palates a-poppin’ by John Vollertsen OF ALL THE SENSES STIMULATED during a meal, the most important is taste. Sure, food should look yummy and smell delicious and feel good. But, boy oh boy, if those taste buds jump up and the flavors sing and zing – bingo – that is the artistry of a chef who knows what he’s doing. That’s also the experience on offer at the year-old Jambo Cafe. Chef/owner Ahmed Obo, who [...]
September 2010 “Jambo Café is perhaps Santa Fe’s most talked about restaurant. So many folks had told me how much they love Chef Ahmed Obo’s that I had to go back and have to agree: It’s great Caribbean and African chow that is loaded with exotic spices and packed with flavor. The cinnamon-dusted plantains melt in your mouth and are a must-have.” – John Vollersten
Best New Restaurant: Jambo Cafe Jambo Cafe is that tall, dark, handsome man no one has ever seen before who comes waltzing into some set-in-its-ways pool hall, looks the local billiards champ in the eye, laughs and proceeds to smoothly pocket every ball in quick succession. Except instead of a pool hall, it was The Food Depot’s January 2010 Souper Bowl competition and, instead of winning a game of pool, Jambo Cafe (led by Kenyan [...]
Jambo Cafe is Santa Fe’s first, and only, African eatery. Launched less than 12 months ago and tucked away in a location many would consider too risky for such as venture, the restaurant has defied all the odds, quickly establishing itself as a firm favorite among locals and foodies alike. It’s a remarkable success story and in these harsh economic times, when many eating places are struggling to survive, Jambo Cafe could fairly be dubbed, [...]
We love the tasty Jerk chicken sandwich. Try the curried chicken salad wrap; or the marvelous phillo stuffed with spinach, black olives, feta cheese, roasted red peppers and chickpeas served over organic greens; or the marinated and grilled red snapper. You cannot go wrong with the East African coconut lentil stew.
Nothing Bland About Jambo Packed cafe serves up ‘delicious African” island fare By ANNE HILLERMAN For the Journal Although it has only been open for about six months, Jambo Cafe has garnered lots of positive attention, including top awards at Santa Fe’s recent Souper Bowl benefit and a mention in a recent New York Times travel section. The result? Lots of customers. The first time I tried to eat here (7-ish on a Monday), I [...]
Walking into Jambo Cafe, it feels like you’ve entered a very friendly small town with amazing food. More often than not, the place is jamming. It is possible to dine solo and keep to yourself, but the norm seems to be several levels friendlier than that. Customers greet each other from neighboring tables. People look up from their tables and smile a welcome when you walk in. And the tall, slender man in chef’s pants [...]
Put this restaurant on your radar screen. The Jambo Cafe at 2010 Cerrillos Road (near Hobby Lobby). Chef Ahmed Obo is no stranger to Santa Fe having served as chef at the Zia Diner for the past ten years, but this is his first opportunity to introduce Santa Feans to the food of his native land, Kenya. His mission is to provide “quality ethnic cuisine for a good value,” and that is precisely what he [...]
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