Fast food is usually not associated with healthy food or West African cuisine with fries, but restaurant owner Caroline Collins will have diners thinking and eating differently. Collins’ month-old restaurant, BB&PF, occupies Red Flower Chinese Restaurant’s former location on the corner of Highland Road and West Grant Street. BB&PF is an acronym for the food joint’s signature dishes, bean burgers and plantain fries. The seemingly alien food is commonplace in coastal areas of West Africa, such as Nigeria, Collins’ native country. Collins immigrated to the United States 17 years ago. The naturalized citizen settled in Baton Rouge for its similarly humid, tropical weather. Collins said she wanted to open her restaurant to give Baton Rouge residents a taste of her native culture’s cuisine. “There’s no other restaurant like it in Baton Rouge,” Collins said. “I wanted to promote my African heritage.” Upon entering the eatery, Collins’ African influence is evident. Green floor tiles, upholstered seating and leafy plants reflect Nigeria’s green, natural environment. Carved wooden masks peer down from the walls, emitting tribal vibes. While I absorbed the comfortable yet outdated interior, I ordered the restaurant’s namesake – a bean burger and plantain fries. Collins set to work cooking my order in a long, dimly lit kitchen. As she diced a large plantain, Collins warned that her food has no pretense of sophistication. She said her parents taught her to cook, and explained that bean burgers and fried plantains are common street fare in her home region. As the plantain pieces sizzled in a pan of canola oil, Collins explained how she has added an American twist to her African recipes. Collins said she dresses her bean burgers with lettuce, tomato, onions and condiments in a similar fashion to the American hamburger – a departure from the Africans’ bean patty and bread only approach. My meal arrived at my table, plated on a floral ceramic dish, in eight minutes. While the meal’s execution was quick, it was not hastily done. The golden-brown plantain fries were a nice combination of sweet and crispy, in a similar vein to sweet potato fries. I found their flavor was complemented well with the creamy tang of yellow mustard. The bean burger, called “akara” in Africa, was a nice change of pace from its meaty alternative. The bean patty was firm and had a subtle taste, which was masked by more prominent flavors within the burger. Collins said she crafts the patties by soaking black-eyed peas and peeling away their skin. She then blends them into a moldable paste and seasons them with a secret combination of spices. The bean patties can then be baked or fried, depending on the patron’s wishes. Offering to bake the patties is just one area in which Collins strives to provide healthy food. Collins buys her produce from a local vendor. She cooks predominantly with canola oil and lists nutrition facts for all of her menu items on her restaurant’s website. In addition to bean burgers and plantain fries, the restaurant offers rice, couscous and yam dishes prepared in a variety of ways. When the bill came I was surprised to find my meal cost me just $5. With $3 bean burgers and $2 plantain fries, the food is filling at a price comparable to fast food joints. While some patrons may find BB&PF’s location on the fray of the Northgate area intimidating, it is a family-run establishment that provides enough interior warmth to override its tougher exterior. With its healthy focus, ethnic roots and value pricing, BB&PF fills a niche in the Baton Rouge restaurant and vegetarian food scene where few alternatives reside. ____ Contact Josh Naquin at [email protected]