520 Main Street, Bethlehem
610-317-2009
For all the chains and pizza places that pop up around the Lehigh Valley, it's truly refreshing to experience something ambitious and completely different. Alando Kenyan Cuisine on Main Street in downtown Bethlehem is such a place.
The restaurant occupies the back third of Wired Cafe in the heart of the historic district. It's sparsely decorated with a smattering of African art and fairly conventional lighting, tables and chairs. Though it's a separate operation from Wired, it nonetheless needs to blend in to avoid a visual clash. (For the record, this might be the only coffee house-Kenyan combo in the world.)
I've never tried Kenyan food, so I apologize in advance for not having a point of reference. I have enjoyed Ethiopian and Senegalese cuisine before. Kenyan is more akin to Ethiopian with its heartiness and use of exotic spices. In fact, I found it even similar to Indian food, though without the heat. (View the full menu.)
To wit, we started with a lentil samosa, a deep-fried pocket of goodness and an Indian restaurant mainstay. Bits of scallions and cilantro were tucked in the golden-brown pastry. Alando's pili pili sauce -- an addictinng sweet/hot concoction available for to-go purchase -- was an ideal complement. Kenyan Bhajia (fried potato slices in a tumeric-cilantro batter) was equally delicious as an app. The potatoes were light and airy despite being fried.
We chose three entrees to split. Green Gram Grains ($9.95) -- mung beans sautéed in vegetable Masala spice, garlic, tomatoes, coconut milk and light cream -- had a wonderful balance of flavor. The coconut and cream provided a silky sauce that bound the small pieces of vegetables for easy eating.
Cardamom chicken ($13.95) -- marinated chicken with herbs, sautéed with cardamom pods, ginger, garlic, light cream and cilantro -- was my favorite. It burst with aromatic cardamom, but without overwhelming the dish. (I'm sure the cream helped temper that.) The ginger and garlic, reminiscent of Eastern dishes, melded well with the other spices and herbs. The boneless chicken breast was meaty and moist. I could eat this once a week.Not to be overlooked, the beef short ribs ($14.99) were hearty, dense and fork-tender.
Topped with caramelized onions, tomatoes and cilantro, they arrived in a shallow pool of flavorful stew-like braising sauce. The accompanying collard greens & basmati rice were perfect sides.
Do not skip dessert. Alando offers homemade sweet potato pie with ginger ice cream. It was similar to pumpkin pie with nutmeg, cinnamon and a touch of cardamom, but with a bit less fruitiness. The ginger ice cream -- also made on the premises -- was perfect. Studded with real pieces of ginger, it complemented the texture of the pie and provided even more moistness, but without overpowering it. As it slowly melted, it retained its form and texture without turning watery, a sign of quality and high fat content. Mmmmm.
Our service was decent. It took a while upon being seated to get water and menus, but after that it was pleasant and frequent. No issues.
My only criticism: it may be quicker to fly to Kenya than to wait for the restaurant's flash-based website to load. Ugh.
Others I have spoken with have had equally excellent experiences at Alando. Let me know if you do, too.
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6 comments:
I visited last week with my girlfriend- where were both totally underwhelmed- we love Ethiopian & Indian and I figured it would be similar... it wasn't. You're right, there was no heat- and the pil pil was the best part. I had vegetable masala & it tasted like potatoes in campbells soup. And the night we were there the green gram grains were tasteless.
Your description of the dessert sounds good though, but I don't think I'd give them another try. It is great to see more diverse cuisine opening up in the valley- maybe it was just an off night...
It's definitely more subtle than either Ethiopian or Indian. I also had a chicken masala wrap at their booth at Musikfest; it was full of flavor and with the sauce had a nice kick. The short ribs were probably the most flavorful dish. If you go back you might want to give them a shot.
The Ginger ice cream you mentioned definately is NOT made on the premises. I have had similar Ginger Ice Cream from Nuts About Ice Cream on Linden St. - Across from Libery High School. Next time I am there I will ask the owners. As far as Indian tasting Kenyan food - Indians have been living in Kenya since the late 1800s and as such we can see their spice influence. True Kenyan food is not very spicy and the Samosas and Bhajias are indian snacks.
Have been to Alando twice and it was outstanding each time. Truly authentic Kenyan is a nice change of pace in the LV. People have to recognize the diversity in cuisine and culture in each country or ethnic group and not compare unrelated traditions. In India alone there are hundreds of culinary traditions. This is not to mention individual style and capacity of chefs/owners.
That being said, Alando would do well with more visible exterior signage. And, the wait staff could use a little spunk and organization. But, it is a family run business and that is all part of the experience as with many of the truly ethnic places of business.
I can highly recommend Alando, in particular the green grams and coconut chicken, and I hope they do well.
I admire the owners for taking on the task of running a small business while educating the Lehigh Valley about their cuisine. It's no small feat in an oddly configured space with minimal staff and a menu with unfamiliar ingredients.
For me, Alando and Charly's Thai are places where I can get hooked on one dish, and pick up take-out when I get a craving; on the other hand, I've enjoyed everything I've ever had from Kow Thai and Olive Branch and frequently order specials. I love that the Lehigh Valley hosts so many great hole-in-the-wall joints, owned by ambassadors who know their stuff who enjoy cooking up affordable cuisine for locals.
I'm excited to announce that Alondo will now be offering my 'Classic Africa' photo collection for sale from their walls. Make sure you take in that art as well as the food.
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