"Bonapriso's chic rugby-themed table since 2002: chef Jerome Grayo's champagne-butter shrimp and charolais sirloin, French cooking with Cameroonian produce."
About L'Ovalie
L'Ovalie opened in 2002 at the entrance to Bonapriso, Douala's expatriate and business quarter, and has become one of the district's most established restaurants. Its name and decor borrow from rugby, the dining room doubles as a sports bar on match days, but the kitchen is squarely French, run by chef Jerome Grayo and his team.
The result is an unusual hybrid: a rugby-themed room serving refined French cooking built on the best Cameroonian produce and selected imports. For the wider field see the Douala dining guide.
The Kitchen
Chef Jerome Grayo cooks French and international with Cameroonian ingredients at the centre. The signature is grilled shrimp finished with a champagne butter, alongside a charolais sirloin in green-curry sauce, salmon cooked on one side, cassoulet and an Irish-style lamb stew. Starters run about 6,000 CFA francs, main courses about 10,000, and a full menu starts around 20,000.
The wine list and the bar are part of the appeal in a quarter built around expatriate dining. See more of the city's French tables and the Douala guide.
The Room
L'Ovalie sits at the edge of Bonapriso, the chic expatriate neighbourhood, and the room balances a refined dining space with a lively sports-bar energy on rugby weekends. It works for a business lunch, an evening with clients, or a relaxed dinner, and the mix of fine French cooking and a sociable bar is what has kept it busy for two decades. Service is attentive and used to an international crowd.
What to Order
Order the grilled shrimp in champagne butter, Grayo's signature, and the charolais sirloin with green curry, and let the bar carry the early part of the evening. The setting suits a long lunch as well as dinner. For other options in the quarter, see the French picks across Douala.
Best for Clients or a Business Evening
L'Ovalie suits an evening with clients or a deal dinner in Douala: a chic, established Bonapriso room with refined French cooking and a bar that keeps the conversation going. See more client-dinner tables and the Douala dining guide.
Not for
Not for a quiet, formal tasting-menu evening or anyone after authentic Cameroonian home cooking: L'Ovalie is a French-leaning, rugby-themed expat restaurant, and the bar and the sports-day crowd are part of the package.
Frequently Asked
Who is the chef at L'Ovalie in Douala?
L'Ovalie is run by chef Jerome Grayo and his team, who cook a French and international menu built on the best Cameroonian produce alongside selected imported products. The restaurant has been open since 2002, which makes it one of the longest-established fine-dining rooms in the Bonapriso quarter, and its signature is grilled shrimp finished with a champagne butter.
Where is L'Ovalie located?
L'Ovalie is at 907 Avenue Soppo Priso, formerly Njo Njo, at the entrance to the Bonapriso district of Douala, Cameroon's economic capital. Bonapriso is the city's chic expatriate and business quarter, and L'Ovalie is one of its best-known restaurants. The room blends a refined French dining space with a rugby-themed sports-bar atmosphere on match days.
How much does it cost to eat at L'Ovalie?
L'Ovalie is mid-to-upper market for Douala: starters run about 6,000 CFA francs, main courses about 10,000, and desserts about 6,000, with a full meal from around 20,000 CFA francs before drinks. The French cooking, the wine list and the Bonapriso setting place it among the city's more expensive tables, in line with the expatriate quarter around it.
What should I order at L'Ovalie?
Order the grilled shrimp finished with champagne butter, chef Jerome Grayo's signature, and the charolais sirloin in green-curry sauce. Other specialties include salmon cooked on one side, cassoulet and an Irish-style lamb stew. The bar and wine list are part of the appeal, and the rugby-themed room suits a long lunch or a relaxed dinner with clients.
