By Alex Adi
The Out Patient Department, OPD, Consulting Room, dispensary to a main ward are setups synonymous to a hospital. But Oboadaka, a small town in the Eastern Region, has a different story to tell with these names. The only local chop bar in the community has been likened to a hospital. The food Doctor who happens to be the owner of the facility has a fascinating story to share about how he named his local eatery “STOMACH CLINIC”. Mr. Alex Maclean says he can stop all stomach ailments related to hunger with FUFU and its accompanying homemade soup laced with a melt-in-your-mouth assortment of bush meat, which he terms “ORGANIC”.
Located below the hills in the Akuapim South district of the Eastern Region is Oboadaka. It is about an hour’s drive through the curvy hills of Aburi to that community from Accra. A drive through a 4-km-long dusty road to the town may put you off, but with a little more determination, one’s desire could be met. Oboadaka is a predominantly farming community with a population close to a thousand. About half of the population engages in subsistence and commercial farming. It has a good number of tourist attractions, and one of these is the popular Stomach Clinic. One may liken it to a herbal centre or clinic that solely deals with stomach problems. But mind you, it’s nothing of the sort. It’s a local chop bar that has operated for close to 27 years with its own challenges, but has fed so many mouths and silenced many a rumbling tummy. Mr. Alex Ofori Maclean, popularly called ” Doctor” is the owner of this popular chop bar.
Doctor’s stomach clinic is a local eatery that serves popular indigenous dishes, particularly fufu with fresh bush meat and irresistible accompanying soups prepared with natural ingredients. Ingredients for the meals are brought in daily, fresh from the farm, and the word “leftover” doesn’t exist here.
And what caught our attention is not just the name “STOMACH CLINIC” but also the name tags that had been likened to those of a hospital: an OPD, Consulting room, and a dispensary.
Many patrons who visit the clinic say they are alwaysQ satisfied eating here, no matter the distance. Some people advise that using local spices or ingredients to cook is best for one’s health.
Stomach clinic has also indirectly created employment for these young guys who operate Okada, which is the main and fastest means of transport to the community because of the poor nature of the road.
Historically in our part of the world, most men were not given culinary training while growing up, but the few who were fortunate to learn how to cook are described as the best cooks. And the food doctor bears witness to the narrative that men who learn how to cook are good at what they do and often turn out to be better cooks. So any time you are in that part of Aburi, you can visit and taste a meal from the STOMACH CLINIC located at Oboadaka for that home-made fufu and soup that is available at all times and in all seasons. It may be bad table manners to lick your fingers in a social environment, but all patrons here attest that the meals are finger-licking good.
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