One periodically hears a refrain in New Albany to the effect that too many resources have been devoted to revitalizing downtown, and not enough to addressing needs in outlying areas. Like most such propositions, this one probably is overstated, and at any rate it’s far more complicated than glib talking points are capable of summarizing.
So, here’s a glib talking point of my own.
There is little reason why New Albany’s “North Side” (where I spent much of my working life) couldn’t grow and position itself in the fashion Buechel has, by being a culinary melting pot for all comers. Granted, rents depend on many factors, but doing business in a commercial district of a more recent vintage comes without the added costs of preserving buildings in the historic downtown acreage.
At Louisville Business First, Michael L. Jones has news of just the sort of opening we need the most here in New Albany: Ade Food African Kitchen, located at 113 Grant Line Center, which is across the street from the New Albanian Brewing Company.
Speaking personally, I’m beyond excited about this opening, and will check it out once I get past the minor inconvenience of this week’s hip replacement surgery.
Ade Food offers African cuisine in Southern Indiana
The new African restaurant is owned by the husband-and-wife duo Akintola and Adesola “Ade” Fagbenro. Akintola said they were motivated to open the restaurant by the lack of African restaurants in Southern Indiana.
“People around here had to travel across the bridge to go to Louisville, where they have a bunch of them,” Akintola explained. “This is strictly African dishes, more precisely from Nigeria, which is in West Africa. Around here, you only hear very much about Chinese restaurants, Mexican restaurants and a bunch of fast food, so we offer variety and more healthy options.”
Ade Food serves traditional West African dishes like Jollof Rice, Fufu (a popular pounded meal), Iyan (pounded yams) and Ogbana soup. Prices range from $10-17.
Photo credit: Ade Adekunle, Facebook.
