I was in Conakry for 8 days at the beginning of July, at the invitation of NDI for a Retraite Politique, ahead of the scheduled Fall election.
I figured I couldn’t blog much while in Guinea, and wouldn’t be able to write about everything. So I decided I would do a photo-blog.
Every picture below is clickable and you can have a closer look at the food. Generally, the Guinean food is either from the sea or spicy. Lots of stews. Generally, they have a plate of hot crushed peppers available to increase the heat. Perfect. You can also find skewers and all sorts of food stands while wandering the streets of Conakry, as everybody tries to sell some food for a bit of money. But I decided to stick with restaurants, except for the food cooked in the little shack attached to Café Obama. If you plan a trip to Conakry, you may want to look at this dining guide.
Obviously, French cuisine is very present in Guinea as well as Lebanese. A couple of Chinese and Korean restaurants are there too to serve the workers who came to work in the mining or fishing industries.
Butterfly Fried Half-Chicken, fries and fried plantain, tomato and onion salad.Coté Mer
Thiebou Dienn, a fish stew served with local brown rice and boiled vegetables. 23 000 GNF. Africana
A traditional Guinean musician entertaiting the patrons at the Africana Restaurant.
Hors d’oeuvres served to the participants of the Retraite Politique at the Novotel Ghi in Conakry during the registration.
World Cola. Made in Conakry by Sobragui. Very, very sweet and low carbonation.
More hors d’oeuvres. Note the rounded-off chicken wings.
Flag Spéciale. Bière de luxe. Very popular everywhere in West Africa. Owned by Castel. A pale lager, refreshing with a hint of bitterness.
Skol. Brewed under license by Sobragui, it originates from Bermuda. Not bad – but only if cold.Sorro.
Seafood Pizza. Late-night snack. A bit salty. 96 000 GNF.Sorro.
Typical Guinean Fish Stew. Quite spicy. You serve on the rice.Côté Mer.
Vanilla and Brown sugar cake.Côté Mer.
A Guiluxe by the sea. The national beer brewed by Sobragui. Smooth. 4 times cheaper than at Sorro. Only 7 000 GNF.Café Obama.
Garlic Shrimp.Restaurant Chinois.
Chicken and green onion, sautéed, and served in thin crèpes.Restaurant Chinois.
Snow Peas and Garlic. Lots of Garlic.Restaurant Chinois.
Very spicy Beef Skewers.Restaurant Chinois.
Typical Guinean Beef Stew. You serve on rice.Côté Mer.
Sponge Raisin Cake with papaya sauce.Côté Mer.
Grilled Calamari and fries. Nice big pieces, no chewiness.Café Obama.
Beef skewers with hot sauce. Good meat.Le Gentillhommière.
African spicy meatballs. Eaten with rice.Côté Mer.
Chocolate pastry stuffed with cocoa cream.Côté Mer.
Another lively evening at Café Obama.
Grilled Gambas with plantain chips.Café Obama.
Fish Balls. Free hors d’oeuvre before the meal.Le Rocher.
Shrimp Piri Piri. Quite spicy and rich tomato sauce.Le Rocher.
Avocado vinaigrette. A pool of dressing.Le Rocher.
Braised Lamb African-style, with rice. Tasty, but bad cut.Le Rocher.
Korean appetizers, including KimChi, Sesame spinach, Green Onions with chili, etc…Korean Restaurant.
Slices of pork, coked on a hot plate.Korean Restaurant.
Sashimi. Raw fish in Guinea. Hmmm…Korean Restaurant.
Sweet and Sour Spicy Chicken.Korean Restaurant.
Pork meat assortment (sausages, salted pork, etc..) with boiled potatoes.Côté Jardin Restaurant.
Kibbe. Stuffed with ground beef.Le Cèdre.
Lebanese deep fried rolls. Stuff with lamb. Very greasy.Le Cèdre.
Merguez. Very small, very dry, very mild.Le Cèdre.
Châteaubriand. Flambée. Sautéed mushrooms. Fries. At 37 000 GNF, a fantastic bargain. Very tender meat, great cut.Le Cèdre.
Lamb roast with mousseline potatoes.Le Damier.