Bissap

Delicious African Experience. I was visiting San Fran recently, and wanted to check out an authentic African restaurant in the city. I came across menu pages, and found Bissap Baobab (a restaurant of Senegalese cuisine in the Mission district). I took the subway over from my hotel on a Thursday evening early last month (April 2007) and was greeted by a cool and relaxed atmosphere with a very personable host. I decided to order my food to go and sat at the bar, where I was greeted by a equally pleasant bartender (who even helped me with selecting my order). I settled on the Seafood Coconut dish (w/ tilapia & w/ couscous as my options, as I could have also chosen chicken or rice, etc.). It came with veggies in a wonderful tamarind paprika coconut sauce. I also decided to order a dessert to go, and I chose the Thiakry (a milk & yogurt blend with raisins, strawberries, nutmeg, and vanilla--a yummy and light, but perfectly sweet way to end the meal!

Two more things I liked about Bissap Baobab--on the very night that I visited them, a portion of everyone's meal price was going towards an organization of awareness re: women's sexual assault. I was pleased about that. And lastly, if I had more time, I would have gone out the door and just turned the corner to the restaurant's dance club--Little Baobab--where they invited all their patrons to come over for dancing to world music after their meals at Bissap Baobab. Next time Little Baobab, next time! :)…

Inconsistent service. I adore the drinks at this place but I've had a couple of bad experiences here with the service. However, I liked the lanb stew so much that I'm going to give it another shot and chalk it up to a couple of off nights....…

Fun Dining Experience. This is a hidden gem. Fantastic food, interesting drinks, relaxed atmospher - all in all a great evening. The lamb dishes are out of this world, especially JOALIENNE -(Senegalese Paella). This dish made my mouth very happy. The PASTELLES appetizers were a treat as well. I would recommend everyone try this place.…

good unique food. You have to read these reviews carefully. This is a smallish restaurant. If you come with a party of 8 on a Saturday night, you aren't going to have a good experience. It's also a scene later on and can get very crowded. Go early or on a week night and you will have great food and good service. The fried plantains were amazing and I loved my seafood entree. The drinks were tasty, but small and I thought a little pricey. The food was relatively inexpensive so I guess it all came out even in the end.…