You\u2019ve heard of\u00a0San Diego Restaurant Week<\/a>, the biannual event when restaurants offer three-course dinners for cheaper prices? Well now we haveAfrican Restaurant Week<\/a>. Foodies, take note.<\/p>\n

The event runs through Sunday with seven of San Diego’s ten African restaurants offering traditional African cuisine at reduced prices.<\/p>\n

Think sambusas (fried or baked pastry with a savory filling), stews with hominy and beef, grilled fish, not to mention lentils, collard greens and chick peas with spices galore.<\/p>\n

June Owino opened\u00a0Flavors of East Africa<\/a>\u00a0on El Cajon Boulevard just two years ago, after his food became popular at local farmers markets.<\/p>\n

In his kitchen, the smell of garlic is strong. “Lots of garlic. That\u2019s the key. Garlic is good for you,” says Owino.<\/p>\n

Owino was an accountant in Kenya before coming to the States eight years ago. He\u2019s been cooking since he was a child. Growing up with a single mother, he and his siblings prepared most of the meals. He learned expert knife skills from his grandmother.<\/p>\n

Owino says unique dishes from other countries get labeled authentic or exotic, but people think differently about African food. “When an African eats whatever they eat or the equivalent, it\u2019s called primitive. So we need to change that kind of mentality.” Owino says the best way to do that is through exposure.<\/p>\n

Being from Kenya, he cooks mostly food from eastern Africa. San Diego has the largest East African population in California.<\/p>\n

East African food is not only tasty, it\u2019s healthy. The proof? Owino says just look at all the Kenyon marathon winners. “You see the Kenyans run. Why do you think they run like that? Because they eat good!”<\/p>\n

Owino is hosting an\u00a0all-day party on Saturday<\/a>\u00a0to celebrate Flavors of East Africa’s new location just down the street from the old spot. There will be bands, traditional drummers, African dance, and, of course, lots of food.<\/p>\n

You can find a list of the other restaurants participating in African Restaurant Week and a schedule of free cooking classes\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Click here to listen to the report<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve heard of\u00a0San Diego Restaurant Week, the biannual event when restaurants offer three-course dinners for cheaper prices? Well now we haveAfrican Restaurant Week. Foodies, take note. The event runs through Sunday with seven of San Diego’s ten African restaurants offering traditional African cuisine at reduced prices. Think sambusas (fried or baked pastry with a savory […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[537,19,1105],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-6059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-el-cajon-boulevard-business-improvement-association","tag-refugee","tag-san-diego-african-restaurant-week"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n