Have you tried the thiof in Yoff?

My old neighbourhood, Yoff, has little to recommend it in Restaurant terms. Being a dry quarter, stuck on the north of the Peninsula it's hardly going to draw in the punters. Despite this, if you fancy pitching up with a couple of bowls and buying some Mafe and Rice for 400 CFA, then Yoff is definitely the place to do it.

Hong Kong II (Airport Road)
Slightly dishevelled, with a miserable old lady at the helm. Hong Kong II (where is Hong Kong 1?) serves, somewhat incongruously, Vietnamese cuisine with added jumbo.

Recommended:

• Prawns with ginger.
• If you live in Yoff. This is the nearest decent place for a beer.

Avoid:

• The food isn't great, if I'm honest.

Keur Mouna
Just cross the road into Parcelles at the edge of non-alcoholic Yoff and you'll find all the fun you need at Keur Mouna. A hotel and restaurant apparently, although when we visited all they had was steak (which wasn't bad) and rooms by the hour.

Recommended:

• The steak was OK
• Watching the floorshow of furtive punters selecting a prostitute. The madam is a tough lady, and will issue a sound beating to any customers who get lippy.

Avoid:

• In case you hadn't realised yet: this place is a brothel.

Via Via
Hmm. The usual mix of thieb, thiof and yassa, but done up for the backpacker brigade. It's in Yoff, but discreetly serves beer.

Recommended:

• A cheap clean hostel, and a great place to base yourself as a backpacker and grab some cheap meals.

• There is a little library of old travel books in many languages.

Avoid:

• Young French trustafarians with braided hair and multi-coloured vaguely ethnic clothing who have come to Africa to perfect their djembe playing skills. Annoying idiots.

Don't be tempted by the beachside shacks offering pizzas and burgers - just pop your head into the kitchen and you'll immediately pick up the e.coli vibe.

More soon.

For all the reviews so far, click here.

Within Staggering Distance of Point E

To kick off Dakar Restaurant Reviews, lets look at some of the restaurants within staggering distance from Chez Jiffler in Point E. I've left the local cafes and patisseries out, for a future round up.

Just4you, Avenue Cheikh Anta Diop
The legendary Just4you is where you can see some of the best Senegalese musicians do their thing. Orchestra Baobab often take the stage on Saturday evenings, but you can also catch young hopefuls doing an early evening set. When the place is full, service is slow, but why not drop in a bit early (and get free admission), have a leisurely meal, then soak up the music over a few Gazelles until the wee small hours.

Recommended:

• Decently priced modern French-Senegalese cooking, and the odd curry thrown in.
• Pitch up early and catch the show for free.

Avoid:

• Ordering late when it's busy.
• The bit around the corner from the bar furthest from the stage can get a bit dark and mosquito filled.

Chez Mimi, Avenue Cheikh Anta Diop
Unremarkable Senegalese grills, along with pasta and pizza on Avenue Cheikh Anta Diop. Quiet and fairly straightforward. There is a bar outside, or airconditioned dining room.

Recommended:

• Pizzas and Pasta are OK. It's not too expensive

Avoid:

• Would struggle with larger groups.

Jardin Thailandais, 10 Boulevard du Sud, Point E.
An upmarket Thai with attractive gardens and an indoor dining room. Jardin T can cater for large groups, or will happily accommodate a table for two. Flavours are refreshing and almost spot on, and the staff are friendly. Book ahead.

Recommended:

• The "Tom yung kai" soups are great, as are the curries
• Female friends all seem to love the Lychee "Kir Thai" (tooth-achingly sweet cocktail of lychee juice and white wine)

Avoid:

• If you're on a tight budget.

Mini Resto, Avenue Cheikh Anta Diop
Nice restaurant, shame about the uninspiring name. Especially as it's not very small. Cameroonian and African specialities and a good mix of customers from all over West Africa bring good vibes.

Recommended:

• Good aloko.
• Decent Brochettes

Avoid:

• Sauce gombo (but then one should generally avoid that)
• Cockroach spotting
• Standing on a slug in the toilets

Lalibela, Rue A, Point E.
A fantastic rooftop venue with low dining tables, charming owner, but the Ethiopian food is inconsistent. I hope they turn this one round as it has the potential to be a great place.

Recommended:

• Atmospheric restaurant

Avoid:

• The food is inconsistent

La Fiesta, VDN
Cheerful bar and restaurant with a straightforward menu. Occasional live music (covers usually, I enjoyed a phonetic rendition of Phil Collins one evening), and the most friendly and enthusiastic waiter in Dakar keep the punters coming.

Recommended:
Pizzas are OK

• A great place for a social meal, followed a few beers, and a game of darts, a bit like a pub in that sense.

Avoid:

• Getting hit by a car while staggering along the busy road outside.

DRR

Dakar restaurant reviews coming soon...