Back in the old days, like 2003, LGM restaurant in Point E was THE place to go for pizza in Dakar. Although it’s still there, odds are good that you’ve never been. The pizza hasn’t changed in 10 years, but there are just so many more options available now. (But if you like a thin crust, brick oven pizza with Emmental… you should try it.)

I used to go regularly with my friend and we always ordered the same thing to share: 1 salade la fraîcheur, 1 pizza reine and then 2 mango sorbets for dessert. It was the perfect meal for 5,000cfa each.

The salad was made by spreading a couple lettuce leaves on a place as a decorative base, then topping 1/4 of the plate with sliced tomato, 1/4 with grated carrots, 1/4 with sliced cucumber and 1/4 with canned corn. Then a traditional French dijon vinaigrette was drizzled on top and a black olive plunked in the center. So simple, but so memorable.

I decided to adapt LGM’s salad into a pasta salad for a pot-luck later today. Of course, it needed to be sampled first… two big bowls, just to be sure!

Pasta la Fraîcheur
500g macaroni pasta, cooked al dente then drained
4 carrots, grated
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced into 1/4 rounds
1 small can of corn
250g cherry tomatoes
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (it needed some color!)
your favorite vinaigrette or Italian dressing

Mix in a huge bowl, chill for a couple hours, then serve.