Papaye: Anyone for Fast Food, Ghanaian style?

When I first arrived back home in Ghana in 2004, I was under the impression that this fast-food joint, which goes by the name "Papaye" was Ghanaian. This, despite the fact that a number of retail outlets in this country are owned and run by the Lebanese! In any event, even more interesting was my investigation into the name, which was a non-starter, really, 'cos I arrived at the conclusion that with a name like "Papaye", it was probably the Lebanese owner, probably married to a Ghanaian woman, who might have heavily influenced him--or not.

Either way, in Ghana, the word "papa", apart from meaning "father", also means "good". So "papaye" means "doing good", which is quite odd why a Lebanese would choose that name, unless he/she considered it an expression of corporate social responsibility?


Oh well. The food is not bad. You have to wait in an air-conditioned place like the picture below. The counter is on the immediate left. After some twenty minutes of waiting, you get your order, with the customary receipt, which you can find below:

At the time I ordered the food (28 November, 2005), you can see from the receipt that I ordered 3 GRILLED CHICKEN and RICE, which has got to be the favourite of Ghanaians;-) The chicken is usually a quarter, and out of this world. Very well-condimented, even if I do say so myself;-)) The rice can be a bit TOO much for one person, and very often, you can have the rest the following day.

Would I recommend Papaye? Certainly! One dish is now ç29,000, or just under $US2.9. Is that cheap--by Ghanaian standards-- for a dish like that?

enjoy the day!

[pictures taken from my SAGEM My-x-7]