After the live taping of “Listen In With KNN” sports talk podcast/radio show featuring NFL fathers Stacy Elliott and Shawn Allen presented by FOX Sports Radio 1340AM/96.9 FM, host Kelsey Nicole Nelson took us on an African food tour at one of downtown Washington, D.C.’s up-and-coming restaurants.
“Swahili Village – The Consulate DC: A True Taste of Kenya”, is unparalleled when it comes to providing first-class, African fine dining. Owners Emad Shoeb and Kevin Onyona sat down with Nelson to talk about the restaurant, its roots, and its future.
Swahili Village first opened on March 7th, 2020 but was forced to close one week later due to the unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic. Shoeb spoke about this and how although it affected their business, they made it into a positive situation. He said, “We believe that we’re going to make it. It was very humbling. It made the brand stronger and a lot of reflection and allowed us to meet the community one-on-one. Now we’re ready to relaunch our brand on August 31st.”
Onyona, who is a Kenyan immigrant, spoke about the flavors of the foods that can be found only in the Swahili Village. He said, “It’s everything you eat at home, made to the approach of the Kenyan grill.” He also spoke about how there are many NFL players that have African roots and don’t have a fine dining option, but this restaurant solves the problem for them and their families.
Shoeb spoke about how they “created the space with sports lovers in mind”. The audio-visual technology that the restaurant has will enhance your gameday experience. Some of the sports watch parties they expect to host are for football, basketball, soccer (World Cup and European Championships), and the Olympics.
Swahili Village is the best spot to watch all your favorite sports while eating delicious food, two things that go so well together. You can find Swahili Village at 1990 M St NW, Washington, D.C. 20036. If you’d like to hear more about Swahili Village and see the food they showed us, watch the interview below and follow their social media: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. As Shoeb said in the interview, at Swahili Village you “walk into Africa without a visa.”
