Dundee’s Gill Young is well-known for running The Shack Street Food in Hilltown, but where does she like to eat?
You might know Gill from the mural created in her honour by Dundee street artist Syke.
She is just as big a character as the mural suggests, full of chat, laughter and great stories.
For this month’s Drive-Thru Review, Gill was keen to try the food from Abule Tiwa, on Dundee’s Albert Street, as she has tried cuisine from all around the world.
The eatery infuses “soulful tastes of Africa with contemporary culinary innovations”, and we were both intrigued to try out their menu.
What was the food like at Abule Tiwa in Dundee?
Abule Tiwa is a small venue, with a handful of seats inside.
We ordered a range of dishes, and didn’t have to wait too long for our food.
The staff were friendly, and recommended different items for us to try.
First off from Abule Tiwa, Gill and I tried the plantain (£4).
This was my first taste of plantain, and I will definitely be having it again.
The fruit, a savoury sort of banana, was flavourful, and perfectly caramelised and very sweet.
The texture was soft without being mushy, and it was very filling too.
On its own though, it wasn’t very exciting, so it is best paired with their other dishes.
Gill: 5/5
Joanna: 5/5
Next up was the beef (£8), which was simply served with a side of cabbage – not onion which I thought at first glance.
The seasoning had a real kick to it, but some sweetness in there too.
Gill called it “tremendous”, and gave it full marks. I knocked just one mark off as I would have liked the meat a wee bit more tender.
Gill: 5/5
Joanna: 4/5
How was the fish at Abule Tiwa, Dundee?
Our next item from Abule Tiwa was a fish dish (£6).
This wasn’t our favourite, as it was quite difficult to eat as it had not been deboned.
The skin was lovely and crispy though, without making the fish itself dry.
Sadly, there wasn’t a lot of eating in it, and it was served without any sides.
Gill: 3/5
Joanna: 2/5
Finally, we got some rice to share.
First off was the Jollof rice (£6). This is a West African rice dish, which combines a range of spices, tomatoes, onions, peppers and more.
The balance of flavours was “just right”, says Gill.
Gill: 5/5
Joanna: 5/5
We both preferred the fried rice (£6) though, just because it had veg through it which made it a bit more exciting.
But the spices were balanced well in both dishes, and the rice was neither overdone, nor underdone.
Gill: 5/5
Joanna: 5/5
Abule Tiwa is a great spot for trying out African cuisine in Dundee.
The prices were affordable, and the dishes full of flavour.
Watch the video at the top of the page for our live reactions.
Catch up on our Drive-Thru Review series on The Courier’s food and drink YouTube channel.
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