I still mourn the day I walked around to Le Grand Dakar, one of my favorite restaurants in Clinton Hill, and found it was closed. The restaurant, run and owned by Chef Pierre Thiam (check out his interesting family backstory) was a fixture in the block around Grand Ave and Lafayatte. (Pierre, incidentally, is a great supporter of the African community in the city; he started a summer street festival; he also hosted a party for Chimurenga Magazine a while back.) Recently, driving on Franklin Ave I spotted him on the street. He confirmed the bad news, but promised he’ll open a restaurant again. He just needs a space. Meanwhile, Chef Pierre remains busy (he was even on Iron Chef and published an award winning book on Senegalese food, for example). Later this month, February 28th, at a “special international feast” for the Japan Society in Manhattan, he’ll take on “the challenge of integrating Asian ingredients into 11 Senegalese dishes.” In the video, above, he talks about his “sushi style” Sombi dessert, one of the dishes he’ll do at the Japan Society benefit. And here’s the recipe for the “sushi style” Sombi dessert: