Bissap juice (l.), offal (r.) – © Stéphane Bahic
For twenty years in Paris, not far from the Saint Paul metro station, Le Petit Dakar has been one of the essential addresses for thiéboudiène, the Senegalese national dish based on rice and fish, but also mafé, a stew with a creamy sauce.
This canteen with yellow and orange curtains and its collection of wax fans welcomes regulars and curious visitors for lunch and dinner. Marie Barthélémy has been in the kitchen and in the dining room since she took over this address fourteen years ago, after studying management.
Yassa chicken, © Stéphane Bahic
She gets her passion for home cooking from her mother and grandmother. In Senegal, each family has its favorite dish and each day corresponds to a dish. At her house, it was thiéboudiène on Fridays, and chicken yassa on Sundays, which is a dish from Casamance, made with fried onions.
Here, in the very quiet rue Elzévir, we also enjoy black puddings from the islands (two pieces) at 9,50 euros, followed by mafé beef with vegetables and fragrant rice – ah, the tasty peanut butter – or “veggie”, at 19 and 17,50 respectively. Without forgetting the red thiéboudiène on Friday, with rice and grouper, parsley and chili pepper for 21 euros.
Grilled chicken, © Stéphane Bahic
The pepper is served separately, out of consideration for delicate palates, because, at the Petit Dakar, we do not trifle with “teranga”, which is the famous Senegalese hospitality.
For dessert, a banana flambé with rum. A glass of red wine costs 6 euros and that of bissap (hibiscus flower infusion) costs 2,50 euros. And, as we say in Wolof at the end of meals: “Neex na torop!” ", or: it was delicious.
▼ The Little Dakar
6 Rue Elzevir, 75003 Paris
Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 23 p.m.
Closed Monday and Sunday
Tel: +01 44 59 34 74
Text: Valérie Rodrigue
18.09.23
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