Chef Tolu ‘Eros’ Erogbogbo wants to bring respect to Nigerian cuisine. As part of his mission, he mounted a 7-city, culinary pop-up tour across the US in 2021, ultimately landing in Los Angeles. Experiencing many other chefs rather bland reinterpretations of traditional Nigerian dishes, he sought to spice things up and develop an offering that Californians would find enticing. With his latest Ilé Bistro in Culver City, he’s creating Nigerian cuisine with a California influence. The wood-fired oven that once churned out Nancy Silverton’s pizzas now roasts chicken, fish, steak and vegetables to be served atop jollof or fried rice with iru, or fermented locust bean, and topped with fried plantains, zobo vinaigrette, carrots, black-eyed peas and more. Pepper soup, available mild or spicy, can be topped with those same meats in addition to noodles, yams, soft egg and more, while desserts include palm-wine popsicles, lemongrass cake and puff-puffs. African beers, wines and wine-based mixed drinks flavored with house-made herb and spice syrups are expected to follow.
‘Billionaire Chef’ Opens New Nigerian Restaurant Ilé Bistro in Culver City
