



exterior of Le Paris Dakar, photo cred: Yelp.com



A Bit of Paris in Brooklyn

By way of similarities, Paris and Brooklyn are not two places I’d immediately mention in the same sentence. The quaint cosmopolitanise of the former and the often-perceived grit and grind of the latter are on the surface, dichotomous. And yet, nestled in the middle of a busy BedStuy block, is a café reminiscent of a Parisian patisserie: By way of similarities, Paris and Brooklyn are not two places I’d immediately mention in the same sentence. The quaint cosmopolitanise of the former and the often-perceived grit and grind of the latter are on the surface, dichotomous. And yet, nestled in the middle of a busy BedStuy block, is a café reminiscent of a Parisian patisserie: Le Paris Dakar. Opened in 2012 and located in west BedStuy at 518 Nostrand Avenue on the corner of Macon Street, this street-view shop is known in the area for it’s African-French inspired fare and its hallmark delicacy– the crepe. Its menu boasts a variety of sweet and savory versions and pastry items, along with coffee drinks and culturally inspired specialties sandwiches.





African-French inspiration

Speaking of culture, the shop is the brainchild of Mouna Thiam who was born in Senegal and raised in Paris. Mouna came to New York in an exchange student program and once she moved, began selling crepes from her home. She opened the shop after seeing the vacant storefront, recognizing the hole for French cuisine in the area.

Crepes in process. Photo cred: Steve Meyer for

New York Daily News





The shop is small enough to feel cozy, with enough space to accommodate several small groups of garrulous friends and families. With exposed brick and odes to Africa and Paris seen in the wall art, the shop has the trendiest accoutrements of coffee shops down pact, complete with small round tables, a wooden bench, pillows, and nondescript wooden pieces that add a bit of vintage flair. African art does make the place quite interesting, as does the African funk tunes that play overhead. The most distinct difference from other shops is the open view to the crepe stations, where staff make them to order.





Sites and Sounds

On an early Saturday afternoon, the shop was, as expected, crowded. I sat in the first seat of the shop, which gave me a wide lens view to the customers huddled in their various corners. To my left was a group of young men who spoke very expressively in French, whose accents divulged that they were not Brooklyn natives. Across from them, a mom with her busy young toddler who tore away at the remains of a crepe drenched in Nutella. Behind them, a handsome interracial couple that held hands between sips of their coffee cups (too sweet!). In a far corner, sat another solo woman (afro’d like me) and working feverishly on her laptop.





My order

Feeling indulgent after a tough workout (how’s that for health and self-sabotage?), I went for the strawberry and banana filled crepe with a slight drizzle of Nutella alongside my café au lait. The crepe was good; thin and light, and decadent enough without making me feel

My crepe and coffee. Photo cred: my own





While in line, I asked the solo woman (who preferred not to be photographed) if she visited frequently. She, appearing relieved to look at something other than her screen, said that she was there “no less than three times a week.” She explained that she didn’t have a cable and internet package and therefore was one of “those crap tenants that has to borrow Wifi from neighbors or schlubs in cafes and sips the same coffee for hours so I can get work done.” When I told her about my blog and why I was doing it, she shared quite frankly that the shop represented the new normal of her neighborhood. "I’m not from Brooklyn, but I’ve lived here for 10 years and these coffee shops are now a part of our community DNA. There are young, studious, and broke folks here. We need places to be studious and spend what little money we have. Coffee shops like this fulfill that need and give us the social hype that Brooklyn is known for at the same damn time.”

Overall:

Nice place. Nice crepes. I wouldn't make this a regular spot because parking is really bad, and crepes aren't my favorite thing. However, since it's on the path that commuters use to get to and from the subway, I can see it being a regular stop for people who live in the immediate area. (I'm a bit southeast from there.)



Other stuff:

The Brooklyn effect: Cities around the world eager to be crowned the newest hipster paradise (published on 11/12/14), drew parallels between Brooklyn and Paris, noting that tables have turned for these cities. Paris, once deemed the mecca of great urban epicenters, is now paled by Brooklyn's sexiness. With such a rise in popularity and more eyes on the place I call home, I wonder how it will continue to impact the culture and demographic of a place that is still very riddled with poverty and low-income earners. A recent article in the New York Daily News titled:(published on 11/12/14), drew parallels between Brooklyn and Paris, noting that tables have turned for these cities. Paris, once deemed the mecca of great urban epicenters, is now paled by Brooklyn's sexiness. With such a rise in popularity and more eyes on the place I call home, I wonder how it will continue to impact the culture and demographic of a place that is still very riddled with poverty and low-income earners.





Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz said in the article: "There is no question that Brooklyn now serves as an example for other urban centers of how a community can transform itself into a hotbed of style."





He forgot to mention coffee shop hotspot, too.

heavy. This was only my second crepe in life – the first I had in France, which didn’t differ greatly in taste and texture. The coffee was a solid mild roast – quite good with just enough kick to serve as an afternoon pick-me-up. Thedownside of my drink order was that it was served in a glass mug. I don’t like like that serving style because the coffee goes cold way too quickly.