Local Restaurants:
To experience the most the country has to offer it is
well worth considering eating out in Gambia especially
in and around the resort areas of Kotu, Kololi,
Bakau, Cape Point & other areas as that is where
the concentration of eateries is at its greatest. The
local cuisine served in these areas tends to be
the 'real deal' as opposed to some of the more bland
options served in hotel restaurants. The capital of
Banjul
only has a handful of places.
The first good reason for eating out locally are that
there are dozens of good quality restaurants
in the tourist resort
areas so there is a wide variety of places to eat
serving genuine Gambian dishes as well as international
cuisine such as Indian,
Chinese and Italian dishes. Secondly it helps put more
of your tourist money back into the local economy.
Advice For Eating Out:
Food
writer: Harmattan
"At the entrance
to any decent restaurant you will be met by your host
or a member of staff who will greet you and welcome
you. Return the greeting.
You will very likely be asked if you wish to take your
drinks
at the bar, or be taken straight to your table. It is
more sophisticated to take your time. People in a hurry
never enjoy their food, and so do not obtain value for
money.
Take time to appreciate the decor. (At the Ngala
Lodge, for instance, the design on the front cover
of the menu is taken from one of the stunning acrylic
paintings on the wall. They are worth a good look, and
if you look, it makes YOU look good!).
It is extremely suave to return the courtesy and politeness
of the staff. Your snapping of fingers, hissing, or
shouting "Boy!", is no more nor less a demonstration
of ignorance and rudeness, and a distinct lack of savoir-faire.
Any young lady of class who finds herself in the company
of a man who hisses, snaps his fingers at waiters or
calls "Boy!" is quite justified in leaving
immediately and having no more to do with such an uncouth
lout.
Many restaurants, such as "Al
Amir" and "Mama’s"
have a regular buffet which serves as an excellent introduction
to the wider selections on their menus.
Never approach a buffet in a rush, and do not mix everything
up in a great pile on your plate. (You might resemble
an emaciated and impoverished member of some volunteer
force or other.)
This is a buffet!
You can make another visit or two!
No one will call you a glutton if you take little and
often giving yourself the opportunity to savour the
various sauces and marinades.
Enjoy your meal. You have all the time in the world,
because a good buffet NEVER runs out of food.
And a final point. Some restaurants should follow the
lead given by the management of "Waaw"
Night Club, who erected a sign ordering "No Caps".
Hats off and three cheers for them!
Any ignorant fool who sits in a restaurant
wearing a baseball cap deserves to have it knocked off
into the soup by the Maitre ‘D, who should then force
the transgressor to eat the said cap with a knife and
fork. "
Food writer: Harmattan
Local Barbecues / Afra:
The other kind of dining out in Gambia, and much appreciated
by the locals particularly in the late evenings, are
the local barbecues or 'Afra' takeaways.
They are normally located on the roadside and you choose
a meat joint of either chicken, lamb or goat which is
then tossed onto a very hot charcoal grill and cooked
with onions and / or a mustard sauce. However in order
to help avoid dreaded travellers'
diarrhoea it is best to avoid the chicken option.
Beach
Bars & Restaurants:
There are dozens of beach side restaurants which have
sprung up over the past few years as road access to
the beaches
has improved. The ingredients used tends to be fresh
and organic and there is the added benefit of dining
while appreciating great sea views. One great place
to try is Solomon's
located on Kololi
beach about 2 minutes walk from Palma Rima Hotel. Their
fish grills are second to none as they buy there food
directly from Tanji
fish market.
Types of Food:
Most Gambian cooking
consists of rice served with a hot spicy sauce though
if your taste buds can't handle it local restaurants
are well able to tone it down for you. The three favourite
culinary delights you should consider trying are
'Chicken
Yassa' (chicken cooked in plenty of onions),
'Domoda'
(beef, chicken or fish cooked in peanut butter) and
Jollof
Rice or 'Benachin' (rice cooked in sauce served
with chicken, fish or beef and vegetables).
| Restaurant
Costs |
3 course meal |
| • Budget |
£3-5 per person |
| • Middle-range |
£6-17 per person |
| • High-end |
£18+ per person |
For Everyday Meals:
Informal food stalls: Many Gambian women own small food
stalls near their compounds,
from which they cook and sell very cheaply priced sandwiches
and Gambian dishes. The fare might include chicken,
steak sandwiches, fish ball sandwiches, cassava and
beans (nyambe nyebe), chips, etc.
•
Rhun Palm Restaurant, run by the President’s Award Scheme
(across the road from the Friendship Hotel complex)
has delicious and filling Gambian dishes. In the evening,
there is a full-service restaurant where you can get
a sit down meal for relatively low prices, but the best
deal is the large portion of delicious African food
for just over a dollar, served from afternoon to late
evening. Sometimes food is available at the asking,
but it is best to stop over about 45 minutes to an hour
before you are hoping to eat. Chicken Yassa is almost
always available; other dishes such as Domoda or fish
Benachin make appearances as well.
•
YMCA
is an attractive option if you are in the MDI Road area
for classes. They make sandwiches, soup, and Gambian
dishes for Gambian prices; cold soft drinks are also
available.
• Safari
Garden Restaurant: Plates of African food in the
afternoon, cheap prices, local atmosphere. To the left
of the Standard Newspaper building.
More Expensive:
• MacFadi's: American,
Lebanese, and Gambian dishes are sold at this Kairaba
Avenue restaurant. It looks like a fast food place,
and indeed the service is quick. Fare includes wraps,
burgers, and chicken wings. Located across the street
from the U.S. Embassy.
• MacDomaro
Pizza: Good brick oven pizza, outside dining,
and friendly service. A plain large pizza (more than
enough for one person). Located on Kairaba Avenue in
Fajara, between Garba Jahumpa Road and Badala Highway.
• Leybato:
A diner on Fajara
seafront.
• Bamboo
Garden Chinese Food: Beautiful setting; the name
is apt for describing the outdoor seating. Good service,
delicious Chinese food. Located in Fajara, off Kairaba
Avenue. Look for the signs in between Garba Jahumpa
Road and Atlantic Road (it is closer to the Atlantic
ocean end).
• Luigi’s:
Said to have the best pizza in The Gambia; also serve
a variety of Italian appetizers and plates. Nice setting,
outdoor seating in view of the ocean.
•
Malawi’s: A great
place to hit on Friday night, when they offer an all-you-can-eat
buffet which includes an assortment of foods, bordering
on American-like (think fried). The desserts are to
die for, cakes and pies and pudding. The Sunday roast
has also had good reviews, it’s a little cheaper than
the buffet. Located on the road behind Kairaba Avenue;
the easiest way to reach it is to take Faculty Building
Road and make a right onto the last road before Kairaba.
Look for signs.
• Shanghai:
Good Chinese food at good prices at a good location
near the Palma Rima Junction, Kololi.
•
King Burger: Convenient
place to eat before a Thursday night (9:00 pm) cultural
performance at neighbouring Palma-Rima Hotel. A bit
pricey; expect to pay at least $5.70 a plate. Good variety;
baguettes and burgers are highly recommended.
• Butcher
Shop: Moroccan & international cuisine served
in Fajara on the main road.
• Clay
Oven: An Indian restaurant of the finest quality
in the Fajara residential area. |
