Buttermilk pancakes, bacon, hash browns, Western omelette, breakfast burrito, sausage patties, biscuits and gravy… I got your attention, didn’t I? Well save your appetite and mark your calendar for Wednesday, October 23rd, when Taste of America restaurant opens in Dakar!

Hi Mame. Thanks for taking the time to talk with us, even though I’m sure you’re running in a thousand different directions getting ready for the big opening. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Well, I am a Senegalese born woman who went to school in the US in the 80’s. Later I married a New Yorker and we have four sons. In 2005, I started in the food processing field and became an FDA certified Food processor authorized to make sauces in jar.

My husband and I later opened two restaurants, Mawa’s Taste of Africa, with a diverse menu covering the rich African continent and it was a huge success. We were rated 4.5 on urbanspoon.com, 4.5 on tripadvisor.com and 4 in Yelp.

That’s impressive. And making me hungry…

Yes, in fact we won Best Food in the Taste of Morrisville 2011 and Indyweekly (a local newspaper) named us best African food 2011. (http://bestof.voiceplaces.com/raleigh-durham/w/best-african-restaurant-finalist-2011-57230)

Here are a a few more newspaper and magazine articles about Mawa’s Taste of Africa:

http://voices.yahoo.com/restaurant-review-mawas-taste-africa-morrisville-6740170.html

http://www.newsobserver.com/2009/03/27/95405/a-tasty-trek-across-the-african.html

http://carycitizen.com/2011/04/06/restaurant-mawas-taste-of-africa/

So then what happened?

When all the boys went to college, we  sold the restaurant in November of 2011 and came to Senegal in a partnership with the Senegalese Government’s institute of food technology (ITA) in a “meals ready to eat” project. 

In Dakar, we now run three restaurants serving Senegalese food and have a line of sauces and condiments. 

And with your newest restaurant, you’ll be taking a new direction I hear.

The absence of real American food in Dakar is the reason why we decided to convert one our shops into a  American-African restaurant featuring “the best of both worlds”. It’s in Zone A, across from Point E and is a family-style restaurant. Not very fancy, but cozy, and we guarantee a true American dining experience.

That’s awesome. I love that you took Africa to the US and now you’re bringing the US to Africa.

Exactly. Mawa’s Taste of America will is designed to reach Americans and American food connoisseurs, so the taste is authentic and will not be altered. The menu includes the all-time favorites of American cuisine but also features a regional or ethnic cuisine every night. We also have an American pizza shop on-site and will soon deliver throughout Dakar.  

Mmm… American pizza. You have got to let me know as soon as I can order!

For the first few weeks, we will be serving dinner and weekend brunch but we will be adding lunch in the near future.

Download full brunch menu here.

That sounds great, Mame. Thanks so much and best of luck to you guys!

Mawa’s Taste of America
N°1B Zone A, Dakar
33 827-0487
Find them on Facebook.