This place is rubbish, let's slash the seats.

Les Maquis des Allees
Sometimes when you walk into a place you just get good vibes straight away. Everything seems to be in it's right place: the music is good, staff are smiling, there is some activity at the bar. Your brain solves a very complex equation very quickly and you end up thinking 'Yeah, I like it here', or 'This place is rubbish, lets slash the seats'.

I like Les Maquis des Allees. I like the lack of pretention in the menu, I like the sous-verre style flag advert by the bar, I like the friendly staff, and I particularly like cocktails at 3,000 FCfa a pop.

The chef cares about what comes out of the kitchen, and comes out of the kitchen himself to check that all is going to plan. Don't expect gastronomic miracles, as this is still a maquis, and the occasional stale baguette is bound to find its way into circulation. But do expect decent quality meat, cooked with attention. The chef also knows how to handle a pizza oven, and the pizza bases here are almost flammkuchen thin, with the undersides marked by the occasional burnt black spots - about as perfect as you can get in Dakar. Sadly the toppings are overloaded and the tomato sauce is a little bit sweet. Order a pizza and tell the chef what you think, you never know, by the end of the hivernage he might have it spot on.

Les Maquis des Allees
Villa 4028
Alles Seydou Nourou Tall
Tel: 765 290041
Open 12-3 and 7 to Midnight. Closed Sunday and Monday lunchtime.

Kubata
Given its middle class status and popularity with Ex-pats Mermoz is a bit short on restaurants and nightlife. By day, Kubata is a standard Thieb eatery, with simple lunches hovering around the 2,000 FCfa mark. Service is friendly and reasonably quick although the restaurant can get a little hot when the power goes off. Not worth going out of your way for, but a good example of its type nonetheless.

By night, Kubata hosts live music, and is gathering a decent local reputation. It's the kind of place where you might go to have a cheap evening out without wanting to get too messy.

Kubata
Comico2 Mermoz Pyrotechnie
Villa No 59
77 585 25 63
860 47 93


Le Point E
Le Point E is a simliar joint in, surprisingly, Point E. Live music evenings here are few and far between, but it is worth a visit for splendid lunchtime plats. The daily menu usually offers two or three dishes (usually meat or fish) and sometimes dibi. The Senegalese food is as good as you will get outside of a family home, and it's the kind of place where you can comfortably take foreign visitors for a taste of Senegal.

Weekday lunches are always busy with a mix of local residents, office workers and the occasional group of foreign journalists. Service is quick and friendly, and most dishes come in at under 2,500 FCfa.

Le Point E
Rue de Thies
Point E

Restaurant News:
The Radisson Blu has been open for business for a couple of weeks now. The review should be up next week. I can't yet decide whether to kill it quick, and then dance about on its grave, or to linger over a slow and cruel death.

Pethethethethethethetheth.

Sheherazade
What a peculiar place. The restaurant stylings immediately give the away Sherherazade's principle role as a hotel, but there are some nice touches such as the swimming pool outside, the use of dead flowers to decorate each table, and an abundant population of cats. The owner is also strangely feline in appearance, adding to the vaguely Roald Dahl atmosphere of the place.

Foodwise it's a mix of Moroccan, Senegalese and Steaknchips. We order tagines which come in large portions, but are somewhat poulet bicyclette. There is better value to be had at the Moroccan joint on Rue A in point E. Service is enthusiastic, although being mid-week we are the only diners. The waitress is a touch distracted by the entertainment coming from a curtained off side room. I'm not exactly sure what was going on in there, but it sounded like they were showing a pornographic film at high volume. At least I hope it was a film.

Sheherazade
Fann Mermoz
Tel: 33 860 13 83
Open Seven Days, 8am - midnight.

Restaurant Rumblings:
A couple of recent evenings in New Africa have worried me a little. The kitchen here produces some marvellous stuff, but it seems cannot cope under the pressure of having a half full restaurant. Normally a chef would apologise for a two hour wait on the food, not come out and blame the customers for turning up.

Mixed reports are coming from Dakar Sushi - possibly the first restaurant in Dakar to have their own Twitter feed. I'm not entirely convinced by the Twitter feed to be honest, but judge for yourself. I'll be dropping by soon for a look.

It looks like something is actually happening at Zaika on the corniche. The Indian restaurant has been 'closed for refurbishment' for over a year, leading me to speculate that it had been abandoned altogether. It looks like work is progressing though, and we might see it reopening soon. Fann-Hok might slowly become a decent quartier for a night out, what with the Djollof boutique hotel, Brazilian restaurant, and Terrou-bi just up the road for those in the mood for a slice of goat cheese and honey pizza.

The architects have handed over the keys to the new Radisson 'Blu' hotel on the corniche. Apparently the kitchens are ready and chefs are trialling the menu to on-site staff, so 'Fellini's' restaurant should hit the ground running on the 1st July opening. I haven't received my opening night invitation yet though... please send it to Mr The Jiffler c/o Dakar Restaurant Reviews.

The original Experimental Jifflings website has been tarted up a little. Have a look here.