler YMCA.
Over the past 12 years, the PCBA has awarded 19 scholarships and donated more than $156,000+ back to the Peachtree Corners community.
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