Le Petit Dakar: Not Just Any African Restaurant

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In the heart of the Marais district, just north of the trendy rue des Francs Bourgeois, lies a small restaurant called Le Petit Dakar.  It is an unusual find in this fashionable neighborhood, and one worth exploring!

The old façade of the restaurant was more evocative of Africa than the modern one, so that now, only the name indicates to passersby that they will find something other than French fare inside.

Le Petit Dakar - Old Façade

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Le Petit Dakar - New Façade

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Upon entering, one does not find the kitsch that decorates the interior in many of Paris’ African restaurants. The walls and ceiling are light-colored, and the tables are made of light-colored wood. Multi-media works of contemporary African art on the walls and African music playing on the sound system are the only indications that this is anything other than a traditional restaurant.

Le Petit Dakar - Dining Room

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As the name suggests, Le Petit Dakar specializes in Senegalese cuisine.  Yet not all of the dishes on the menu come from Senegal.  The entire series of entrées is listed under the title Un Détour par les Iles (An Island Detour), which acknowledges the culinary culture of France’s departmental and territorial islands, and one of the main dishes on the menu is from central Africa (see below).  One dessert is Senegalese (Tiacri - consisting of a millet couscous and milk-based preparation flavored with ginger and cinnamon), but the Fondant Tout Choco (chocolate cake with a melted chocolate center) is unabashedly French.  A small selection of ice creams round out this part of the menu.

As for beverages, the restaurant proposes two apéritifs that I recommend: Vodka bissap orangé, made from vodka and bissap (juice from the hibiscus flower) flavored with orange juice, and Rhum gingembre ananas, made from rum, ginger, and pineapple. It also proposes virgin bissap juice and ginger juice on its beverage menu.  A Senegalese beer called La Gazelle is available for beer drinkers, but be aware that the bottles contain a whopping 63 centiliters of the brew!  If you prefer wine with dinner, there is selection of French wines on the menu as well.

My husband Tom and I first dined at Le Petit Dakar a few weeks ago.  The traditional, Senegalese Yassa (chicken marinated in lemon juice, then smothered in onions) that I ordered as a main dish was quite tasty, and Tom loved his Thiéboudiènne (the national dish of Senegal, made from fish, rice, and tomato sauce – served only on Fridays and Saturdays).   We returned last Thursday, anticipating that dinner there would be the perfect follow-up to the vernissage (art opening) we attended that evening at the contemporary African art gallery Les Arts Derniers on the nearby rue Saint-Gilles. 

Thiéboudiènne

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This time, both Tom and I ordered the same thing: Assiette Seka (warm bell pepper, eggplant, and zucchini atop a mixed salad) and a central African main dish called Sauce Graine.  This consists of lamb stewed with okra and palm nuts, with a mound of white rice served alongside. (The “gravy” was not at all slimy, which is what most people fear when they hear that okra is part of a dish.)  We happily accepted the server’s suggestion to accentuate the dish with finely diced peppers served in a tiny ceramic container, and dosed our dishes with the fiery condiment according to our individual taste.  I had a glass of ginger juice with the meal, which was refreshing and pleasantly complementary to the flavor of the stew. 

Sauce Graine

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While we found the appetizer to be “correct,” we both devoured the Sauce Graine!  We forewent dessert, as we were quite satiated after finishing the main dish.  We were even more pleased with our bill - we paid a modest 60 euros for our apéritifs (two Vodka bissap orangé), first and main courses, and my glass of ginger juice.

For an “off-the-beaten-track” dining experience in the center of Paris, try Le Petit Dakar!

Le Petit Dakar
6, rue Elzevir
75003 Paris
Telephone: 01.44.59.34.74
Metro: Saint-Paul (Line 1)
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday—Noon to 2:30 PM and 7 PM to 11:00 PM; Sunday—Noon to 2:30 PM

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.

Caribbean Rhythms and Senegalese Cuisine

On Friday, August 13th, my husband Tom and I had nothing but good luck! We decided to celebrate by visiting Paris Plages at the Bassin de la Villette, and following up with a great meal.

We learned of a Caribbean Ball that was to last from 5 PM until 8 PM, and a subsequent “Grand Ball” for all types of music and dancing until 10 PM. We arrived at the Promenade Signoret-Montand along the northwest side of the Bassin at around 5:30 PM, and found only a few people dancing. We particularly enjoyed watching the couple pictured below:

Dancing under the Trees

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The music – Latino rhythms from Cuba, Puerto Rico… – was infectious, so that by the time we took a stroll down the quay and returned to our original spot, many more people were dancing and watching the fun.

Spectators at the Caribbean Ball

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As is usual in France, many people danced alone, with partners of the same sex, or with their children. Who has time to wait for the right person of the opposite sex to come along? There is too much fun to be had in the interim!

 Two Ladies Dancing

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 Woman and Child Dancing

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Too hungry to wait for the Grand Ball, we left the Bassin at around 7 PM to head for dinner at a small Senegalese restaurant in the Marais called Le Petit Dakar. Those who know Paris may be surprised that an African restaurant would be nestled among the ancient buildings and the prestigious museums of the 3rd arrondissement, but Le Petit Dakar has regaled its customers at 6, rue Elzévir since September 2000. The restaurant is part of CSAO, the Companie du Sénégal et de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (Senegal and West Africa Company), located on the same street at Number 9. Its mission is to promote the work of African artisans and to create equitable trade links with them.

 Le Petit Dakar

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The size of the restaurant lives up to its name – it is indeed small. But it is not cramped, as one might expect. White walls, light wood tables, and a light tile floor add a feeling of spaciousness to the single dining room. Tables are set well apart. Art by one of the cooks, Babaka Diop, graces the walls. The menu is simple, relatively inexpensive, and varied. Service is gracious. Most importantly, the food is well prepared and nicely presented.

 Le Petit Dakar Interior

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We began with punches for aperitifs – Tom had vodka bissap orange and I had rum ginger pineapple.  (Bissap is a beverage made from hibiscus flowers.)  These drinks were quite refreshing and not overly potent. We had entrées of sautéed prawns (Tom) and boudin (me).

For our main dishes, I had Yassa, a traditional dish made with chicken and onions marinated in lemon juice; and Tom had thieboudienne – a traditional fish and rice dish made with tomato sauce and accompanied by carrot, okra, eggplant, and igname (yam).

Thiboudienne

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For dessert, Tom had a café gourmand – an espresso with a side of fondant (a soft chocolate cake). I decided to not to indulge. We left the restaurant perfectly satisfied and not stuffed. As an added bonus, our bill came to less than 80 euros.

Though we’ve known about Le Petit Dakar for years, this is the first time that we’ve eaten there. It will not be long before we return! The restaurant is open until August 24th (evenings only), so those of you who are in Paris may want to dine there before they close for their summer break. If you want to attend a Caribbean ball at the Bassin de la Villette, another one is scheduled for August 20th from 5 PM to 8 PM.

Le Petit Dakar
6, rue Elzévir
75003 Paris
Tel: 01.44.59.34.74
Metro: Saint-Paul

Bassin de la Villette
Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad
75019 Paris
Metro: Stalingrad, Jaurès

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.