Food and Fun in Cote d'Ivoire: Where to eat, sip and play in Abidjan

Bonjour!  It was my fourth time visiting / working / playing in Abidjan and when I wanted to advise a colleague of what there was to do, where to eat, play and / or find a strong drink I drew a blank!  There are so many delicious restaurants, bars and place to dance in Abidjan.  If you come here and spend any time, you will find it is hard to be bored when in town. I had photos but not idea of the names of these places I truly enjoyed each time I came to Abidjan.  Well, it is time to rectify this mistake!

WHERE / WHAT TO EAT:
If you are looking to enjoy cuisine native to Cote d'Ivoire then there are a few places and dishes you must absolutely try:

• Gorge D'Or (Bietry et Zone 4, Boulevard de Marseille, En face de la nouvelle agence BIAO):  The food is delicious and of course reasonably priced.  We enjoyed a feast fit for a King:  grilled chicken, grilled rabbit, grilled fish, fries, attieke, alloko, rice + beers.  Our total was 25,000 CFA (about $50).  You have your choice of inside (with A/C) or outside (enjoy the breeze of the bay) seating.  Quiet but can become quite busy immediately after work between 5 - 7pm. 

• Le Paradis in III Riveria:  A family owned restaurant (shout out to Papa and Ana).  Another great place to try local food.  I am particularly found of the cold beer, French red wine option and the grilled fish.  For a couple of beers and a meal (salivate over my photo below) I normally pay 8,000 CFA (about $16).

• Chez Amboise (Marcory Centre):  Quite a large location known for attracting tourist and expats.  On the weekends, if there is no rain, this is an ideal place to find, not only local food options, but also entertainment!  Live performers serenade in front of your table or eat fire for your enjoyment (tip appreciated).  Great place for large gatherings.  I would avoid of there is even a chance of rain though as the seating option is only outside.  I would try the braisse de merou (grilled grouper kabob).  It is quite delicious and portions are large and meant for sharing.  For a fun gathering of about 12 people (included many beers and a couple bottles of wine) we paid almost 90,000 CFA (about $180).
• Saakan (Cocody - Deux Plateaux, 2 Plateaux, Boulevard Latrille):  This restaurant boasts of an Ivorian Fusion flavor!  It has a very nice atmosphere, usually quiet, great bar and good food.  I first ate at Saakan two years ago and it was pretty good.  I ate here again during this visit and the food and menu have improved!  This is some of the best oxtail I have ever had the pleasure of eating.  Usually oxtail is served as a stew but they brought it out in 'tail' form after being slow cooked and braised on an open fire.  The meat was tender, moist and falling off the bone.  The sauce, served on the side, added the perfect amount of flavor.  Please try this dish!  It will cost you 9,000 CFA (about $18).

  

  Fried green plantains

  

  Oxtail

Local Dishes:
When you see some of these on the menu, do not be afraid to try!

• Poulet braisse:  grilled chicken usually topped with a onion and tomato 'salsa'
• Poisson braisse: grilled fish usually topped with a onion and tomato 'salsa'
• Merou:  grouper

Grouper skewers

• Choukouya:  slow cooked mutton with onions, potatoes and its natural juices.  This is so good.  Wash your hands and dig in with a group of friends.  To feed 20 people (included attieke) I paid 25,000 CFA (about $50).

• Attieke:  couscous made from yucca.  Just as delicious, this is a staple side here in Cote d'Ivoire.  Again, wash your hands and use this side dish to scoop up meat or sop up delicious gravy into your mouth. 

• Alloko:  fried sweet plantain.  I am particularly fond of the 'burnt' alloko.

Poisson braisse with alloko

• Poulet Kedjenou:  a stew prepared in a clay pot, slow cooked meat with onions and spices.  Perfect for any day and bursting with flavor.  While I prefer chicken (poulet) it can be made with other meat as well.

Abidjan is full of restaurants so you have quite a variety and can literally eat out every night and not be at the same place twice for three weeks!  Some of my favorites:

• Norima (http://www.norimarestaurant.com/):  This is actually the 'sister' restaurant to Saakan.  The owners are an Ivorian husband and his American wife.  Instead of Ivorian fusion this restaurant offers American comfort foods.  Best known for their burgers, they also offer quesadilla, wings and yummy cocktails.  On Fridays there is a nice happy hour but arrive before 8pm.  

Shrimp quesadilla

Cowboy sliders:  bbq sauce, bacon and onion straws

Prawns

• Waimea (Boulevard de Marseille, Biétry):  This is the place to go if you love crepes!  They serve savory and sweet crepes and both are equally delicious!  Very quiet place, ideal for a date or by yourself with your favorite book.  Reasonably priced, crepes range from 1,500 - 5,000 CFA on average (about $3 - 10).

Ham and cheese savory crepe

• La Residence (Boulevard de Marseille, Impasse Bernabe | Par à Fer - Zone 4):  A small boutique hotel with a delicious menu.  If you would like to stay here, book a month or more in advance.  There are only 8 - 10 rooms here (priced between 55,000 and 85,000 CFA - about $115 - $170) and since it is centrally located in Zone 4 it is quite popular!  The staff is amazingly friendly, catering to your needs and the menu boasts of delicious appetizers, entrees and desserts.  Every meal is served with fresh olives and warm, fresh bread.  It is quite expensive but worth every CFA paid.  Two of my colleagues and I enjoyed a large water, bottle of wine, three entrees for a total of 64,500 CFA (about $130).  
  
  
  

  

  Lobster salad

• Dolce Vita (http://ladolcevitaci.net/index2.php):  If you are craving pizza then you must try Dolce Vita!  My colleagues started with fresh mozzarella and tomato appetizer drizzled in basil and fresh olive oil.  It was absolutely divine! If you like it hot, try the homemade pepper infused olive oil with the warn bread served.  There is a large pizza variety with your choice of mozzarella or gruyere cheese.  I chose gruyere and did not regret it. Fun fact: this is an employee owned restaurant!
  
  
  

  

  Chorizo

  

  with tuna and egg

If you are looking for pastries, please find your way to one of these amazing places!  The French influence on the cuisine here in Cote d'Ivoire pretty much guarantees you will enjoy anything you try:

• Paul's Bakery (Boulevard de Marseille - Zone 4):  Paul's bakery offers a large variety of fresh pastries, breads, cookies and cakes.  Additionally there is a large tea selection. 
• Chri's (Zone 4 à l'intersection des rues du 7 Décembre & Paul Langevin):  I was not a fan of the crepes at Chri's. At all.  However, the pastries and cakes were delicious!  I would suggest skipping dinner here and stick to the sweet stuff when visiting Chri's.

Millefeuille from Chri's *YUM*

• N'ice Cream (Zone 4, rue Pierre et Marie Curie): A great place to sit outside and enjoy ice cream served in freshly made cones, or in a cup.  While they offer a large variety of ice cream, they also offer fresh pastries and sorbet.  Also, do not be afraid to try more than one flavor - mix it up or buy one of the small 'shot sized' portions of some of their most popular flavors.
  
  

WHERE TO SIP:
Some days after work you just need a cool, adult beverage.  There are no shortages of places to sip such a beverage in Abidjan.  Non-smokers, be warned:  customers can still smoke in the bar so if this bothers you I would skip the places to sip in Abidjan.  Some of the places I enjoy:

• Che (Zone 4 - Boulevard du 7 Décembre ):  My favorite bar in Abidjan!  I love the atmosphere, the drink menu and the snacks.  Very cozy, great place to be seen and people watch.  Drinks are reasonably priced and delicious!  A large rum selection (now you see why it is my favorite bar in Abidjan ...)
• Rallye (Zone 4 - A l'angle de la rue Mercedes et de la rue Thomas-Edison):  A wonderful place to have lunch as well as find a glass of Cognac to enjoy with colleagues after work.
• Code Barre (at the entrance of Wafou):  Not a large bar, cozy.  Drinks and snacks are reasonably priced and the play list is quite interesting.  A great place to have a few cocktails before moving on to a larger venue.

WHERE TO PLAY/DANCE:
If you are looking to dance all night long, work up a sweat and meet people then throw on your get 'em girl dress, heels, parfum, gloss those lips and hit the streets!  In Abidjan the party does not get started until 1am but it goes until 5- 6am so you have plenty of time to be seen, dance a bit and then move to the next place.  For those of us over 30, I suggest a nap prior to hitting the streets...

• VIP (Deux-Plateaux, Sur le même alignement que le New Ice, Abidjan): No cover charge.  We paid 70,000 CFA (about $140) for a bottle of rum, soda, limes etc. Many people will relax at their table and then hit the dance floor when their favorite song comes on. 
• Parker Place (Rue Paul-Langevin Zone 4):  If you love reggae then this is where you need to be on a Friday or Saturday night! Live music, great atmosphere and cold beer.  Come as you are and enjoy the vibe.
• The Mixx (Zone 4C, Abidjan, Lagunes):  Very popular club in Abidjan.  No need to arrive early as this club stays open until the sun starts to appear.  Usually I arrive ready to party between 1 - 2am.
• Le Saint Germain (http://www.lesaintgermainclub.com/):  Another 'colorful' place to have a drink, play billiards, be seen and dance.  Please experience this place if you are ever in Abidjan.  Ladies dress to impress.  Men ... well the ladies are going to like you regardless of what you are wearing haha
• Le Temple (Cocody Angré sur la route du Mahou dans le district d’Abidjan):  Great place to see live music.  The drinks are a bit pricey and there is usually a cover charge (15,000 CFA or about $30).  Negotiate a bottle of champagne with the cover charge if you are in a group!  It worked for us 4 ladies when we went to see Wizzboy! Also, negotiate the bottle charge.  On the second bottle we negotiated from 60,000 CFA (about $120) for a bottle of Moet to 50,000 (about $100). 

So the next time you are in Abidjan, do not stay in the hotel!  Find something to do, somewhere to go and be seen!  Abidjan does not sleep and I have come to understand that the club or bar closes when the last customer leaves.  Dress to impress and hit the streets!

If you are in Abidjan I welcome comments, commentary, feedback and other suggestions!

Thanksgiving in Abidjan

Our hostess Ana and Pete

This year I was away from my family on the Thanksgiving holiday for the first time since Peace Corps.  Thankfully I was surrounded by great people (old and new friends) and amazing food! As I was determined to have a "taste" of home here in Abidjan, my suitcase was packed with two cans of Glory Collard Greens and pre-mixed dry ingredients to make "sweet" cornbread.  However, as this dry mix was in a zip lock bag it was confiscated by TSA.  I expected this may happen so I also packed two boxes of Jiffy (#winning).  Thanksgiving is not a holiday here and so Karim and I worked until 230pm and then went to the grocery store so that he could procure ingredients for his gourmet side salad, cake, cheese and wine. We arrived at the home of our beautiful hostess, Ana, a little after 4pm as we expected to roll up our sleeves and be in the kitchen.  

But she had this covered with two people chopping, glazing, prepping and stuffing two chickens before our arrival.  However, I did assist in making the cornbread and whipped up the honey butter which I glazed on the cornbread before it was served.  Karim was not allowed to completely chop the ingredients for his gourmet salad but he did whip up an amazing homemade salad dressing (oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley and dijon mustard).  So in the end, we felt kinda useful in the kitchen haha 

Karim making salad dressing

Pete about to carve the chickens

While the food was being prepared and guests were arriving, the small group sat around, watched the children play, listened to music, sipped on adult beverages or worked while sipping on Coke (Karim).

Karim working and sipping on coke

Shawntel on the phone

Once all of the guests arrived (around 8:30pm) Pete had the honor of carving the chickens.  Once chicken was carved, prayer in French and English was said and everyone dived in!  Dinner, conversation, laughter, meet/greet and bilingual conversation continued throughout dinner and dessert.  As everyone had to work the next day, the night did end at midnight.  While I missed my family terribly on this holiday, I am thankful for the experience - how many can say they spent Thanksgiving in Abidjan and not have been an expat?! Experience my Thanksgiving in Abidjan through the photos below.  Enjoy!

Cornbread

Collard greens

Potato bake

Green bean casserole

Salad with goat cheese

Those yummy stuffed chickens

The table

Pie

Beverages

Week Two in Cote d'Ivoire

Kizi and I leave Cote d'Ivoire tonight at 9:50pm via Air France. 
The first week was filled with getting to know the country, culture, food and lecture based training.

The second week was filled with enjoying the company of those family and friends which have waited for Kizi's return (it has been 10 years since she was last in the country), enjoying foods that I marked as my favorites the first week, enjoying more of the culture and warm hospitality, ass rashes (the victim will remain nameless but it wasn't me with this issue LOL), a buttocks pimple, live reggae performance, hot sweaty dancing to zouk and coupdecale (a local form of dance), a malaria scare which resulted in a shot in the derriere covered by a bright orange band-aid (again, err it wasn't not moi that thought I had malaria lol), file review, intense and frustrating moments in learning French, emotional dinners and goodbyes.

Week two was intense to say the least.  Week two ensured that this country and the memories made here will be talked about for years to come.  Week two satisfied my curiosity of what this country may be like and what it would be like traveling / working with someone from Cote d'Ivoire.  Week two has come to an end which also brings this trip to an end.

"Shout out" to Kizi N'Kodia.  She not only documented our entire culinary experience here in Cote d'Ivoire (see her blog:  CHIC~FOOD~SAVEUR: Ivorian food diary) but she also worked hard in assisting me with the training and file review, she provided hours of laughter, she ensured we took advantage of all photo opportunities and most of all it was her family and friends that opened up their hearts and homes to me as an extension of her.  This trip would have been a completely different experience without her presence.  For her presence I am immeasurably grateful.  And now my favorite photo of us:

If you are my friend on Facebook then you have seen most of these photos but I wanted to add photos which captured some of my favorite moments here in Cote d'Ivoire.

We mean business!

Breakfast every morning.  Cost 375 CFA (approx 81 cents a day)

Business card of our "Business Man" ~ exchanged our USD in CFA

Peaceful Phoebe as a guest in the home of Mr. Michel N'Kodia

Kizi and I with our driver Alphonse.  Our driver and our alibi when Kizi daddy insists on giving us a curfew "Time Out." LOL

My look anytime I attempt to pronounce a dish in French.  This language is ridiculous LOL

Kizi, Yasmine and I ~ a day at the beach

Sibi and Kizi (this is the woman that makes my taste buds so happy with her poulet yassa)

Kizi and I ... this photo makes me happy.  We laughed quite a bit on this trip so I thought this photo to end this entry would be appropriate *smile*

A très bientôt Côte d'Ivoire!