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Robin Garr

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Funmi's delights with the flavors of Nigeria

by Robin Garr » Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:26 am

Funmi's delights with the flavors of Nigeria

Tanzania-style curry beef stew at Funmi's.
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Here’s something important to keep in mind about supporting Black-owned restaurants and other Black-owned businesses: We can’t do it just once. To make this right, we need to get into the habit of dining and shopping regularly at businesses owned by our Black, indigenous, and other brothers and sisters of color.

According to U.S. Census data, Louisville is about 70 percent white and moving toward one-quarter black, with smaller numbers of Hispanic, Asian, and other ethnicities. I might not commit to a rigid pattern of stopping at one Black-owned eatery for a certain number of reviews, but it must be done regularly, not one-and-done.

So, the quest for something different and delicious led me this week to Funmi’s Cafe. Hidden away in a nook cut into the back of Gardiner Lane Shopping Center, it’s Louisville’s only Nigerian restaurant. It’s known for friendly, welcoming service and a delicious introduction to African fare.

While the pandemic continues, though, they’ll greet us with a smile in their voice when we call in, but keeping the front door closed.

“Dear valued customers,” explains a note taped to that door and pinned to the top of Funmi’s Facebook page: “We will not be opening our facility to dine in. … We are taking measures to make sure that we can continue to serve you and maintain the health and safety of our customers and ourselves as our nation deals with this pandemic. As such, we would continue taking all orders … for delivery or curbside pickup. Our hearts and prayers go out to those affected by this pandemic and we thank you for your support during this trying period.”

Seems fair enough to me! Funmi’s online ordering menu is run by Grubhub, and it’s clean, clear, and simple to use, with photos of many dishes. I created an order, marked it for curbside pickup, set a time, paid by credit card, and sat back to wait.

About an hour later, just before noon, BOOM! “Hello Robin,” read email and a text from GrubHub. “We’ve cancelled your order with Funmi's Cafe scheduled for 1 p.m. The charge we've placed on your payment method for this order will be refunded shortly.” This was particularly frustrating because it gave no reason. It was like being brusquely turned away by the bouncer on the rope line at Studio 54.

So I got on the horn and placed my order by phone with a friendly man at Funmi’s. Apparently if you place a GrubHub order before the restaurant’s opening hours it will silently fail. It would be nice if they explained that.

Serving Louisville Nigerian and other African treats for more than a decade, Yomi and Funmi Aderinokun have made this little storefront a community landmark. The extensive menu offers a deep dive into Nigerian cuisine, with a few leaps into other African regions and beyond. ...

Read the complete article on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/funmi ... rs-nigeria

You'll also find this review in LEO Weekly's Food & Drink section today.
http://www.leoweekly.com/category/food-drink/

Funmi's Cafe
3028 Bardstown Road
454-5009
http://funmiscafe.com
https://facebook.com/funmiscafe
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Iggy C

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Re: Funmi's delights with the flavors of Nigeria

by Iggy C » Fri Nov 24, 2023 7:05 pm

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Robin Garr

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Re: Funmi's delights with the flavors of Nigeria

by Robin Garr » Mon Nov 27, 2023 9:57 am

Yep, I just saw Funmi's farewell on the restaurant's FB page. Sad. She was a very nice person and ran a good, often overlooked, restaurant.

Funmi's wrote:We are retiring from the restaurant industry and as a result Funmi's Cafe is closed. We may be saying farewell to Funmi's Cafe, but the immeasurable support from each and every one of you over the past 13 years has been remarkable. While this marks the end of our restaurant, we're forever grateful for the friends we made, all the beautiful memories shared, and the amazing love we experienced. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for the amazing journey you shared with us.
https://www.facebook.com/funmiscafe/pos ... pJxxR5fR3l

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