Luckily, I have a gal pal from the Ivory Coast, and she was able to give me some recommendations... Unfortunately, I don't remember any of the names of the dishes, but I'll do my best to describe them. We ordered the fried plantains for the entree. It was yummy... starchy, slightly sweet, and accompanied by a great tomato and onion relish. She ordered a chicken dish that is native to the Ivory Coast. It came with a side of "rice" that is actually made of cassava that was great. Some might think it's bland, but it has such an interesting and starchy flavor. It's a great side to the chicken which is seasoned with garlic, herbs, and other spices of which I'm unfamiliar! But trust me, it's really flavorful and delicious. I ordered the fish plat (which is the only fish on the menu). It was a very large portion. The fish itself was cooked in a tomato based sauce and its own juices. I don't know what type of fish it was, but it is not a delicate protein, so it's not juicy and flaky in the way a halibut might be. It's much more hearty, akin to mammal protein. It was accompanied by what Americans might call "dirty rice" but African style--spicy, flavorful, flaky. The rice kernels were really small compared to other types of rice in the West.
Good, but not worth the distance I had to travel to get there! read more