Before moving to Los Angeles in 2013, Kiano Moju, a native of Oakland and former Buzzfeed Producer and new cookbook author has embraced a more Americanized version of Thai cuisine. Sticky sweet noodles and rich curries were all she knew during her college years on the East Coast. Everything changed when she left Buzzfeed’s Hollywood offices and moved to one of LA’s most famous regional Thai restaurants, Luv2Eat. “The Thai food I had eaten up until then was a scam,” she says, with a completely straight face.
Moju has published her first cookbook AfriCali: Recipes from my Jikoni on August 13. (Jikoni is the Swahili word for kitchen.) The book explores Moju’s African heritage (her parents are from Nigeria and Kenya), her California roots, and her international travels with over 85 recipes. Moju’s approach to cooking at home while living in Los Angeles is captured in AfriCalis 258 pages, accompanied by vivid photographs by Kristin Teig.
After graduating from Syracuse University in 2013, Moju went to London University of the Arts for a master’s degree in publishing. Her first job after graduation took her to Los Angeles, where she produced videos for Buzzfeed’s food channel. Yummy from 2017 to 2019. After leaving Buzzfeed, she opened Jikoni Studios, a creative space in the Arts District where she shot food photography and cooking videos and taught cooking classes. She is currently redesigning the Two Hommes space in Inglewood.
Eater caught up with Moju during her national book tour to find out where she likes to shop, eat, and drink in Los Angeles. And let’s be clear: Moju’s love for LA goes beyond its unparalleled Thai restaurant scene.
Eater: Where did you live when you moved to LA?
Kiano Moju: Beverly Hills. After living abroad in London, I was used to exploring my life on foot. This is a recurring theme in my life in LA: creating a walkable base without driving too much. Beverly Hills has lots of shopping and restaurants. I now live in West Hollywood.
What were your first impressions of LA?
When I started finding Thai restaurants in LA, they took all my money. Luv2Eat was closest to the Buzzfeed offices and I shot a video with (the owners and chefs) Noree Pla and Fern Kaewtathip. As I learned more about their process, I appreciated their work much more.
Have you ever tried “AfriCali” cuisine in Los Angeles?
The closest is Two Hommes because Yaw Marcus Johnson and Abdoulaye Balde are also AfriCali. On my West African side, they are the best at serving traditional flavors and dishes. But they are not fixated on tradition and add their own twist to the food. There is a lack of Kenyan food in LA and across the country. If people want to try Kenyan food, there are plenty of restaurants in San Diego.
What is your favorite restaurant in LA right now?
Si! Mon. It has a Mexico City approach to the former James Beach, a bar I had visited too many times. Although it is pan-Latin, it’s about the energy, the atmosphere, the way the dishes are put together, everything about Si! Mon took me right back to Mexico City.
Which neighborhoods do you venture to for dining in LA?
Arts District: I appreciate Afuri Ramen moving away from tonkatsu. It’s nice to have Ditroit taqueria without having to hop on a plane to Mexico City.
Culver City: If the host of a dinner party isn’t preparing dessert, ordering a seasonal fruit pie from a bakery like Fat + Flour is a safe bet.
Hollywood: There are so many great bakeries in LA, but I don’t stand in line for bread. I go to the Pace Joint on the corner of Sunset and Fairfax. Pace makes ciabatta and a ciabatta baguette out of their pizza dough. It’s light, airy and has that slight fermentation.
Inglewood: Two Hommes. Until they opened, I couldn’t find jollof anywhere that I hadn’t made myself. It’s not a dish that you can make in small batches. Plus, they have the most amazing biscuits on the brunch menu.
Little Ethiopia: Meals by Genet is my first recommendation. The attention and care that (owner Genet Agonafer) puts into her dishes is something I have never experienced in the dozens of Ethiopian restaurants in LA that I have been to.
How does the African food scene in LA compare to that in the East Bay?
Both have a distinct Ethiopian food culture. LA beats the Bay in having a more distinct food culture. The biggest difference is convenience and familiarity. People in LA like to try new things. In the Bay, people go to places like Asmara, but they’ve been there many, many times before.
Which restaurant is worth braving the traffic for?
Si! Mon and Two Hommes. I’m really obsessed with Mini Kabob – the traffic there and back is always bad (but) I want this treat all the time. I think we’ve eaten every Smash Burger in LA. For The Win is consistently great
What is your favorite market in LA for African ingredients?
I can get 90 percent of most of my dishes from any grocery store. Nigerian food: Dora African Produce. Original Farm Fresh Produce from Original Farmers Market always has perfectly ripe plantains, fresh chilies and okra. Bangluck Market – In my book, I have a recipe for green chicken curry with plantains that was inspired by Luv2Eat.
What LA food do you miss the most during your book tour?
Sushi. I don’t trust sushi from the mainland. I will also deliberately try out contemporary African restaurants on this reading tour.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
