Senegal meets West Philly

When you pay at a restaurant, you're not just paying for the food you eat. Beautiful decorations and long wine lists take time, energy and money away from what's really important -- cooking. And at Fatou and Fama, the latest addition to 40th Street's long list of ethnic eateries, they care a lot about the food. The furniture and decor are adequate, and the African paintings on the walls a nice touch, but owner Fatou N'Diaye's savory, exotic cuisine makes the restaurant special. The menu itself has an eclectic mix of dishes from three very different areas: from Senegalese fish, peanuts and couscous to spicier Caribbean seafood and meats to good old Southern soul food. My guest and I entered at the stroke of noon, out of a cold, rainy Sunday morning. To warm up, we started with a platter of akara, crisp, lightly-fried black-eyed pea fritters with a touch of spice. Back home in Oklahoma, I've had enough black-eyed peas to last a long time, but this appetizer somehow brought out an entirely different and fascinating side of that humble legume.

Fatou and Fama 4002 Chestnut Street (215) 386-0700 Fare: African

After a brief chat with the traditionally-garbed waitress, we turned our attention to the entrees. I ordered the chebujen, a chopped fish filet over vegetables and couscous; the menu describes it as "the national dish of Senegal." My guest, meanwhile, succumbed to her vegetarian urges and ordered the peanut butter vegetable soup. After we finished off the akara, I had worried that an appetizer that good must be the house specialty and that the rest of the meal wouldn't even approach its quality. Thankfully, my fears proved groundless. The first mouthful of baked red snapper and couscous practically stunned me into silence. Tender, tasty fish, couscous soaked in harissa, and a wonderful blend of spices delighted my tastebuds. And then, I was even more amazed when I noticed how large the meal was. My guest's soup turned out equally pleasant; peanut butter soup is another one of those combinations that sounds disgusting until you actually try it. Then you wonder why you haven't heard of it before. After finishing these, we were far, far too full to even consider the dessert menu. Fatou and Fama, as a relatively inexpensive restaurant with wonderful food, also intends to start offering take-out and should be a welcome presence at the edge of campus.