Almost as soon as Felix and Tammi Emeka opened the African Caribbean Market & More at 4209 Oleander Drive, costumers hungry for African flavors have been asking them to open a restaurant.
Now, it’s getting closer. Felix Emeka has started an occasional food service at the market serving dishes like Nigerian indomine, egusi soup, fufu and Jollof rice.
It’s the latest in a series of expansions at what started as a small market. Emeka has grown the space to include a meat market, added more hair care and beauty products, and expanded into a section for African clothing. Now, it’s time to think about the food.
“This is a way to test the waters,” he said.
Eke’s African Kitchen, which is named for Emeka’s mother, is working out of a commissary kitchen in downtown Wilmington and has a steam table for the food at the market. Originally from Nigeria, he has lived in the Wilmington area for more than a decade and opened the market to help people find ingredients for their favorite dishes.
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