African chef’s Vietnamese flavors sweep Angola: Customers flock with buckets
Lindo, an Angolan entrepreneur, has turned his love for Vietnamese cuisine into a thriving business, with customers flocking to his small eatery to buy his dishes in bulk, often bringing large containers to ensure they don’t miss out.
His small eatery, featuring a menu with two main dishes - tomato sauce fish and stir-fried chicken gizzards with greens - has attracted a loyal customer base, with some even bringing buckets and large containers to take the food home.
Born in 1993, Lindo, whose real name is Manuel Arlindo, is a prominent member of Quang Linh Vlogs' African group. Fluent in Vietnamese, Lindo is known for his hard work and entrepreneurial spirit, engaging in various jobs to support his family.
Since opening his eatery in the local market, Lindo has been working tirelessly. His diverse and appealing menu, offering authentic Vietnamese dishes, has drawn crowds of customers eager to taste his food.
Lindo explains that his menu typically features three dishes, which change daily, with prices starting at 400 Kz (about VND11,000). Alongside staples like rice and cornmeal, Lindo primarily cooks Vietnamese dishes that he has personally tasted and learned to prepare.
In a recent video, Lindo shared that the day's menu featured two familiar and easy-to-make Vietnamese dishes: tomato sauce fish and stir-fried chicken gizzards with greens. He noted that these dishes are easy to eat, flavorful, and suit the tastes of the local Angolan community.
Due to the time-consuming preparation of the tomato sauce fish, Lindo and his wife cook this dish at home and bring it to the market. The stir-fried chicken gizzards with greens, however, are cooked on-site to ensure they are served hot and fresh.
Lindo takes care to prepare the dishes with authentic Vietnamese flavors, often using specific spices like fish sauce and MSG. He believes that this method of seasoning enhances the flavor and aroma of the ingredients.
Thanks to his delicious cooking and warm service, Lindo’s small eatery is often packed with customers. He has even had to buy additional tables and chairs to accommodate the growing number of diners.
Despite opening for lunch, customers often start arriving as early as 10 AM. Some bring large containers, including buckets and large boxes, to buy food to take home, which often results in the dishes selling out quickly. Lindo and his wife are thrilled that their food is so well-received by the local community.
The 31-year-old YouTuber notes that the locals have a particular fondness for Vietnamese dishes, especially the tomato sauce fish. Because of its popularity, he frequently includes it on the menu.
Lindo plans to continue introducing more Vietnamese dishes to share the culinary culture of Vietnam with his community. Previously, he has prepared and sold other Vietnamese foods such as stuffed betel leaves, spring rolls, black bean sweet soup, stir-fried chicken with lemongrass and chili, fried sweet potato cakes, and banana cakes—all at affordable prices, attracting both children and adults alike.
