Onje - Wigan

I was in town today and decided to stop at this restaurant to grab a bite to eat. The staff, two lovely and friendly ladies, greeted me warmly. I ordered the Jo... read more I was in town today and decided to stop at this restaurant to grab a bite to eat. The staff, two lovely and friendly ladies, greeted me warmly. I ordered the Jolof rice with beef and was impressed with the generous portion for only £7. The rice was flavorful and not too spicy, and the beef was cooked perfectly. I will definitely be coming back to this place again in the future.

I have always wanted to try goat curry with rice and peas, but living in a rural area, it's rare to find an authentic Caribbean restaurant. Recently, I found go... read more I have always wanted to try goat curry with rice and peas, but living in a rural area, it's rare to find an authentic Caribbean restaurant. Recently, I found goat curry on the menu at Onje in the Arndale Market food hall. It was a bit pricey for takeaway food, but I decided to give it a try. The goat curry, rice, peas, and coleslaw were served in a polystyrene tray with flimsy utensils. The goat seemed to have more bone than meat, which was disappointing as I prefer not to crunch down on bones. After removing the bone fragments and mixing the sauce with the rice and peas, it was enjoyable, although not as spicy as I had hoped. I cannot say if it was authentic Caribbean food since I've never tried it before, but I probably wouldn't rush to try it again. It was an experience to tick off my bucket list, even if it didn't meet my expectations.

Me and my sister-in-law were queuing for ages, only for one of the women working there to finally acknowledge our existence and snap 'do you want something? ' W... read more Me and my sister-in-law were queuing for ages, only for one of the women working there to finally acknowledge our existence and snap 'do you want something? ' What a great way to speak to a customer waiting to give you money. I then asked if the jollof and chicken was gf and just got a completely disinterested 'no '. Depending on seasoning used, jollof is usually naturally gluten free. Couldn 't shake the feeling she just didn 't want to serve a white person. It was more embarrassing than anything. Whilst waiting a silly amount of time to be served, I thought several times of just walking off and not bothering...wish I had in the end. #lessthanonestar

The server was friendly and the Eco pack was a bit expensive at £10, but well worth it. The meal was delicious and spicy. The rice was excellent and the jerk ch... read more The server was friendly and the Eco pack was a bit expensive at £10, but well worth it. The meal was delicious and spicy. The rice was excellent and the jerk chicken was great, despite being slightly undercooked in one spot.

Having relocated from south east London to Greater Manchester I was worried about where I’d get my fix of Nigerian staples. A colleague mentioned seeing a Niger... read more Having relocated from south east London to Greater Manchester I was worried about where I’d get my fix of Nigerian staples. A colleague mentioned seeing a Nigerian stall in the Arndale and recommended taking a trip to the food market to scout it out. I can confirm that Onje does indeed exist and is 100% the real deal. The food is only bettered by the warm hospitality (and banter) of the hosts. It’s basically of a home away from home. From favourites like jollof and stew, curry goat and patties specialities like pounded yam and egusi, moin moin and pottage Onje have it all. Just make sure you get in early or book in advance to avoid disappointment!