The grill
Twelve years of smoke
Hardwood coal, a long grill and a yaji recipe we have not changed since the first night.
The people
Who is on the coal
- Mallam Sani
- Grill master. Learnt in Kano, has run this grill since the first night.
- Aniekan
- Owner. Grew up two streets away and wanted suya worth the drive.
- Blessing
- Runs the pickup counter and party trays.
- Uduak
- Grinds the yaji every morning at nine.
Invented people for this demo.
The coal
Hardwood only. Never gas.
We burn hardwood charcoal from licensed makers in Ikot Ekpene, lit in a chimney and spread when it goes grey. It burns hotter and cleaner than lump from the roadside, and gives the smoke you taste.
Since 2014
How we got here
- 2014
One grill, one corner
A single barrel grill at the junction, lit at six, out of meat by ten.
- 2016
The long grill
Fourteen metres of steel built by a welder in Itam. Still the longest on the road.
- 2019
Seats and a roof
Forty seats under a high roof, with fans and a hand wash station.
- 2023
Pickup orders
WhatsApp orders and a pickup counter so office workers skip the queue.
- 2026
Party trays
A second grill crew for events across Uyo and Eket.
Clean grill
What we do every night
- Meat from a licensed abattoir, kept cold until it hits the coal
- Separate boards and knives for raw and cooked
- Hand wash station with soap and running water for guests
- Grill scraped and oiled before every service
- Food handlers checked by the state health office each year
The coal is lit at five.
Order ahead for pickup and skip the queue, or come and sit by the grill. Last sticks off the fire at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.