Elite Event at Buka New York

Elite Events are always great. You get to see your fellow Elites and new members. This was a very chill event with really great food. It’s my first time having African Food and it was mighty tasty. At first look it didn’t look spicy, but it did pack a punch.
The drinks were endless, but it seemed like they were having a hard time. You only saw one person making drinks while the other wasn’t really doing much. Maybe if they planned ahead of time by picking the mint leaves as the other mixes. Things would have been faster. You only had one choice of drink, which is a Mojito. It was a pretty damn good one. Spicy and very different,
Special shout to Peter D. for hosting a great event!

I was super excited to check out Buka, as I’ve been meaning to since this spot opened close to my hood.
The food was absolutely delicious!!! And very, very spicy just the way I like it. Spicy yet richly flavorful. I will be back for a full meal, as the tastes I had during this event left me wanting several full plates!
The ginger mojitos were also spicy but surprisingly enjoyable. I didn’t think I was in the mood for mojito, but then I tasted the ginger and all was okay with the night.
I will be back very, very soon!
Thanks Peter D. And thanks Buka!

One of the best things about living in NYC is the opportunity to explore many of the worlds different cultural enclaves in a small area. The chance to take culinary adventures in your own backyard. For this Unilocal event I had the opportunity to try Nigerian food, listen to a great band, and drink African rum.
A learned a few things during this Unilocal event…
When I walked into the event I was greeted by fellow Unilocal Eliter Phil who warned me of the spicy food. I brushed it off, thinking I once dated a man from the South who for years subject me to outrageously over spiced chili, sausage, rice, etc… basically I figured I can take anything.
Later on…
«Oh shit! Phil was right!!!»
I had no idea what I ate during this event. I just went for it. They piled on some red sauce and there was this orange flan like stuff that was really good (please forgive me people that know Nigerian cuisine). There were some unique spices in this Nigerian soup ive never had in my life. I couldn’t feel my mouth… or throat. Overall, very different and fun! I am interested in trying more Nigerian food from Buka in the future!
The mohitos were ok. I mean im never going to say free rum was a bad thing, but I just wished they put more rum in the drinks.
The band was awesome. I heard they play there every Friday. I may have to check it out.
The event was a bit crowded, but nothing too bad. I could still get drinks, food, and chat with people. Plus, im happy to put up with a little more of a crowd so more eliters get the chance to try out a unique cuisine and restaurant.
Thank you Buka and Unilocal for giving me the chance to broaden my culinary horizons!

The Elite event at Buka was one of the more intimate events I’ve been to in a while, it really felt nice to visit this cultural melting pot of a neighborhood in Brooklyn, and see familiar faces and enjoy some very creative mojitos to help unravel from a long tedious NY workday.
The staff at Buka were very friendly and helpful, and took the time to explain to me what the bites they were sampling were. I love spicy food, and I thought the level of intensity was very appropriate for all levels of spicy enthusiasts.
I’ve never been to Africa, I have plans to go to many countries there and Nigeria is now on the list! Thanks Unilocal

It’s been more than four hours since consuming the Nigerian Viagra and I’m still having «residual effects» but have no idea who to do about it.
Help.

Mmm! Spicy and sweet ginger mojitos! High five to the bartenders who kept cranking those babies out all night.
I loved that the staff explained what every item was. The food was spicy and delicious. I will definetly be back for more in the future.
The music was great and it was awesome to meet fellow Unilocalers. Thanks Peter D. and everyone for making my first Unilocal event a great one!

Unilocal events are always great and this one gave me a reason to try Nigerian food again, so I was excited to go to this event. I’m not sure if this restaurant didn’t quite expect the number of people that arrived or not, but I must admit the portion sizes even for a tasting event were very small, much smaller than other events that I’ve attended. I kind of felt as though I didn’t get to form a fully qualified opinion on the food. Additionally I felt pretty bad watching the bartender hand make each mojito one by one including crushing the mint and sugar in individual cups as lines of people waited. If I had one big pitcher in my bag I would have totally loaned it out that night.
With that said, the food was spicy and filled with flavor; the drink had a nice kick with the ginger infusion; the band had me snapping my fingers; and the Unilocal team once again put a nice event together. I may need to stop back at Buka sometime in the near future.
Thanks gang!

Great food, great drinks and great company means another 5 star elite event. I came a few minutes late and there were already a ton of people there. Its always great when you walk into a place by yourself and see familiar faces that you met at past events. Thats what makes these things so cool.
The food and drinks were good. The african rum was served in a mohito that had a great kick to but it was the food that had the real kick. I love spicy food but these dishes had me sweating just from smelling the food. With that said it was still really good and im glad that I had a chance to taste the cuisine.
Thanks Peter D for hookin up yet another great event. These Unilocal elite events are addicting.

Even though I have had the opportunity to try some great African food in NYC (Morocco, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Ivory Coast come to mind), this is the first time I had the opportunity to taste Nigerian food. in fact, Buka may well be the only Nigerian restaurant in NYC I know of. Kudos to Peter D. for putting Nigeria on the YEE map, and organizing another awesome event.
I really enjoyed the spicy mojito with Starr African rum, and Gulder beer was the perfect drink to go with the wonderful, spicy food we had the opportunity to try. I particularly liked the chicken soup and the suya. Overall I really liked the homey feel of the food, and I look forward to trying more of the menu items soon.
I also like the ambiance of this place a lot: exposed bricks and large, colorful paintings of musicians gave a warm, welcoming feeling. And very welcome the awesome staff at Buka made all us feel, working extra hard behind the bar and in the kitchen. Finally, a big thank you to the No Small Money Brass Band for providing aural pleasure to everybody!

Ginger-​spiced mojitos, spicy Nigerian fare, and a live band — oh my!
It was great to see a bunch of old friends and to check out a cool place I would’ve otherwise not known existed!
The restaurant itself was awesome. A deceivingly large space with a bunch of tables lining the wall and a big area in the back. Definitely good for groups!
The bartenders really rocked the mojitos, grinding down the mint leaves for each one individually and plowing through a TON of orders.
As for the food — I would definitely recommend Buka in the future. I’m not what you would call «cultured» (unless you count the years I lived in Bensonhurst), but I did appreciate the nuances of the Nigerian cuisine. Everyone was talking about the spicy chicken soup, and I could see why. I loves me some spicy. The spinach was also delightfully hot, but I think my favorite was the Suya (sliced beef with peanuts sprinkled on top). Super tasty and tender.
And much to our surprise, an hour into the night, they brought out a horns band to play for about half an hour. They only stopped once in between songs, so it was like the Cantina scene in Star Wars — only a lot less repetitive!
Special thanks to Buka, Starr African Rum, Jane K and Peter D!
Also, despite Pete D’s goading, I didn’t try any of the Nigerian Viagra… will have to come back for that one!

Dalu*, Buka and Peter D!
Great time with great people at a great place! The Starr African Rum mojitos were terrific with a nice kick of ginger. The hardworking bartenders were hustling to pump those hand-​made concoctions out at a furious pace. Delicious.
The food was spicy and flavorful. My favorites were the pepper chicken soup, the suya and the spicy spinach. The band rocked out and the whole vibe was awesome.
Last but not least, it was also great to see Wanda N., Nathan L., Matteo R. and Dan R.
Definitely need to get back here and try a meal… it’s worth another visit.
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* hopefully that means «Thank you» in Igbo; at least that’s what the internet says. otherwise, let me say «dighì ihyem mèrè», which I believe translates as «I haven’t done anything wrong»

Every Brooklyn event I go to is great fun, but this one was extra spicy!
The Starr African Rum mojitos were a flowing, the band was playing, and I got to try some amazing food, all in all a wonderful tuesday night!