Some people collect keychains, magnets, and postcards when they travel, but my preferred memorabilia is hot sauce. I have hot sauces in my kitchen from all corners of the world, from Mexico to Calabria, but it turns out, I don’t need to go far to get my hands on the best one I’ve ever personally tasted — Senegalese eatery Café Rue Dix has me covered.
I discovered Café Rue Dix, which is one of the businesses under Rue Dix Brooklyn, somewhat by accident. In 2018, I lived in Flatbush, and my train connection at Franklin Ave had lengthy delays, so I decided to grab a bite to eat. That’s when I found Café Rue Dix. Though I was initially drawn in by their offering of croquettes de duck confit, I had no idea I was in for trying flavors so good that I’d soon become a loyal fan.
Kaitlyn Rosati
Cafe Rue Dix (Kaitlyn Rosati)
I found myself back at Rue Dix a few weeks ago to finally sample their tasting menu. Priced at $98, it’s a five-course Senegalese feast from starter to dessert. Despite the trendy atmosphere, Café Rue Dix has the warmth of a home kitchen, and that is especially apparent in their tasting menu.
Course one set the bar high with spicy potato nem (spring rolls) served with their signature house-made hot sauce. For course two, you have the option of a goat cheese salad or a Moroccan-spiced chickpea salad, and for the third course, enjoy dibi Senegal (grilled lamb with plantains over grilled kale) or a spiced African stew made of tomato, apricot, yucca, sweet potatoes, carrots and chickpeas, which just so happens to be vegan.
For the star of the show, course four is the signature thiebou jenn, a fiery, heavily-spiced red snapper and roasted vegetables that’s been cooked down in tomato paste and herbs, served with jollof rice. If you don’t eat fish, course four alternatively offers an attiéké bowl, a West African couscous made from fermented cassava, served with grilled kale, avocado, sweet plantains and a raw onion sauce. Finally, for dessert, enjoy creme brulée or poached apple.
Kaitlyn Rosati
Rue Dix Brooklyn shop (Kaitlyn Rosati)
The tasting menu gives diners the best realm of everything Café Rue Dix has to offer, but if you’re not into the idea of a five-course meal, there are a plethora of options to choose from. Those duck confit croquettes that initially drew me into Café Rue Dix back in 2018 still remain one of my favorite bites. It’s creamy duck in a fried morsel with dollops of the habanero and scotch-bonnet hot sauce. It’s one of those dishes I frequently dream about all these years after my first bite.
One of the store’s best-sellers is the Rue Dix Burger. It’s made with spiced ground ribeye, giving a subtle nod to the West African flavors of the rest of the menu. The burger, served with fries or a salad, is sold at a discounted rate from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday nights, as well as during happy hour (daily from 4 to 7 p.m., until 8 p.m. on Wednesdays).
Kaitlyn Rosati
Cafe Rue Dix (Kaitlyn Rosati)
Thiebou jen is not only offered on the tasting menu, but is sold a la carte. If you want a true taste of Senegal, this is your dish. Not only is it the national dish of Senegal (where Lamine Diagne, one of Rue Dix owners, hails from) but it’s being prepared by a kitchen of Senegalese women who pour their heart into every plate of thiebou jen.
After your meal, swing by their brick-and-mortar shop next door, where they sell Senegalese products such as café Touba, a traditional coffee (which is also served at the eatery). The store also sells clothing and accessories that Atlanta-born Nilea Alexander, one of Rue Dix’s owners, sources herself on her frequent trips to Senegal. There’s even a nail salon in the back of the shop, Marché Nail Studio, where the slogan is, “Yes, we do nails,” because, yes, Rue Dix Brooklyn does nails.
And, hey, maybe I’m biased, but if there’s one real reason I encourage you to go to the shop next door, it’s to grab a jar of hot sauce ($24.50) to add to your collection at home.
Address: 1451 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Phone: (929) 234-2543
Hours: Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Prices: Appetizers $12 to $24; burgers and sandwiches $22 to $26; entrees $26 to 44; tasting menu $98
Takeout and delivery available, reservations through Resy
Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to Kaitlyn with your recommendations at nomannomad.net@gmail.com.
