Waly Fay

The venue is elegantly simple, the lighting is moody and the hi-fi is set on 'world music'. Welcome to Waly Fay, where those in the know come to dine on dishes from across West Africa and the Antilles. Regulars navigate the menu of accra, boudin, mafé, thiep, yassa and n'dole cuisines with ease, while newbies are guided along by the helpful staff.

Falling squarely in the latter category, we played it safe by first ordering the trademark dish of West Africa, aloco: fried plantain served with fish dumplings and a citrus-tomato sauce. The plantain was as succulent as it was copious, serving as the perfect accompaniment to the main courses: grilled sea bream seasoned with tomato and persil and served with rice (sublime), and chicken served with pecan nuts, coleslaw and sweet potato chips. Unable to make room for dessert, we instead ordered some wine (the only course that doesn't have its roots in Africa) and ended up with a decent bottle of chardonnay – a lovely grace note to a throughly enjoyable meal (€65 for two).