The Horn, 619 Murfreesboro Road.
Thanks to The Horn, I now know the difference between a samosa and a sambusa. The family-run cafe specialises in Somali chai and street food. The sambusa is the focus of the menu. And I’m now firmly in the sambusa camp.
Anyone who has ever eaten in an Indian restaurant will be familiar with the samosa. It is a triangular pastry, usually filled with a spiced potato and pea mixture. The pastry is somewhat thick and crispy. A sambusa is in the same family but is quite different. The pastry is very thin and the fillings often contain meat. I am a fan of the delicate, almost chewy pastry and the mildly spiced, generous fillings.
Both samosas and sambusas are deep fried. In fact, almost everything on The Horn’s street food menu is deep fried and I’m not upset about that.
The name “The Horn” refers to the Horn of Africa, a large peninsula in East Africa also known as the Somali Peninsula. Ahmed and Zakariya Sayid opened the cafe to serve the Somali immigrant community, but also to introduce others to the country’s cuisine.
The menu is heavily focused on chai and coffee, as well as the fabulous sambusas. Top of the list is Somali Chai, a spiced tea with milk flavored with ginger, cinnamon and cloves. It’s slightly sweet and very comforting. If a hot drink isn’t high on your list this sweltering summer, you can also drink it iced. There are a variety of other chai drinks, including one with caramelized brown sugar and oat milk.
Three traditional flavors characterize the Sambusa menu – beef, chicken and vegetarian. Beef and chicken are seasoned with traditional spices such as cumin, cardamom and coriander. Serrano peppers add a slight spiciness. Some dishes have a distinctly American touch. The Philly Cheesesteak Sambusa is filled with the typical beef and cheese mixture as well as onions and peppers. A cheese breakfast Sambusa consists of light and moist scrambled eggs with potatoes and lots of melted cheese.
Nafago is available under the Not Sambusas menu. Nafago is a mashed potato croquette filled with a hard-boiled egg, traditionally eaten for breakfast or as a snack. The potatoes are lightly seasoned and ultra-soft, and the crust gives these fried treats a pleasant crunchy effect.
If you want something sweet, try mandazi. It’s a deep-fried, slightly sweet bread that’s a bit like a beignet or sopapilla. The Horn also offers a selection of cakes and cookies, including the famous Somali Ka’Ka. These little cookies are exceptionally crispy, similar to biscotti, and taste best when dipped in a hot cup of coffee or chai.
Groovy, man
Don’t miss the new Groovy Fries at Sonic. I was slightly skeptical when Sonic took the traditional fries off the menu and replaced them with the crinkle-cut variety. I hated the name and I still do, but these fries are awesome. They’re thinner than the traditional crinkle-cut fries and retain their tremendous crispiness even after they’ve been out of the fryer for a while.
The fries come with Groovy Sauce, a mix of ranch and Sriracha. I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve gone over to Sonic for breakfast more than once and, yes, ordered Groovy Fries and Groovy Sauce. Bye.
Catherine Mayhew is a former restaurant critic for The Charlotte Observer, cookbook author and BBQ Master judge. Follow her on Instagram at @thesouthinmymouth to see what she’s eating and email her at [email protected] with recommendations on your favorite restaurants and food trucks.
