Perhaps you are one of the more than 4,000 people who follow the Sudbury food vlog Flaneuseeats on Instagram.
The video and picture features have focused on Sudbury area eateries since July 2019, starting with pictures of the quinoa sunflower bowl from Tucos Taco Lounge.
Imani Bawa-Baas is the name and voice behind these reviews. She arrived on the Sudbury food scene in 2018 from Ottawa.
“I started with the best of the best in Ottawa,” Bawa-Baas said. “There are many food bloggers and vloggers who helped me learn the craft and then I came north.”
While she has always been a foodie, Bawa-Baas’ background is actually in social sciences with minors in women’s studies and human resources.
Armed with a selfie light clip and her cell phone, she loves all things food in her spare time.
“While I want to remain under the radar, people recognize my voice and see my light when I come in to test taste and take pictures,” she said.
So why the name flaneuseeats on social media? Bawa-Baas explained the French word describes a kind “observer” that is usually found in sprawling cities. It fits, she said, because Bawa-Baas likes nothing more than to explore and to indulge in food and culture, and it seems quite a few other people enjoy her takes.
Originally from Ghana, Bawa-Baas is thrilled by the explosion in the variety of foods available in the Nickel City since her arrival here four years ago.
When it comes to recommendations, she offered a few.
For Greek food, she likes Herc’s for convenience and Apollo for the dining experience. And don’t get her started on the kimchi fries with salted and fermented vegetables at Chicken Plus in New Sudbury, with its cheese and chili.
When it comes to pizza, Bawa-Baas has a lot of favourites: Red Swan for sesame,
Pizza Roma for char, and Di Gusto for the wood-fired taste. She’s also happy to see a real poke bar here with Bar Burrito.
While the options have certainly improved, Bawa-Baas feels there is still room for more, in particular from the Caribbean, Asia, Ukraine, Morocco, African nations and Arabic countries.
“I really miss Ethiopian dishes like injera bread and sauces that can be eaten with your hands.”
While the vlog is a passion that Imani indulges in during her spare time, she admits that it sometimes takes a good three hours to pick just the right music and words to match the mood for each piece.
And she doesn’t just talk about the food. Bawa-Baas said she likes to learn about the place and the people behind it, and share those stories with her followers.
“Some establishments have been here a long time so it’s nice to also share the history, but I really want my photos to tell the story,” she said.
Bawa-Baas likes to be clear that while she raves about what she likes, she said she shares her honest opinion in her reviews, and sometimes her feedback is more constructive than positive.
“I share my opinions and others can always go and take the time to formulate theirs, too. But I can’t change my taste buds. I just can’t,” she said.
Look for Bawa-Baas’ takes on Instagram, @Flaneuseeats.
Anastasia Rioux is a writer in Greater Sudbury. Let’s Eat! is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
