Djaam – Fresh food

by Abdon FLORES

The ‘eat healthy‘ concept has been circulating for a while all over the world. Ten years ago the group Afrik’N’Fusion tried their luck in the food business bringing into the market African food for everybody. The initiative focused on a rather practical cuisine, one that combines many fresh ingredients put together in a bowl. The ingredients, of course, had to be African.

Such was the origin of the Boké, the African version of the Hawaiian Poké. The original group evolved also to become Djaam, take away restaurants where you can order your food in a matter of minutes, a clever approach in speedy Paris. Even if France is home of many, many sub-Saharan people, it must be said that their cuisine is not really well known in the country. It’s a fact that in the small, crowded, sometimes exotic restaurants of African food by Barbés or Château d’Eau, costumers are mostly Africans.

Actually, the gastronomical patrimony of Africa is huge. And Djaam aims to deliver it to Parisians. Fonio, manioc, sweet potato, plantain, African eggplant or gombo, are some of the exotic contributions that the black continent has offered to the world.

Taking advantage of the momentum after the last Covid wave, Djaam has opened a couple of new addresses in Paris. Here, you can either taste one of the proposed Bokés or even make one yourself in order to discover the taste of exoticism. A piece of advice: try bold, you won’t regret it. A hot boké of red rice, chicken, African eggplant, gombo, boiled plantain, and mafé sauce resulted in an excellent composition.