Updated
December 11, 2003
Gambia Tourist Support - Reg Charity No 362/2003
Day to Day Praise and Complaints
I'm delighted to say that the praise far outweighs the complaints - but fast food in Gambia isn't viable or safe hence the Banjul Belly syndrome that plagues the hotels
GTS
Restaurant
Home
The Restaurant now Dec 2003 has 4 Chefs and 3 kitchen helpers, a full time maid, an evening toilet attendent & 5 waiters.
Tucked away behind our old restaurant Dardeema, many people still miss us and our new rooftop restaurant - but as more people discover us, we are becoming even more successful and popular that we were before.
Our staff are broadly the same as we started with, of course there are new staff but the atmosphere and buzz is just the same.
Every night of the week we have free entertainment, most nights different small groups of traditional players but on Wednesday and Sundays an excellent Jola dance group - booking and ordering your meal in advance is advisable but you can simply turn up for the entertainment in the garden.
Many of the Hotels and tour operators still play the 'bumster card' to frighten visitors from going out of the hotels so they can exploit their captive audience, sadly many hotels have returned to half board and even all inclusive holidays, you simply can't experience what Gambia has to offer stuck in a hotel.
Comments to GTS
We are always delighted to get positive comments and this month has been full of them.
"We found you quite by accident but we have had better food here night after night than anywhere else in Gambia. We will be back next year and recommend that Gambia Experience put you on their recommended restaurant list - From Senegambia Hotel guests
"It is such a pleasure to find somewhere that you don't have to brace yourself - before a visit to the loos" From Atlantic Hotel, Banjul
"You really have got something very special going on here - the atmosphere is tremendous - the staff brilliant and the food excellent, boring as it sounds we tried places for the first week and have eaten here every day for the last two weeks of our stay - keep it up" Holiday Beach
"What a brilliant concept funding the charity via the bar and restaurant - we have walked past you night after night without realising what an amazing place was right on our doorstep - your prices are just too low to be believable" Kololi Beach Club - guests
"Simply the best fish dishes we have ever tasted" from Badala Park.
"Why don't all the tour operators include you in their recommended Restaurants list, you are the best place we have visited" Tafbel guests
Those are always the comments that are nice to hear - complaints about having to wait half an hour are not as pleasant, but it is hard cooking a meal from scratch in less than 30 minutes and GTS has built up a reputation for excellently prepared and cooked food meal after meal.
On very busy nights, the wait can be longer especially when the restaurant fills up within minutes and kitchen has 40 meals to prepare all ordered in the space of 10 minutes. In such situations drinks go out within minutes, starters within 30 minutes and the tables main courses in a further 30 minutes.
The fast food we have in Europe is the product of chilled everything microwaved for service, it is gratifying that we get "the food was excellent - definitely worth the wait"
The large hotels cook and keep warm the large quantities of food needed to feed 100 or so people at a sitting, the result is a school dinner sort of a meal at best or a dose of Banjul Belly at worst, but certainly not excellent hand prepared 'home cooking' that GTS has developed over the last few years.
Ironically, the single item to get the most positive comment are our chips, hand cut, deliciously crisp and succulent people comment that they are like the chips their grandmothers used to cook, the best they have ever had.
Potatoes don't even grow in Gambia, but I think it is a symbol of the individual preparation we do for every single meal and if it takes a while to prepare, we hope the atmosphere and surroundings are pleasant enough to relax and chat in - while your meal is cooked especially for you.
We look forward to your next visit to the GTS Bar and Restaurant. GTS is a registered charity in Gambia we currently employ 30 staff on various projects and administer the sponsorship of 300 school places, eating and drinking with us contributes to our funds.
5 Top
