This week's contributors: Lydia, this week's subjects: The Beat of the Streets, +233 Jazz Club and Grill Kebabs, Smoked Salmon, The Accra Restaurant Market, and More Politics

The Beat of the Streets: One cannot discuss jazz fashion in Africa without mentioning the vibrant street style that infuses the scene with energy and flair. In cities like Dakar and Addis Ababa, the streets serve as runways where fashion-forward individuals showcase their eclectic ensembles. From bold Ankara prints to sleek Afrocentric silhouettes, African jazz fashion celebrates diversity and individuality. Accessories play a pivotal role in jazz fashion, with statement jewelry, hats, and shoes adding flair to every outfit. Beaded necklaces, traditional kente cloth scarves, and leather brogues are just a few examples of the accessories that jazz aficionados use to express their unique sense of style. Retro Revival: As fashion often does, jazz fashion in Africa has seen a resurgence of retro styles from the mid-20th century. Think sharply tailored suits for men, reminiscent of the iconic jazz musicians of the past, paired with fedoras and wingtip shoes. For women, figure-flattering dresses with artful draping and bold patterns evoke the glamour of bygone eras, while oversized sunglasses and statement headwraps add a contemporary twist. From the sultry elegance of a floor-length gown to the cool sophistication of a tailored suit, and jazz fashion.

+233 Jazz Club and Grill Kebab (Dr. Isert Street, North Ridge, opposite GBC, Accra). I've been having a go at kebabs of late and though my market survey for now is limited to Gold Coast (32 Fifth Avenue Ext. Cantonments, Accra), Ecuyer (Off Ring Road, near Danquah Circle, Osu, Accra), +233, and the guys in my street here in Asylum down opposite the Appolo Theatre. +233 comes out at the top. Big pieces and juicy, choose between chicken, pork, beef, goat, lamb, prawns, and fish.

Smoked salmon is one of the delicacies you may find as a starter in some of our upscale restaurants, and it sounds exotic and expensive. Smoked salmon is healthy, has lots of omega-3 fats, and is high in vitamin D. Note that when we talk of smoked salmon, we mean the European type, our “salmon” is in fact mackerel. These upscale restaurants simply buy the smoked salmon in some of our more upscale supermarkets. Prices vary, one can be more than double the other. Why? Well, there is the quality of the slices, big thick regular slices without bones or gray blemishes or brown areas in it go for more than thin, irregular slices with spots and bones. But the biggest issue is the difference between farmed salmon and wild salmon. Farmed salmon hardly need to swim to get food so have less muscle than the wild ones which have to hunt for food, so the wild ones have a stronger structure, less floppy. On top of that very often the farmed salmon are regularly treated with antibiotics, which you then eat, so eventually you become resistant to antibiotics, often farmed salmon is sick with parasites and they eat only one type of food, so have less taste. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the wild ones here, so the best is not to order expensive salmon anyway and spend your money on something that is a delicacy like freshly fried keta school boys, smoked mackerel or raw cassava fish. keta school boys (abobie)

smoked mackerel

raw cassava fish

The Accra restaurant market is volatile, with Tomato (Atlantic Tower, Airport Area, Accra), Madam Butterfly (Peter Ala Adjetey Ave, Osu, Accra), and Smoke and Barrel (42 Dade Street, Labone, Accra) having closed their doors recently and the premises either being offered for rental or being bulldozed for something new, and newcomers opening one after the other. My last find was Canoe Beach Sushi and Grill Bar, a seafood restaurant where the Chinese-origin owner or manager Steven Shi claims that he has his own fishing boat which would guarantee fresh fish. You can eat indoors or outdoors. We ordered seafood gyoza (dumplings), Shrimp crackers with salmon salad shrimp crackers with salmon salad, prawn tempura, beef spring rolls, grilled red snapper, and then lamb chops which they didn’t have so we chose grilled tenderloin with red wine and garlic sauce. This last one likely being imported tasted nice but one should not chew too long as then the infamous carton flavour that goes with most imported meats takes over. The beef spring rolls were a bit of a disappointment, but all the fishy stuff was fresh and tasty. Spring Rolls Service was attentive with Steven Shi himself making sure everything goes according to his and the customer's wishes. But bring money, this restaurant is not cheap. Prawn Tempura

More politics. I am suggesting the election slogan: “One man one wheelbarrow” so that everyone can either become a one-man pothole contractor, a male kaya, or a mobile salesman. These wheelbarrows can be manufactured here in Ghana, they don’t need to be imported from China like the furniture in our parliament.

Lydia...

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