Le Toukouleur

I really loved Le Touk … but sadly it seems as though they have closed down. Does anyone know for sure?

I have mixed feelings about Le Toukouleur. On the one hand, I enjoyed the atmosphere: the funky art and window paintings, the dark leather and wood of the furniture, the lighted candles on every table — in spite of the fact that we were the only ones there. On the other hand, the food was a bit disappointing, but judging from everyone else’s reviews, perhaps we came on a bad day.
For appetizers, my hubby had the Calamari (spelled Calamary on their menu) while I tried the Zonzon, which is described as an avacado & shrimp cocktail served with Terra chips. While Sean said the calamari wasn’t bad, it wasn’t anything special. The Zonzon, however, was a disappointment; it was also the main reason I wondered if we had caught them on a bad day.
When you notice that, after receiving your order, someone from the kitchen darts quickly out the front door to the tiny store across the street, then comes back bearing a tiny brown paper bag, and then you receive your appetizer a few minutes later and the promised Terra chips look suspiciously like the contents of a *snack-​size* bag of Sun Chips, well, let’s just say the situation smacked of unpreparedness. Also, the appetizer itself was nothing to write home about – unless it is to write to your Granny who hails from the Gore-​May-​Lutheran-​Pot-​Luck-​School-​o-​Cookery that suggests dousing chopped up veggies in French Dressing and serving it on a bed of Sun Chips makes for a terrific last-​minute snack. Sorry, guys, I was unimpressed.
For the main course, Sean chose the Steak TK, while I had the Burger Touba darousalam (if you can’t tell by now, we are both big fans of red meat). Again, the dishes didn’t quite seem to match the menu and seemed sort of thrown together at the last minute. The biggest disappointment for me was the apparent lack of granny-​smith apple slaw that was supposed to come with the Burger. I was looking forward to that, but it never materialized. We did get some yummy olives and bread, so perhaps that was another substitute. The burger itself was quite tasty, and the sweet-​potato fries were good. Sean’s steak was nice, too, but the whole meal was not anything extra-​ordinary.
Interestingly, the drinks were the highlight of the dining experience for us. The fruit juices came in surprising, yummy and ENORMOUS servings. I had something with orange and ginger, and Sean chose another selection. We both loved our choices and drank them ALL UP – in spite of the fact they were served in glasses so large they made you feel like a 7-​year-​old. The drinks were a pleasant and tasty surprise, which made the $ 5 price a little easier to swallow. (Oh, the puns! I kill myself with my puns! I guess someone has to love them!)
Actually, glancing over Kate G.‘s review, it sounds like we had similar experiences. Perhaps there are better days of the week to go than others? We went on a Tuesday night (I think) and had an experience that, while not terrible, did not make us particularly inclined to return for a second try.
To end on a positive note, I did love the music they played … and the leather bench-​seating was quite comfy, though I imagine that if the place was more crowded my reclusive-dear-god-don’t-make-me-interact-with-strangers-self would have been more on edge. Also, like Kate G., I loved the restroom. it was very plush. That, and the décor definitely suggests someone put a lot of love into the place. That always gets extra points from me; I’m a sucker for evidence of detail-​oriented-​type-​A-​personalities, being one myself.
I was actually kind of disappointed with the food, having read such glowing reviews from other Unilocal people. I don’t think we’ll go back again; New York and Brooklyn have so many other intriguing places to tempt our tastebuds.
However, I wouldn’t tell someone to *not* go check it out. Places, like people, can have off days, and I’m willing to concede we caught Le Toukouleur on an off day. Hope your experience will be better than ours!

Service and food were unbelievable.
Had the crab cake appetizer, chicken with peanut sauce and ginger juice – my s.o. had steak. The food was literally PERFECT.
One of the best meals I’ve had in a really long time.
And possibly my new favorite restaurant?

Yum! We had the Fufu (okra gumbo) and Tieboujeun (stuffed fish with vegetables) and the appetizer was a pastry shell with curry vegetables. All of it was delicious especially the Fufu. It’s a bit richer food than I am used to eating, but it was a great treat.
The waitress was very attentive and made sure to keep our glasses full. Also, free fresh bread, olive oil and olives! So good. The music was a funky mix of ragga and laid back rock, fit the vibe of the restaurant very well. Great neighborhood spot and I will definitely be back.

Went to brunch today specifically in the mood for a mimosa and eggs benedict.
NEWS: They NO LONGER serve mimosas with breakfast!
The waitress was under-​aged and the owner wasn’t there so I was told I would have to come back at 4pm if I wanted a mimosa (huh?). Though I noticed two male cooks in the kitchen who looked old enough to serve.
Anyway, I had the eggs benedict with salad and fries. The salad was a little wilted and the fries were soggy and limp. However the eggs benedict were fantastic, despite watching the cook handle the buns and test the firmness of the eggs with his bare hands.
Service was fast and attentive but I was the only one there for a good 20 minutes.
I probably won’t be going again, the sight of someone elses fingers on my food left a bad taste in my mouth.
Maybe you’ll have better luck with dinner?

Update: 3 ½ stars.
The service was the opposite of hovering last time, and this time it was more like, «ok, i guuuess I’ll serve you (if i haave to).» My friend and I came in on a rainy Sunday and we were the only ones there for dinner at 6pm. The waiter acted like he really would rather not have to bother in the beginning when we first got seated, which threw us through a loop a bit.
But after cracking a few jokes, and my friend toying with him, the experience improved… or maybe it was after that first glass of wine hit. I have to say though, the food was ok-​good this time around, not astounding like last time. The wine was just «ok» too — and I tried 3 different ones. (No, I’m not a lush, they fill the glasses really low… like just below half). Also, I don’t remember it being this expensive last time. The place is still pretty good if you’re in the neighborhood, the vibe was still breezy, earthy, and relaxed, too, which I like. But overall, I was way less impressed this time around, but maybe we just came on an «off» day.

My roommate and I were searching for restaurants in the area of our new apartment and came across this little treasure.
When we went in, we weren’t expecting much-​it was an odd hour but still considered «brunch.» One look at the menu and I had changed my mind-​everything sounded delicious (brunch menu: meal + drink for $ 9.95). I settled on the french toast with passion fruit sauce (it had a prettier name, but oh well)-it was the perfect amount. Also tried the Ginger juice-​delicious! My roomie had the crab/​fish patty sandwich with sweet potato fries and loved it as well. The service was fast and polite-​we weren’t rushed, yet we got out in good time.
I will definitely be returning, and it’s so convenient!!!
I’m so happy to have found this place.

my only complaint about le toukouleur is that it isn’t a bigger place. i went there this past saturday with a large group, and we had excellent service with fantastic food. each one of us loved the meals & ambience. i can’t wait to go back!
the wine list is pretty good, and they offer a $ 25 prix fixe for dinner. pretty wonderful, for what could have been an insanely expensive dinner.

I finally ventured into this spot after having passed it several times. Very comfy & cozy, with a cordial staff. So far, I’ve had the crab/​salmon burger thing — fantastic feast of fish! — the asparagus salad — yum! — and the mussels (a bit salty for me, but I grew up on NO salt). The shiraz was super tasty (gulp!). I have not had any of their African dishes YET, but I’m anxious to see how they measure up to Le Grand Dakar & Joloff. Will update this review as soon as I get through my Christmas goose with all of the fixins’.
April 2008 update: OK, so I’ve had two African dishes there — the stuffed fish and the Mafe Okra. Both were good, but the Mafe doesn’t measure as compared to Joloff’s on Fulton Street. The mussels were less salty this time and tasted fantastic. They are doing open mike jazz on Mondays, so that was cool too. They also changed from bread to some cute complimentary appetizer as a starter — hmm, french bread slices, 1 with herbed goat cheese, 1 with some pureed olive/​caper spread, and 1 with a shrimp cocktail-​ish topping — all very good.

Had dinner here last night. I was craving some African food so my friend and I stopped here to chop down.
We jumped to the entrée list and I go the Tieboujeun which was DELICIOUS. The stew was incredible… I need that recipe. My fish was really tasty.
My friend ordered something else that she wasn’t too impressed with, she ended up asking for hotsauce because the whole fish was tasteless. And she exchanged her plain couscous for senegalese rice because the meal had no real humph.
But again my meal was GREAT. No complaints here.
We went elsewhere for dessert – chocolate room.
I live in jersey now if I lived in there area, I would definitely be a frequent visitor to this establishment.
BTW– the menu has meal descriptions in english

I just went to this «French-​African» restaurant on 1116 Bedford @ Quincy in Bed-​Stuy last night. We were the only people in the entire restaurant, but it was really great so I wanted to hype it up and see what other people’s experiences were.
They have a $ 25 prix fixe for three courses, a great deal. I got a jumbo lump crab cake for app, a whole grilled tilapia stuffed with onions and tomatoes served with a roasted pepper stew, and for dessert, the most amazing cake I’ve ever had. The menu called it something like a «egg custard cake» but it was unlike any cake I’ve ever had. it wasn’t exactly «cake”– it wasn’t dry like cake is. It wasn’t a flan, on the other hand. It was heavenly. It was dense and sort of like a stiff pudding cake that tasted like butter and eggs. This was served with a layer of raspberries and sorbet and cream on top.
Please go and eat this amazing cake! I don’t want the restaurant to go out of business!

my only regret about this restaurant is that i went a few days before i moved; i used to live around the corner from le toukouleur.
the boyfriend and i were supposed to share the calamari appetizer, but i ate most of it because it was so damn good. the calamari was cooked just right. i had the casbah lamb entrée, which i also wolfed down, and the boyfriend got the yassa (chicken stew). his chicken stew was excellent! the chicken was tender and the sauce was delicious. our waitress was very nice and attentive, which wasn’t too difficult for her considering we were the only people in the restaurant.
the menu was in french, so i’m glad i paid attention in french class. still i’m sure our server would’ve been happy to translate for us.
i’m hoping this restaurant sticks around for a while and doesn’t get pushed out because of gentrification (or is it a sign of the neighborhood becoming gentrified? can’t really tell at this point). check it out as soon as you get a chance.

Simply amazing Franco-​African food! I went there recently with some friends, and despite the fact that they ran out of most items, like corn, fish and RICE, what they were able to serve was fantabulous! The red snapper special was delightful! The lamb kebabs are to die for, as is the shrimp and avocado appetizer!
There were a lot of minuses:
–really spotty service, our waitress, though super sweet, messed up our order after she decided to randomly come around to reconfirm, when we had figured she had already put it in.
— it was once a BYOB, but apparently there were «complaints» and it had to end, so there is no alcohol
–the menu is mostly in French, which is fine except that there are no translations for anything, and though the waitress could explain things to you, I mean, also keep in mind this restaurant is in Bedstuy!
–there is a TV that was at one point blaring Pres. Bush’s statements against Hugo Chavez, really hard to talk over and really distracting. For a a sports bar I can understand the need for a TV that big and that loud! But for a place whose décor suggests something more calm…
Despite the minuses, overall, it is a great addition to the neighborhood, and the food is truly truly delicious! Seriously, the food is good!
Since it is a new restaurant, I’m sure in a couple of months everything will straighten out!