Juba Restaurant

Juba Restaurant
1102 Northwest Radial Highway
Omaha, NE 68134
(402) 553-5686
Authentic Sudanese

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JORDAN: Welcome back to Brown on the Towne.

HOMER: A blog for people who like to taste the rainbow of brown foods.

JORDAN: Less like a rainbow... more like a chocolate bar. So Homer and I decided to check out a little place on Saddle Creek called Juba Sudanese. I live pretty close to its location and have driven by many times.

HOMER: I think that place used to be called Super Mid K. But now, it has been demoted down to Mid K. And promoted to Juba!

JORDAN: Yes! We'll have to ask about the demotion. Maybe Mid K ate one of those mushrooms from Super Mario Bros and voila! Juba! MMMMM pixelated mushrooms.... drool...

HOMER: In a town (Towne?) full of beige-y eggshell restaurants, Juba is a shining beacon of all things brown.

JORDAN: LIGHT brown.... hahahahahaha.

HOMER: It has been a while since I have been to a restaurant this brown. Lately, I have been consuming sandwiches from this one freaky fast place, or eating fresh from another so-called restaurant. Not very much brown at all.

JORDAN: Romeo's Mexican food and pizza?

HOMER: How dare you.

JORDAN: Sorry, had to go there... I'm trying to connect this episode with our long lost Guacamaya trip. But yes, Juba is a fantastic example of why we endeavor to do what we do with this page.

HOMER: It is also an example of the reward you get for going a little out of your way. Since I moved to East Lincoln, it is sometimes easier to eat a super value meal or cook for myself.

JORDAN: Ah, East Lincoln... Sucks Homer. I live within walking distance of Juba. So if I ever get the hunger for some badass Sudanese food, I can be satisfied. I can satisfy my thirst too with their fantastic tea.

HOMER: Ok, so let's give people an encyclopedia entry on Sudanese food. I walked in this place not knowing what to expect. I know the Sudan is in Africa, but beyond that, I have zero knowledge of its cuisine.

JORDAN: The Sudan is Africa in microcosm: a large country with geographic, extremes ranging from sandy desert to tropical forest. It is culturally a loose association of almost 600 tribes who have Arabic as their common language. The French, the English, and the Italians have all had colonies in the Sudan. The cuisine is a melding of the many varied backgrounds of the peoples who have influenced its history. Favorite meats are lamb and chicken. Rice is the staple starch. Breads are the Arabian Khubz, but the Sudanese also make Kisra, an omelette- like pancake which is part of the Sudanese dinner. Vegetables, fresh and cooked, are of infinite variety. The okra, which incidentally came to the United States from Africa, is an important ingredient in a Bamia- Bamia, an okra lamb stew.

HOMER: And I would say that there is definitely a melding in this place.

JORDAN: True. I have spent time getting to know the owner, Taj and he has explained that the food he serves has been the product of the melding of many influences, but he still points out that, through the combination, something unique and special comes forth. He advertises Juba as the ONLY authentic Sudanese restaurant in town. (Towne?)

HOMER: That's fair. I am not going to argue with him. Mainly because I wouldn't know authentic Sudanese food if my right hand was made out of it. But my right hand is not made of delicious authentic Sudanese food, so you can stop drooling Jordan. And by the way, why are you always looking at me and drooling?

JORDAN: Dude, I'm a zombie. That's why. Mmmmmmmm... Homer.....

HOMER: Anyway, back to the food. At first bite, the food made me think Mediterranean.

JORDAN: True, Sudanese food does share some common dishes/ingredients as everyday Mediterranean, like Tabouleh and Baba Ganoush.

HOMER: On my first visit, I tried something I saw my TV food idol eat in Egypt. Foul. Foul is a daily dish in Egypt, and it is sometimes consumed in the morning, because it "sits like a stone in the stomach." This is man food right here.

JORDAN: What is in foul?

HOMER: Fava beans. Olive oil, onions, tomatoes, garlic and lemon juice. Tasty, but very filling.

JORDAN: Most definitely. A breakfast with that would set you up for some major pyramid building.

HOMER: Or chariot racing.

JORDAN: So, I've been to Juba a few times now, and have sampled some different things from the menu. The first time, I ordered the Sudanese style Tilapia. At that time I was unfamiliar with many of the things on the menu, but I was more interested in trying something that I was familiar with, but prepared in a culturally different way. Growing up I ate Tilapia like most kids ate fruit rollups.

HOMER: You mean you squished it up into a little ball and sucked on it until it was all gone?

JORDAN: Hmmm... no. What else did kids eat a lot of... Elmer’s glue?? Anyway... the tilapia was fantastic, and it was served as the whole fish: head, tails, eyes, bones and all. Just like Grandma used to make.

HOMER: So....Do you eat all of that? The heads and tails...soup to nuts?

JORDAN: Nah... those just comprise the obstacle course the worthy adventurer must traverse in order to enjoy the sweet, sweet victory that is tilapia meat. Advice to future patrons: make sure you know how to eat a whole fish before you try this. Is there a merit badge for fish eating?

HOMER: I don't know, but how should I practice? Should I start with a goldfish and work my way up? Are fish sticks a good starting place for me, the whole fish virgin? Guide me, oh wise one.

JORDAN: Are you asking me to teach you how to pop your fish cherry???

HOMER: Yes. I mean, no. I mean....OK., so on my second visit, I had the Musaheb. But Taj surprised me. My friend ordered the Kefta Kebobs, and instead of two wasteful, separate plates, Taz brought the whole meal out on one gigantic garbage can lid of a plate. With rice and okra. And my friend must have been cute or something cause Taz gave us goat and lamb meat also.

JORDAN: Wow.. lucky bastards! How was all of it?

HOMER: What a guy! It was all fantastic. And because it was family styley, I got to try a lot of different things. I would recommend this way of eating Sudanese food.

JORDAN: Yes, that sounds fantastic.

HOMER: It was fantastic.

JORDAN: As an add-on to my tilapia rant... Taj and I have spent some time chatting whenever I patronize their establishment. He's a cool cat. He opened Juba with the hope of repeating the success experienced by his brother's similar restaurant in NYC. During Super Bowl week he told me that the best food to eat is the tilapia during the game. So, me and some pals did just that. Taz said he sold 115 orders of tilapia for Super Bowl Sunday. Definitely earn your merit badge and eat this!

HOMER: The Brown Scouts! Gives a new meaning to the term "Brownies" eh?

JORDAN: Hey-Oh!!!!

HOMER: As a final note, I would like to place the African Spiced Tea Taj makes into the BOTT Hall of fame. I have never had anything like it. It is like Chai, but sweeter. It is like Kool-Aid but more sophisticated. It is like drinking mother's milk, but less creepy.

JORDAN: Yeah, you should quit doing that.

HOMER: On that note, thanks for reading. Stay tuned for some changes, and the same old humor and taste we always provide.

JORDAN: Yes! Check Juba out and help keep it in business! Food is affordable, tasty, and there are a ton of vegetarian options if that's how you roll. Remember to send us restaurant suggestions or compliments at brownonthetowne@gmail.com. Later gators.