At Waly Fay, a West African bistro in the 11th arrondissement dating back to the early aughts, I had one of the most delightful lunches in recent memory. An open kitchen is the heart of the spacious dining room, with exposed brick walls, vintage Gispen chairs, and industrial tables set with wax paper.
It’s tricky to choose what to order from the expansive menu, a collaboration between Cameroonian chef Jeannie Tientcheu and Senegalese chef Dalla Sankare. Starters include golden cod fritters and Ivorian alloco, or fried plantains, an excellent sucre-salé way to start a meal. For mains, you’ll find Nigerian jumbo shrimp in a Creole sauce scented with fresh ginger and Senegalese chicken yassa—fall-apart-tender chicken stewed with caramelized onions, lime, and green olives, all served with sticky broken rice. If you’re not sufficiently stuffed, there are several sides to add on, including attiéké, a cassava-based couscous, and chikwangue, cassava cakes wrapped and steamed in banana leaves.
The dishes are unfussy and comforting but nail all the details: my maffé had just the right touch of spice and the texture of organic peanut butter; ribbons of steamed carrot and a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley brought it to the next level.
Photo: Vincent Leroux
