DKR, Afro street food, grilled chicken and Afro-descendant-inspired recipes in Bastille

BMK opens DKR, a restaurant dedicated to Afro street food in Paris’s 11th arrondissement. A new spot that puts African and Afro-descendant cuisines center stage.

A new spot dedicated to African cuisine has just opened in Paris! DKR has hit the scene in the 11th arrondissement, just steps from Bastille, led by the frères Djikine and the BMK group, already responsible for BMK Paris-Bamako, opened in 2017, and BMK Folie-Bamako inaugurated in 2020.

With DKR, the group presses on with African and Afro-descendant cuisines, delivered with an urban, contemporary edge that is both anchored in its era and faithful to the flavors of the continent. Whereas the brothers' two previous venues paid homage to Malian flavors—echoing the Djikine brothers’ origins—DKR broadens the spotlight to the entire spectrum of afro cuisines.

The West Africa de l’Ouest thus forms the backbone of the menu of this new establishment, but it is also enriched by influences from other regions of the continent as well as the Caribbean, a reflection of the diasporic cultures. Another major difference announced at the outset of the project is the emphasis on street food. During our visit, however, the dishes tasted more suited to knife and fork than to a grab-and-go bite on the street.

Entering DKR feels like stepping into a colorful universe of advertising posters, goods from the African market (including a striking homage to the cult Maggi bottle), walls clad in corrugated metal, whimsical, multicolored masks, and cosy, cushioned seating for groups, gathered on patterned cushions around intimate little tables.

A conviviality in the welcome, ensured by a smiling team and never stingy with explanations about these dishes from abroad. The menu, designed in collaboration with chef Diadié Diombana, revisits with fun and modernity several emblematic traditional specialties. Short, it concentrates on 3 starters, 3 mains, 2 chicken dishes (grilled version like in Dakar or fried version served with a bissap sauce as in Abidjan) and 2 desserts.

Dishes refined since opening that have passed the verdict of locals and the neighborhood’s curious minds, with flavors revealing themselves through sweet-salty pairings in most plates. Here, the chicken is the staple, and it’s the only meat on the menu. Not a deal-breaker, but a choice that might throw beef or fish lovers off.

Among the starters, the kéléwélés (3.90€–5.90€) and the plantain bananas with Ghana sauce are already a must-taste, grilled to perfection, fall-apart tender and caramelized just right. A guilty pleasure with the marinated, breaded and fried chicken wings (4.90€ for 3, 7.90€ for 6) that you’ll devour with your fingers.

On the plate side, the yassa sénégalais (12.50€) is offered in a mango-inspired version, while the widjila malien (11.90€) is paired with the country’s iconic sweet-and-sour sauce. The mafé (12.50€) is the must-try, prepared with a signature spice blend and a hint of honey. All dishes come with a generous portion of white rice and seasonal roasted vegetables.

For dessert, treats like the Senegalese ngalakh (€4.50), a decadent snack made with peanut paste, hazelnut paste, spread, condensed milk and baobab fruit, tempted us, but the dishes are generously served, and we simply had no room. Until next time!

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.