Soul Afrique is now serving authentic Ghanaian cuisine at JC Supper Club from 5 to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays at 9053 Riverview Drive in North City. At weekly events billed Afrobeats Wednesdays, customers can expect traditional African dishes along with Amapiano and Afrobeats music.
Soul Afrique was founded by husband-and-wife duo Nikki Beckham and Dominic Opoku. After many years of friends and coworkers praising Opoku’s cooking, Beckham eventually convinced her husband to try and open a restaurant with her. Despite many fruitless months of looking for ghost kitchens and buildings to occupy, Beckham finally came across the JC Supper Club, whose owner Reggie Brooks was blown away by not only the quality of Opoku’s cooking but the drive and passion the couple had for their prospering business.
After comparing schedules, both businesses decided that Wednesdays were the best fit as most events in the West African cultural scene happen on weekends, and there were no scheduled events on Wednesdays at JC Supper Club. The restaurant does serve its own menu items other days of the week, but Wednesdays are reserved for Soul Afrique food only.
Having learned how to cook from his mother when he lived in Ghana, Opoku believes that it is his mother’s spice recipes and skills that set his dishes apart and allow them to stand out. “Usually when people are cooking, they tend to go with more of the dry spices that are just found on the shelf. But my mom taught me how to take natural [fresh] spices, blend them all together, and use that [paste] as your base for anything you want to cook,” said Opoku. “I think that is what sets the taste of our meals aside from everybody else, those natural [fresh] seasonings.”
Three of the most popular dishes include stewed oxtail, curry chicken and pepper-sauced wings, all of which are served with a choice of two of their four sides: jollof rice, curry rice, stewed cabbage and black-eyed peas. Both the jollof and curry rice can be purchased in larger portions as well, with chicken, beef, shrimp or a combination of the three added as protein. A stew of the night is also offered. Currently, Opoku has served both okra stew and peanut butter soup, with plans to rotate them every other week. In addition, Beckham stressed that their Wednesday menu is an abbreviated version of their much more robust catering menu.
For Opoku, providing each unique meal that his mother taught him how to prepare, along with the praise for his cooking by customers, has been the most satisfying part of the job so far. “Every different meal comes with its own unique taste. And there are so many times people have tried our food and they are speechless,” Opoku exclaimed. “The shock on people’s faces, I think that’s what brings me the most joy just to see people’s reactions to my food, and it’s so rewarding.”
With multiple rooms and dining areas, JC Supper Club provides plenty of space for eventful Wednesday nights, even including a billiards room and a separate dance floor. Hookahs are also available to rent for your table. There are also two full-service bars offering plenty of liquor, beer and wine, along with some occasional specialty drinks such as rum punch, sangrias and spritzes.
For both Opoku and Beckham, the Afrobeats music and the vibe that it provides not only brings a positive and fun energy to their cooking and the venue, but a nostalgic one as well. “Growing up I remember there was music blasting throughout the house, and regardless of the food, music is what brought everybody together. So even to this day, when I’m in the kitchen, I have my whole vibe set and that music brings me joy … it takes me back home,” said Opoku. “I really feel like the spirit of my mother is in the kitchen every time I decide to cook something.”
Beckham echoed the sentiment. “For me, when I hear Afrobeats, it’s like a lifestyle,” she said. “The music is truly feel-good music that won’t allow you to be sad. It’s uplifting, it’s positive and it’s full of passion.”
To Opoku, the music, restaurant space and food served all combine for a unique and inviting cultural experience, one that he feels proud to provide to newcomers of African and Ghanaian culture. “A lot of people don’t get to experience different cultures. We decided that it’s a big thing for somebody to walk in there and feel like they are at a different place because of the food they eat and because of the music they hear and because of that whole atmosphere,” Opoku noted. “We’ve done our part to help somebody admire our culture. And that is the kind of idea that we have on our journey, to bring so much of Ghanaian culture and food mixed together for people to better understand us.”
While Opoku and Beckham hope to one day own their own space, they are both incredibly grateful for the opportunity that JC Supper Club has given them and for the strong relationship that they have already built with them.
“The ultimate goal is to have our own building or our own food truck, but having that doesn’t mean that we still can’t do something with JC Supper Club, because that is our start, and that’s how people got to know us,” said Opoku. “Just because you’re growing and you’re expanding doesn’t mean that you forget where you came from.”
For updates, follow along on Facebook and check out the menu online.
This article appears in June 2023.