Boukan Boukan
Boukan Boukan — Summer Fire and Afro Flavour at Flagey
The well-known Liège-based restaurant Yaka Afrotoria has brought a serious dose of summer heat to Brussels with its brand-new pop-up: Boukan Boukan. Nestled in the former space of Chez Marie near Flagey, this vibrant temporary spot is all about fire, flavour, and Afro-diasporic soul.
Since May 15, the chef and founder Aris Kumeso Mateta, a former chemical engineer turned culinary innovator, has been serving up dishes that feel like a homecoming — even if home lies far beyond the Brussels skyline. His cuisine draws richly from the street food traditions of Cameroon, DR Congo, and the Caribbean, blending authenticity with flair to create food that’s bold, joyful, and meant to be shared.
Boukan Boukan isn’t just a place to eat — it’s an experience. As you step inside the familiar walls of Chez Marie, the scent of spice and charcoal greets you first. The room hums with energy, the kitchen fires flicker in the back, and the air is thick with the promise of something good. The menu reads like a love letter to the street food of Central Africa: golden beignets de poisson, flame-kissed brochettes de bœuf, and the house favourite, poulet Douala, marinated and grilled with a Cameroonian touch.
Dishes come with rich sides and sauces: crisp fried plantains, fragrant jasmine rice, and the kind of spicy pil-pil that sneaks up on you. And then there are the drinks — bold and refreshing. The African Mule is one to remember: a splash of rum mixed with vanilla syrup, ginger, lemon, pink peppercorns and ginger beer. It’s sunshine in a glass, even if you're watching the summer rain slide down the window.
Set in the convivial, low-lit charm of Chez Marie, the pop-up captures something rare: a space that feels both familiar and new. Boukan Boukan pulses with music, conversation, and the gentle clatter of plates being passed around. It’s cosy, it’s loud in the best way, and it’s full of heart.
The pop-up runs Tuesday to Saturday evenings from 7PM, and if you ask me, it’s one of the best ways to spend a night out in Brussels this summer. Come hungry. Leave glowing.
📍 Boukan Boukan — Rue Alphonse De Witte 40, 1050 Ixelles
🕖 Open Tuesday to Saturday, from 19:00
🔗 Reservations via: book.yaka-afrotoria.com
