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.