Tatse relocates to East Lansing, rebrands as Handie African

Taiwo Adeleye, 39, moved from Nigeria to New York City in 2015 to study dance therapy and human movement. Two years later, he relocated to Greater Lansing, where he found a new passion in cooking.

Growing up, he said he learned the basics of cooking traditional Nigerian dishes from his grandmothers. However, it wasn’t until later in life that he began preparing his own variations, following a stint as a prep cook at Lucky’s Steakhouse in Okemos.

Greater Lansing struck a contrast with New York City, where there was a relative abundance of African and Nigerian restaurants. In Michigan, Adeleye saw an opportunity to bring something unique to the table. He began cooking traditional African-style meals for friends and family during the pandemic. From there, he said, “I started using the Allen Neighborhood Center’s kitchen to cook and took the food to area farmers markets.”

It didn’t take long for that side hustle to become a legitimate brick-and-mortar business. In 2021, he opened Tatse & Alobosa Bar in downtown Lansing. Come mid-July of this year, he decided to close Tatse in favor of moving to a 1,900-square-foot space in East Lansing with greater foot traffic.

The new restaurant, rebranded as Handie African, opened Sept. 13, though Adeleye is planning an official grand opening with an expanded menu on Oct. 24. The new space can seat up to 50, including about 20 in a patio area.

Taiwo Adeleye

“My lease was running out, and I thought about getting my food to a bigger market,” he said of his decision to tap into the Michigan State University population.

Handie’s menu is packed with traditional Nigerian staples like egusi, a mix of locust beans, red onion, melon seeds, crayfish powder and other seasonings; fufu balls, which are made from cassava, a starchy root vegetable similar to a sweet potato or yam; and proteins like goat meat, oxtail and suya, a smoked and spiced sirloin steak. It also offers protein bowls, which are served with jollof or fried rice, plantains and veggies or beans.

Americanized versions of these dishes, including the suya burger and a sweet pulled-chicken wrap with veggies and plantains, will be available after the grand opening. Adeleye hopes these options will help bridge the gap for Americans unfamiliar with Nigerian cooking.

“If I wanted to introduce something that’s new to people, I knew I needed to find a way to use what they already have. So, I looked for ways to infuse American food into my dishes,” he said.

“In the beginning, it was a little challenging to sell Nigerian food. I think it’s a little easier now,” he added. “When I called it African food, it was a harder sell. But when I say Nigerian food — maybe because more people know Nigeria — people are often more open to wanting to try it. Especially when they see it’s mostly things they’re already familiar with, like rice, beans and vegetables.”

He hopes the revamped restaurant will add to an already diverse food landscape in the area.

“People have been very, very receptive to the food because right now, in East Lansing and even in Lansing, we’re the only ones selling it,” he said.