Dakar NOLA

A highlight of our Super Bowl trip to NOLA was our reservation at Dakar NOLA.

2024 James Beard Winner for Best New Restaurant, one of Eater magazines 12 best new restaurants in 2023, Chef of the Year winner for Chef Serigne Mbaye, Time Top 100 listing for him as well… so many accolades.

Those accolades were coming out at the same time I was watching the amazing Netflix Documentary High on the Hog, which features the restaurant in the episode about the influences of West Africa, and the Senegalese in particular, on the food of New Orleans and the Caribbean.

So experiencing it was something we were so looking forward to! And the experience did not disappoint! Both the Owner, Dr. Afua "Effie" Richardson, and Chef Mbaye came out to talk to us, making the evening so special.

(We also had the pleasure of being seated with two solo diners - a reporter from Mexico City and a limo driver who was working for Emmitt Smith for the week!!! He was discrete - couldn’t get any details out of him, darn it!)

Without further delay….the menu!

Ataya
Green tea, ginger, mint.

Cassava
Yuca, smothered onions, gulf crab, herb aioli, smoked trout roe.

Akara
Black-eyed pea fritters, shrimp, kaluga caviar, pickled vegetables.

Strawberry Salad
West African millet, cabbage, red onions, strawberry vinaigrette.

Langus
Maine Lobster, winter greens, red pepper suya sauce

The Last Meal
Black-eyed pea soup, gulf crab, Louisiana rice.

Dakar Bread
Palm oil bread, Dakar spiced butter.

The Rice Connection
Benachin - In Wolof "benachin" means one pot. This seasoned rice dish demonstrates the magic that can be worked in a single pot.

Jen
Gulf fish, carrots, tamarin jus.

Bonus little guugere type puffs with fruit

Dakar Candied Apple
Poached apples, whipped toffee, pecan and millet crumble.

Wine pairing:
With the Cassava and Akara, The Tin Mine White Blend from Stellenbosch, South Africa

With the Strawberry Salad:
Mosi Chenin Blanc 2021, Swartand, South Africa

With the Langus, Last Meal and Dakar Bread:
Horizon Pinotage from Stellenbosch South Africa

With The Rice Connection and Jen:
Life from Stone Sauvignon Blanc, Springfield Estate South Africa

With the Dakar Candied Apple:
De Grendel Noble, Late Harvest 2020, Cape Town, South AfricaLes mer