But, do they have sushi?

The Gambia’s food scene is pretty interesting. As expected, the local food is completely different from the tourist fare and because I live in a very touristy area I have easy access to both.

The necessities

As soon as I arrived in The Gambia I realized that while options are limited, I’ve got everything I need here. Supermarkets are small, but they import from Europe, Asia and even the US, so all the familiar stuff is present. At least the basics—not so much the fancy stuff.

With restaurants, the question is always: is the food safe? Well, after three months I’m happy to report that I haven’t had any stomach issues. To be fair, I’m an experienced tropical country dweller so I know exactly what NOT to eat, and I don’t eat out very often because I prefer home cooked food, but it’s still a pretty good sign.

Breakfast

I’m delighted to report that everywhere in The Gambia, and in surrounding countries I think, the government mandates fresh baguettes to be sold widely at the cost of about $0.15. So this is what most people eat for breakfast. They stuff it with egg, potato, fish, or my favorite: peas. There are two types of peas I rotate: nyambe (black-eyed peas) and petit pois (green peas). There’s also akara, which is also delicious, but they’re deep-fried fritters so a little less healthy.

There are two types of main bread: tapalapa is thin, dense, and pretty heavy. The color is light brown and it’s made from a mixture of flour and millet. Senfour is a lighter, fluffier bread more similar to a baguette. I prefer to eat the latter because it goes down easier.

Lunch/Dinner

Traditionally, Gambians eat together from a large dish filled with rice and some kind of sauce, usually with fish or meat. They eat with their hands. From my limited research I’ve concluded that most people still eat this way, even in government offices.

That’s not how restaurants work though—not the western ones I’ve gone to at least. Pretty much all the restaurants I’ve eaten at in Gambia (see list below) serve single portions unless there’s a buffet.

If it’s a buffet, local dishes include rice, which is often benachin (kind of like jollof rice in Nigeria, great with sauce), domeda (a rich peanut stew, pretty good!), and okra stew (haven’t tried it yet). Another common dish is yassa, which is chicken with lemon, onions, and a kind of mustard sauce.

For western food, it’s the usual compilation of pizza, pasta, burgers, semi-Thai food, meat with French names, and—because of the types of tourists who come here—British and even Dutch inspired food. There’s a big focus on barbecued fish, prawns, and beef. There is also plenty of Lebanese food, which is always nice, and a few Indian restaurants. Frankly, it’s a nice mix!

But: do the have sushi? In my mind, if a place has a good sushi restaurant that means there’s generally a high level of hygiene, variety, and a functional international supply chain. The answer is: sorta. There is one sushi restaurant. Everything I’ve had tasted good, and I even attempted the raw fish, including salmon. The restaurant doesn’t have Japanse vibes at all but it’s surprisingly decent.

For now, my overall rating for food here is medium-high. High because as far as my expectations for West Africa go it’s really exceeding and I’ve only had good experiences so far. Medium because I’m yet to find a place that has some my favorites, like proper vegetarian options and good salads.

Restaurants I recommend

• Ngala Lodge (International, Fajara)

• Coco Ocean (Thai/Moroccan, Bijilo)

• Mani sushi (Kololi Beach)

• Tamala Beach Resort (Barbecue, Kotu)

• Maya’s (Lebanese, Senegambia)

• Soun (Modern Gambian, Senegambia)

• Fajara Garden (French, Fajara)

• Clay Oven (Indian, Fajara)

• Dandymayo (British/Gambian, Senegambia)

• Butcher’s Shop (Moroccan, Fajara)

• Vineyard (Indian, Senegambia)