Peli Peli Kitchen

"Welkom" to Houston's best Southern African-inspired restaurant that serves the best comfort foods. Everything in this restaurant is Instagram-worthy and here's why! When you walk in, you are greeted by young enthusiastic people who look like they're your average coffee shop drinkers. The place has an equal balance of light and vibrant colors, which for some people, like me, is really important. Nothing is more uncomfortable than eating in a dark, dull, and colorless restaurant. The way you order your food feels like Luby's with only a limited menu, but here's the thing: It's OK because their menu is quite tasty. Their prices are a bit high; they're not 50-dollars-a-plate high, but I did pay 18 dollars for just a plate and a side.

I heard of this place because a wonderful lady at the dental office came by for her cleaning and, as we made a casual conversation, recommended this place for me to try. I was a bit skeptical at first, don't get me wrong I love trying new things, but it just didn't draw my attention. I have never tried Southern African food before, so I was a bit hesitant, but after a few minutes of researching, my co-worker and I decided to go try it out.

The location itself seems to be great, it's next to the freeway I-10, and it is visible to the eye which is great if you want a steady and busy business. As I said before, everything is well balanced. Their walls are filled with art which gives it a touch of modernism. This is a great place to have a casual lunch date, hang-outs, and a lunch by yourself. It won't be too noisy since the seating is quite spaced out. They do have booths available and outside seating if that's your thing. Now let's get to the to the best part, the FOOD

The food I had ordered was the curried chicken with a side of mushrooms and potato fries. Normally, you only get one side, but the potato fries looked crispy and very well made so I had to get them; even the server told me, "I know, I wouldn't have passed the fries either." The curried chicken is composed of chicken, obviously, mild sweet curry with a hint of coconut, mango chutney, yellow rice, fried onions, peppadews, and cilantro. Next, is the side, which I chose mushrooms, but there are more to choose from. For instance, there are cauliflower, candied sweet potatoes, mushrooms, spaghetti squash, mac and cheese, truffle fries, collard greens, and cucumber salad. The mushrooms were delicious: They had the perfect texture and the perfect taste that combined perfectly with the curried chicken. They have four sauces available. I only tried one, which was the spicy orange. It met my standards. I can handle a certain level of spicyness and although the spicy orange sauce wasn't spicy the orange taste gave it the kick I was hoping for.

Peli Peli Kitchen has everything completely well-balanced for a mixed menu, but I think this place is my go-to for comfort food. The ambiance itself is chill and just coordinates with the restaurant's theme. It brings comfort! My rating is an 8/10 because I have yet to try a few more things, like their cupcakes. Stay tuned if you want to hear more about Houston's restaurants for casual dining and updates on adventures as I go on a hunt for the best eatery's in town. CHEERS!