4a Akin Olugbade St, Victoria Island, Lagos

0908 066 6687

NOSA: I remember the first time I saw the NOIR logo and there was a thing underneath that said “Restaurant. Bar. Terrace”. I remember wondering where on earth a terrace was going to fit in. From the outside, it looked like La Pointe had been built out as far as it could go. Well, they found a way to make it work. 

FOLLY: I figured like the restaurant (Noir), the terrace was going to be "coming soon" for a while. We first got wind of the potential restaurant when the La Pointe coffee shop opened in 2016, the restaurant didn't open until 2 years later. 

NOSA: The interior is built like an old school gentlemen’s club. Think cigars, leather sofas, men in suits, and some jazz music. Yeah, that’s the vibe it gives out.

FOLLY: If that wasn't clear, that description was just to illustrate the comparison. There was no jazz music, cigars or men in suits here

NOSA: Maybe we came on an odd day or most people don’t know about it yet, but it seems like the perfect spot for after work drinks. If Winehouse was your thing, this is definitely up your alley. 

To start, we got the Beef Yakitori and the Vietnamese Fresh Rolls. 

The Fresh Rolls are essentially the Vietnamese spring rolls, which are like a healthier version of the spring roll we’re familiar with. In some climes, they’re called “Summer Rolls”.

FOLLY: I typically wouldn't have ordered this but I was feeling very... different. 

NOSA: Unlike our regular spring roll, the fresh roll ditches the flour skin for a translucent rice paper skin and as far as the internal content goes, the fresh roll might be a bit richer. 

FOLLY: And fresher. If you used stale cabbage or carrots in a fresh roll it'll be immediately obvious as there's be no crunch. I also liked that herbs were added to Noir's version, so that it wasn't totally bland sadly, it wasn't evenly distributed. 

NOSA: Yakitori is a Japanese-style skewered chicken that’s marinated in a weird salty, but sweet, marinade and cooked over an open flame. Imagine all of that, but with beef and that’s what we had at NOIR. 

FOLLY: If you're looking for a proper beef yakitori, go to a Japanese restaurant - I remember Sakura having a decent one.

I ordered this truly out of curiousity because I wanted a meat-y starter to contrast the Vietnamese fresh rolls. The beef was too tough and chewy; and the marinade was too acidic - needed to keep dipping it in the sauce which was slightly sweet to balance it out.

NOSA: For my main, I went with the NOIR Beef Burger - a very predictable Nosa order. The bun was soft, the cheese was melty, but the patty was meh. Can’t quite figure out if it was the beef itself or the addition of a pickle.

NOSA: The flavor of the beef just didn’t feel like it came through and caramelized onions were completely drowned out.

FOLLY: Unlike Nosa, I really did like the burger. There was something incredibly sweet and buttery about it - I think the combination of the bun, cheese. and sweet caramelized onions. 

NOSA: It’s a decent burger overall, but I think it could’ve been a lot better. I mean, all the elements are there, but it just didn’t do it for me. It tasted way too much like an authentic Lebanese shawarma for me to enjoy it.

FOLLY: That comparison is a disservice to the burger, I don't think there was anything about it that was similar to a Lebanese shawarma, but then again I only got one bite. 

NOSA: Maybe the problem is me. It’s one of my issues with burgers at higher end restaurants. They never quite justify the price and the approach just feels so hoity-toity.

FOLLY: Fair enough because at N7900 this was a ridiculously expensive burger but then look at all that cheese.

FOLLY: My main dish was the suya calamari - three chunky sticks and a side of fries. Heads up, unless you really like calamari don't order a whole plate full of the stuff - it's overwhelming.

NOSA: Thanks to some kitchen wahala, Folly got shorted on Suya. A stick less. If we didn’t complain, the waiter might not have fixed it too.

 FOLLY: Apparently the guy "who passed the plate" forgot it. Thankfully, our waiter went back and found it.

A decent amount of people don't know this but legit yaji has nuts in it so people with peanut allergies cannot have suya. All this is to say that Noir's yaji was very nutty - more than the typically but perhaps it was done intentionally to add some dimension to the calamari. It worked but after one stick, I was still done and Nosa got the leftovers to throw into a salad the next day. 

POSTSCRIPT

NOSA: Perfect for a laid back Friday evening. You want to do something after work, but you have no interest in staying out late enough to catch the club.

FOLLY: Don't listen to what Nosa said the burger is really good but it's too expensive.

VERDICT

DAMAGE

Beef Yakitori - N3500

Vietnamese Fresh Roll - N4000

NOIR Beef Burger - N7900

Suya Calamari - N4800

PARKING

Not a lot, and also very tight. 

Wings, 17A Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos

0811 588 8885

NOSA: Perhaps we should have suspected My Coffee always wanted to be more than a plain ‘ol coffee shop. The space at Wings is something special and it goes beyond the decor or anything of that sort.

FOLLY: The "For Lease Sign" decribes it as a "bespoke coffee shop" - LOL.

NOSA: With that view, it’s literally the perfect location. As soon as Wings gets more tenants and foot traffic, that My Coffee location will explode. But, I digress. 

FOLLY: Since our original visit two years ago, My Coffee has expanded to four locations. Two grab and go (Lekki & Mega Plaza) and two sit in coffee shops (Wings & Adetokunbo Ademola).

NOSA: Additionally, since our original visit, My Coffee has got itself a full fledged menu. The food has always been where they beat out the competition and they aren’t loosening that grip anytime soon. Salads, breakfast staples, and even a couple nods to its Ukranian roots, the expanded My Coffee has about anything for everyone. Their roast beef bagel sandwich is still one of the best bites to grab on your way to work. 

FOLLY: Apart from it generally being dishonest, a restaurant should generally use only their own images on their Instagram page (Nigerian restaurants, I'm looking at you sideways). This is relevant because our entire order at My Coffee was made by looking at their Instagram page and picking out stuff that looked good.

NOSA: So to start, we shared the Mozzarella Sticks. 

FOLLY: You don't often find mozzarella sticks on menus in Lagos, and most times event if it's listed they don't have it available. Mozzarella is one of the few cheeses I can eat and so I quite enjoy it. I found these a tad bit overcooked and as result, the cheese on the inside went a bit further north on the melting scale than one would like. 

NOSA: I agree that it could’ve done with a minute or two less in the fryer, but I liked it nonetheless. Also, most places with mozzarella sticks on the menu tend to be a bit stingy with the cheese. A bit of a shame because mozzarella is probably the cheapest cheese to get in Lagos. 

FOLLY: That I can definitely attest too, Mozzarella is pretty cheap at Hubmart & SPAR.

NOSA: For our mains, I went with the Caesar Salad while Folly got the Fish & Chips. 

I really liked my salad, but they goofed a little bit with it. First, the bacon was a bit “hot”. The meats in a salad can be warm, but hot is a no for me. Why? Well, thanks to this thing called heat transfer, the top layer of your salad ends up just as warm. Ever had hot iceberg lettuce? 

FOLLY: However, the positive was that My Coffee used very thick cut bacon and gave a pretty generous serving. 

NOSA: I would have preferred bacon bits instead.

FOLLY: I don't know what this man is saying.

NOSA: Anyway, the second goof was the croutons were tucked inside the salad. Sounds like a great idea until the croutons taste soggy and without crunch because they absorbed some of the moistness from the lettuce. You always want the croutons at the top.

FOLLY: Again, I don't know what this man is saying because I found the croutons sufficiently crunchy. I, however, didn't like that they were all tucked at the bottom for a much simpler reason because I kept having to go dig for them. 

NOSA: Complaints aside, I liked the salad. The vegetables were fresh, the parmesan was sharp, and most importantly, it had croutons. Croutons are my absolute fave.

FOLLY: I'd rate the fish and chips a solid 7 out of 10. I'm only deducting points because the portion was a bit small relative to how much it cost, and the fish was ever so slightly over battered. Thankfully, the fish was still more than the batter but it could have done with a little bit less batter.    

NOSA: The fish and chips were surprising decent. Taste about as good as they look. It won’t transport you to a pub in London, but you’ll definitely not regret it. 

FOLLY: With chips, generally the bar is low. There are certain things you simply need to avoid to make a good batch of chips: don't undersalt or fry in old oil. Soaking the chips in cold water for several hours will take out the excess starch thus making them taste better but if you don't, we won't lose hair over it. Obviously, frying in oil that was used to cook fish is a grave sin - you should never do this. 

Long story short, the chips at My Coffee were fine and appropriately salted.

POSTCRIPT

NOSA: The menu has changed a bit. It's, I daresay, better now.

FOLLY: A lot better, and also more extensive. I should also add that the customer service at My Coffee is very pleasant - much better than the average you'll get anywhere in Lagos.

NOSA: Definitely worth a visit. 

VERDICT

DAMAGE

Ceaser Salad - N4000

Fish & Chips - N4400

Mozzarella Sticks - N2200

PARKING

Wings has more than enough parking that you'd ever need.

NOSA: There are tons of burgers in Lagos, but there's a serious paucity of elite burgers. Quantity has never been our problem because from the top tier restaurants to the bottom feeders, there's a burger on the menu. What's real unfortunate is that almost every restaurant out there is slapping a Chi Foods patty between a Shoprite bun and calling it a burger. Disgusting.

We've been around the block a bit and we've put together a definitive list, in no particular order, of the best burgers in Lagos. If you disagree, find me on the internet and fight me. 

The Eatalian @ Harvest Lagos

Address: Block 26, Plot 10 Admiralty Way, Lekki, Lagos

NOSA: This is the "newest" of all the burgers on this list, but it has more than earned its right to be here by virtue of it's very unique flavor. The Eatalian is more than a play on words with "Italian", it literally tastes like Italy. If you've ever wondered what an antipasto burger would taste like, this is your guy.

The French @ South

Address: 92B Younis Bashorun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos

FOLLY: For this one, it's the cheese that make it special. They use camembert which explains the hefty price tag; the beef as well (at least the times that we've had it) is quality.

NOSA: It's definitely the most expensive one on here and a lot of people go, "oh, it's too expensive and overhyped". Don't listen to those people because they do not know anything. Camembert on a burger? That's a commitment to excellence and you're not going to find that anywhere in Lagos. 

NinaHH @ BBQ & Cravings

Address: 4 Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lekki, Lagos

FOLLY: There are a lot of burgers that appeal to me on the BBQ & Cravings menu but the NinaHH is the most adventurous.

NOSA: For me, this is the most adventurous of the burgers in Lagos. You can taste how much R&D went into creating this masterpiece. 

FOLLY: It combines strawberry jam, beef patty, slow-cooked oxtail, mozzarella, caramelized onions, and salsa. 

NOSA: It's not supposed to work, but it defies all the odds. 

Dagwood Burger @ Temple Cottage

Address: 322 Akin Ogunlewe Rd, Victoria Island, Lagos

NOSA: A runny egg and a grilled pineapple? Yeah, this is another special one. The bun leaves a lot to be desired, but the Dagwood triumphs regardless. What so special about the Dagwood is how unheralded it is. You find it in a random dodgy hotel in Victoria Island. I mean, nothing good comes out of those places. Everything else on the menu is extra meh. This burger just comes out of nowhere with the excellence. 

Double Prime Beef Burger @ HSE Gourmet

Address: Plot 2 Emma Abimbola Cole Street, Lekki 1, Lagos

FOLLY: The burgers at HSE are fully loaded but for some reason don't feel overwhelming - or maybe they do because once you're done eating you are full for at least 12 hours and immobile for two. 

Crispy Chicken Burger @ Wings N Sides

Address: 29 Fola Osibo Rd, Lekki Phase I, Lagos

NOSA: The only chicken burger on this list and easily the simplest of the lot. Many have tried to make the chicken burger a thing in Lagos and many have failed. The Crispy Chicken Burger at Wings n Sides succeeds where the others fail by keeping it simple. Most places go over the top with the extras and ignore the chicken. Wings n Sides does no such thing. 

Smokehouse Double @ Johnny Rockets

Address: 1411 Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos

FOLLY: All I have to say is just "bruh"

NOSA: We have video to prove why this is on here. 

A post shared by Wings'n'Sides (@wingsnsides.ng) on Dec 23, 2017 at 4:19am PST

A couple weekends ago we did something crazy. Inspired by Hot Ones, we invited three daring readers to try the Wings N Sides Blazing Hot Challenge for our "EDL TV". The challenge, which has been a thing since Wings N Sides opened their physical location in December, is to eat 12 super HOT chicken wings in 3 minutes without drink any water or milk.

If for some crazy reason, this video has motivated you to take the challenge. You can attempt it at Wings N Sides in Lekki any day they are open. 

And if you have attempted already, how did you do?

These burgers were usually only available in their region of origin until a few years ago when Hard Rock Cafe created the “World Burger Tour” menu, a limited-run menu featuring Hard Rock Local Legendary© Burgers from different locations. The World Burger Tour is a yearly event at participating Hard Rock Cafe locations worldwide, and this year, Lagos is getting in on the fun  as well.

It started on May 2 and it is running until June 29, the World Burger Tour menu at Hard Rock Cafe Lagos will feature eight local burgers selected by the Hard Rock culinary team.

Fun Fact: May is National Burger Month and the Nigerian Local Legendary Burger is the Suya Burger (Juicy chicken patty-wedged between pickle onions, fresh cilantro pesto with a dash of the local favourite suya spice and loaded with cheese).

The burgers are:

• Chamorro Burger (Guam, South Pacific) – Signature burger patty rubbed with a tangy blend of island-inspired spices layered with pepper jack cheese, house-made Chamorro glaze and chili paste topped with crisp lettuce and vine-ripened tomatoes served with fries
• Tennessee BBQ Burger (Tennessee, United States) – Like a good country ballad, this beef burger brings happy tears with BBQ dry rubbed patty topped with pickle slices, Memphis slaw, pulled pork, tangy BBQ sauce, crispy onions and cheddar cheese served with seasoned fries
• Whiskey Bacon Burger (Brussels, Belgium) – A whiskey marinated burger patty, stacked with bacon slices, crispy fried red onion, melted cheddar and jack cheeses, garlic aioli, sliced tomato and arugula served with seasoned fries
• Katsu Burger (Japan) - Golden Panko crusted chicken burger, laced with tonkatsu BBQ sauce, samba mayo, seven spice slaw. Served with seasoned fries.

Yeah, that’s four burgers and not eight. Hold tight, the other four burgers will be revealed in June.

That Katsu Burger definitely looks like one we’d like to order. The Chamorro one is interesting as well. We’re clearly biased to the Asian influences.

As part of the World Burger Tour menu, Hard Rock Cafes will also showcase the brand’s popular beverage menu made up of refreshing cocktails and non-alcoholic options too!

For more information on the World Burger Tour, visit hardrock.com/cafes/lagos

SPONSORED CONTENT

22 Musa Yaradua St,. Victoria Island, Lagos

01  295 1299. 01 295 1543

FOLLY: La Brioche is one those EDL faves. All of our experiences there have been pretty good, and we also had an event there last year when they launched the bottomless mimosas brunch - you'd have to call to confirm that this still runs every Sunday because we didn't ask when we visited. 

I was at La Brioche with my cousins for a catchup lunch when I noticed they'd added a lunch menu thus prompting our revisit

NOSA: For the longest time, La Brioche has served a very breakfast-heavy menu and I've heard some complaints so it makes sense they've updated. 

FOLLY: The lunch menu hardly has any starters apart from soup which we weren't feeling so we agreed to get two sandwiches and if we weren't full, we'd split a pasta dish. 

NOSA: We ordered the Pesto Grilled Cheese and the Crab Cake BLT

FOLLY: It's La Brioche, so naturally,  the bread on the crab cake blt was solid. The crab cake was also good, it held together as I ate this and didn't become a crumbly mess - good on you La Brioche chef. 

NOSA: The chef fell his hand with the grilled cheese though. I definitely wasn't expecting an open face sandwich. In fact, when the waitress brought the grilled cheese, I thought she made a mistake. 

The grilled cheese could've done with a lot more cheese. I mean, the whole essence of sandwich is the cheese so why are we being stingy with it?

FOLLY: The crab cake BLT, on the other hand,  would have gone from a solid 7/10 to a 9/10 if it wasn't so dry.

NOSA: Too much bun and not enough bacon. That's my position on it. 

FOLLY: It desperately needed a garlic aioli or any mayonaise based dressing to complement the crab cake and prevent the sandwich from being dry and bland.

NOSA: On a side note, the fries that come with the BLT are absolutely excellent. 

For our pasta dish, we went with the Beef Stroganoff.

FOLLY: I don't like the plating of the Beef Stroganoff. It was lazy and unattractive.  

NOSA: It was a bit "anyhow". 

FOLLY: The beef stroganoff itself, was much different than any I've had and you could tell this was made for a NIgerian audience. It had more spices than the typical stroganoff recipe would call for as evidenced by the slightly red tint. 

NOSA: I actually liked the beef stroganoff. For a non-pasta place, I thought they did a pretty decent job. Either that or I'm the Nigerian audience that this was made for

FOLLY: I must add La Brioche is quite decently priced but they'll hit you with a 10% service charge and the 5% Lagos state consumption tax and you'll never have expected it.  

POSTSCRIPT

FOLLY: Their breakfast menu is still the winner but I love what they did with the lunch menu. There are a whole bunch of sandwiches to try so I'll be back. 

NOSA: That pesto grilled cheese is, however, pretty lazy so they need to fix that ASAP. 

VERDICT

DAMAGE

Crab Cake BLT - N4300

Beef Stroganoff - N4800

Pesto Grilled Cheese - N4400

PARKING

On a Sunday, you'd struggle for parking but we imagine it saner other days of the week 

Plot 1713b Chartered Bank Close (off Idejo St.), Victoria Island, Lagos

0906 000 0584

NOSA: It is very important, when evaluating restaurants in Lagos, to factor in context, i.e. we’re in Nigeria and Nigeria always happens.  Things like our road networks and power issues have far-reaching effects on a lot of things. Understanding this keeps you being disappointed every time you eat out and, more importantly, it helps you appreciate local restaurants for what they are.

FOLLY: And there are times when the management is just lazy about things and it makes you question why they are even in business in the first place or if it's just an elaborate money laundering front.  

NOSA: There are times, however, where the disappointment transcends the context. Like, it’s even disappointing by Lagos standards. 

And this brings me to Scotch Bonnet.

The menu is all over the place like your typical Nigerian restaurant, but it’s clear that Nigerian food is their forte. 

FOLLY: That's why I ordered the pounded yam and seafood okro because it seems like they'd be good at that. 

NOSA: I ordered a drink and it took damn near forever before it came out. At some point, I had to go ask the bartender why a double shot of Hennessy was taking so long.  
 
“…the guy with the key hasn’t resumed so there’s no ice. We’re trying to buy ice now”

At 1 pm. 

Peak lunch hours. 

FOLLY: We ordered the Finger Food Platter to start.

NOSA: Per the menu: “Prawns and mayonnaise spring rolls, moneybags, sugarcane chicken, fantail prawns, beef balls, vegetable spring rolls, crab claws, chicken bites, and potato chips”

Batter unidentifiable items and fry them. Yay! 

Snark aside, the platter was decent. These types are hard to mess up. Like, you’d have to be intentional about it and even then, it’s still a bit of a challenge. 

FOLLY: Exactly! Scotch Bonnet also tried to make their platter exciting with the addition of the crab claw, prawn and mayonnaise spring rolls, and the moneybags. 

NOSA: For my main, I went with the the BBQ Ribs. These were surprisingly tender. The marinade wasn’t much to write home about, but the ribs were as tender as you’d find in Lagos. Shouts to them for that. I even forgave them for frying the fries in old oil. 

FOLLY: I'm not quite sure what I was served was pounded yam or even poundo. It was cold, clumpy and tasted nothing like either one of those two things. The seafood okro was as good as it gets and I'd definitely recommend it.

The Okro was cut chunky (as you can see from the picture so this is a warning in case you prefer yours cut more finely. It was also pretty soupy i.e. lots of liquid, that I didn't like.

POSTSCRIPT

NOSA: Scotch Bonnet isn’t bad, but it could be so much better. It takes no risks and brings nothing new to the table. Just limited in ambition and underwhelming.  It’s like a Yellow Chili ripoff. 

VERDICT

DAMAGE

Finger Food Platter - N5000

BBQ Ribs - N4400

Seafood Okra w/ Pounded Yam - N4400

PARKING

Doesn't seem like it from the outside, but can take a good 6-7 cars.

Fourteen36 Mall, 1436 Sanusi Fafunwa Street, Victoria Island, Lagos

0818 816 7366

FOLLY: Michelle’s Cafe, to my understanding, started off as a salad delivery company.

NOSA: They still deliver.

FOLLY: Now they also have a small cafe in Fourteen 36 Mall on Sanusi Fafunwa. 

NOSA: In the same space Wrap City used to be. I wonder what happened to those guys. I actually kinda liked them. They just disappeared. I think the location is a bit of a winner because there are lots of finance companies in the area. Finance is one of the better-paying gigs in Lagos so being around white collar guys with higher disposable incomes has to be a plus. 

FOLLY: Before we visited, I had this idea that Michelle’s Cafe was like a super healthy focused space like Plant Planet. They make salads, which are obviously healthy, but they also have regular meals that aren’t known for their health benefits like noodles. 

FOLLY: We visited on a weekend for a light breakfast. We ordered the Veggie Salad (takeaway), English Breakfast, and a Breakfast sandwich.  I had the breakfast sandwich while Nosa had the English Breakfast. 

NOSA: You get what you pay for at Michelle's and it's best to judge it within that context. The Full English is simple and it just gets right to it. I substituted the toast for some pancakes (cost a bit extra) and it was absolutely worth it because the pancakes were super delicious. All fluffy and everything. The bacon is bit struggle, but you'll live.

FOLLY: The Breakfast Sandwich wasn’t very memorable, to be honest. It was simple: bread, patty, fried egg and a piece of cheese. Simple and straight to the point.

NOSA: It's a no-frills breakfast slider and for what it costs you can almost let it slide. 

FOLLY: Taking into consideration both of our meals, Michelle's Cafe is great value for money and delivers what is expected.

POSTSCRIPT

NOSA: It doesn't cost you a lot (view menu here) and for that alone, it's a "yes" from me. I'd never crave it or anything, but I'd definitely pick up breakfast there on my way to work and I'm sure other people think the same. 

FOLLY: I ordered a salad from Michelle's for a potluck and my friends thought it was overpriced for what it was, but I thought it was pretty good.  

VERDICT

DAMAGE

Full English - N2000

Pancakes - N600

Vegetable Salad (L) - N3500 

Breakfast Sandwich - N1000

PARKING

The mall has about 10 off street parking spots

A lot of people might not get the hype, but it's very rare to find a chef of color navigating elite culinary spaces. His first venture post Top Chef, the uber-expensive Shaw Bijou, got panned by DC restaurant critics unfortunately. 

The bad reviews came in fast and each one was more scathing than the previous. Sadly, Shaw Bijou closed down in less than three months. 

Thank you to my team for always pushing. None of this is possible without you all. You all are the greatest group that I’ve ever worked with and I am so excited for our growth. This is just the beginning @kithandkindc

A post shared by Kwame Onwuachi (@bastedmind) on Feb 4, 2018 at 3:48pm PST

You can't hold a Nigerian man down though. He has since bounced back with his new spot, Kith/Kin in the InterContinental Hotel at The Wharf DC. We're definitely checking it out for #EatDrinkTravel later this year.

We slacked a bit on making reservations because, for some reason, because we thought we could get a walk-in table. Maybe we got a bit carried away, eh? Anyway, we called a couple favors and friend of the blog, Chef Imoteda, hooked us up. 

A lot of people get hung up by the portion sizes on tasting menus but we don't know about you but if you're eating seven courses there's a limit to how much of everything you can eat so you don't tap out at 5. Further, the chef doesn't want to have you feeling so stuffed and uncomfortable that your experience of the later courses is marred. 

(Ed Note: A tasting menu is a collection of small portions of several dishes served by a restaurant as a single meal. It is not supposed to have "regular" sized portions by design)

Marinated cucumber, whipped ricotta, red stew marmalade

Suya spice, chilli honey, roasted tomato souhise

Escovitch sauce, plantain, smoked carrot yoghurt

Torched corn, toasted garri, veloute 

Chop and shoulder, confit potato, braised celery, curry jus

Sorbet, granita, herbs

Chocolate, carrot Anglaise, honey comb

The dining room was very dimly lit (ambiance lighting you know) so bear with us on the picture quality. 

On the food, the first two courses were definitely standouts. The lamb and the dessert were excellent as well, but the cucumber and brussels sprouts were just so good. Apparently, Kwame made the ricotta himself. The corn was our least favorite of the lot. It had too much cream and could have done with more garri.

Thank you @rsvplagos for hosting me for African Heritage Week. I learned so much about my culture and had a great time!!! Can’t wait to come back to Lagos!

A post shared by Kwame Onwuachi (@bastedmind) on Feb 25, 2018 at 9:53am PST

NOSA: Pinkberry in Lagos had been in the works for quite a while. We can thank the guys behind Dominos and Coldstone for this. An investment banker friend mentioned a deal was being structured roughly a year ago and suddenly it makes sense why Dominos opened up a second location on Admiralty.

FOLLY: If you're an ice-cream aficionado that loves sweet things, Pinkberry may not be for you because it's strikingly tart.

NOSA: They really take the yogurt part serious. 

FOLLY: Also, if you're one of those that stays locked up in the comment section of our Hans & Rene posts, that Coldstone is better, it's probably also not for you.

NOSA: This might be me reaching, but I think Pinkberry's presence in Lagos will be fantastic for Sweet Kiwi. For the last couple of years, Sweet Kiwi has been pushing the froyo agenda in Lagos with moderate success. Pinkberry's arrival and the Dominos relationship will do a lot in reshaping mass affluent attitudes towards froyo. As soon as Lagosians start looking at froyo as a "thing", logic suggests that Sweet Kiwi should see more foot traffic. 

Well, that's what I think at least. 

FOLLY: It also helps that the price point is pretty affordable. 

FOLLY: If you've been following on social media, you'll know Krispy Kreme donuts have also landed in Lagos

😊😊😏 pic.twitter.com/Lx6GONeBKO

— Eat.Drink.Lagos (@EatDrinkLagos) February 13, 2018

NOSA: Krispy Kreme does not open shop until March but they've been really active with their pre-launch marketing activity.

FOLLY: And if your office is really popping, you've probably had Krispy Kreme come visit for a donut drop by now.

NOSA: They've picked the perfect launch location in Ikeja City Mall too. ICM is a very heavy traffic spot and Ikeja is starving for spots so it's a win-win for all parties.  

NOSA: Gist is that a VI location will follow in the middle of the year. 

NOSA: "The bread was soft. It'll be nice to dip in tea"

FOLLY: I came up with the brilliant idea to go in there and just order everything on the menu and rank them from our fave to least fave. 

NOSA: We tried *almost* everything. Hit a wall in the final stretch. 

FOLLY: My favorite thing is actually not pictured but it was the Hokkaido Milk Bread. It was the softest and fluffiest roll I've ever eaten.

Almond Croissant & Pain au Chocolat

FOLLY: The almond croissant was my second fave followed closely by the pain au chocolat. 

NOSA: The almond croissant was my favorite thing by miles. It's not as flaky as your regular croissant. You can actually eat this solo with nothing extra added on. In fact, adding anything extra will ruin it.

FOLLY: It really helped that both were fresh out of the oven and into our plates. You should always go to a bakery in the morning. 

Profiterole

FOLLY: If I wasn't lactose intolerant, this would have been my favorite thing I had at XO bakery. In fact, it was my favorite thing but it's just a shame the profiterole doesn't like me back. 

NOSA: Chef Alex said his favorite thing is watching people try to navigate the gooey-ness of the profiterole. It's the most delicious logistical nightmare ever. 

Nutella Donut

FOLLY: I like my donuts warm or at least room temperature, this was just a bit too cold for me and the nutella wasn't enough (I already told you I was greedy).

NOSA: At this point, I'd tapped out. The donuts are great, but they're not the best ones I've had in Lagos. Chocolat Royale holds that title. It's at that Hans & Rene level. Miles better than the one from the duplex that sells bread with yaji in Lekki.

Apple Tart

FOLLY: This is low on my list because I preferred the crust to the filling. 

NOSA: A shock because I'm usually the hater of fruits.

Raisin Muffin Loaf

FOLLY: I think I was full by the time we got to this one so I was mentally checked out. 

NOSA: I've completely forgotten how this tasted so I'm going to talk about the baguette. The baguette might destroy the roof of your mouth, but it makes a mean sandwich.

PS: If you aren't subscribed to our YouTube channel, you better get on that.

Over our three year run, we've leaned heavily on the "Eat" part of our name and our coverage of the drinking scene has been close to shambolic. To fix that, we are introducing "Drink Lagos".

Related

Bars in Lagos have gotten away with too much and they think they can't get these jokes. We'll have a little drink squad going around Lagos helping you make better cocktail, happy hour, and maybe bottle service decisions. 234.Rocks might even make a proper comeback. 

Beyond this, we'll be doing a couple more new things this year. Well, maybe not new per se, but new for us we'll create different content around niches we have occasionally covered. Travel, for instance, we're trying to do more of that this year. More themed weeks. More guest posts. More Eat.Drink.Lagos.

I realized that truth be told, most of the serious restaurants in Lagos are foreign owned, Lebanese to be precise. In the past 10 to 20 years, they’ve tended to take restaurateur-ing as a business seriously. In contrast, when most Nigerians opened restaurants it was usually a passion project or opened by a wealthy husband to keep his wife busy.

NOSA: ...or a front to launder money.

This doesn’t mean the foreign-owned restaurants don’t have the same agendas, they usually do. What sets them apart is how much the owners actually care about the business. If you’re going to be a fraudulent front, might as well do it to the best of your ability.

FOLLY: This is changing, and if Eat.Drink.Lagos is to be on the pulse of the Nigerian restaurant scene, we should recognize it and also celebrate it. That was the conclusion between my friend and I's discussion. Over dinner, we came up with the following list of Nigerian owned restaurants that are killing it and for all intents and purposes look like they are here to stay in 2018 and beyond.

NOSA: In alphabetical order

1. BBQ & Cravings

Olumide’s passion resonates throughout his entire establishment. Even if you don’t know him personally and have just met him a couple of times like we have, you’d know that there’s a little piece of him in every single menu item at his spot.

2. Hans & Rene

The owner, fondly known as Mrs. B is insanely creative and detail oriented. She also has this spirit which one can define as “possibility” because she consistently makes things possible and doesn’t take no for an answer.

3. HSE Gourmet Cuisine

HSE is a charm in the middle of Lekki. In Lagos where restaurants without any clear inspiration are far too common, Chef Nkesi’s Asian inspiration that weaves together HSE’s menu is well appreciated.

4. La Brioche

We've never been to La Brioche and not seen the owner right in there working alongside her staff. That’s the kind of dedication that’s needed to survive as a restaurant business in Lagos against all odds (staff, electricity, high costs, government etc).

5. Nok by Alara

Our favorite thing about Nok is that they are constantly innovating and keeping things new and fresh. The restaurant is about two years old now but it still feels like that new IT restaurant that opened last month.

6. Nuli

Most people may be familiar with the Nuli story, but for those that aren’t let’s recap. Their one store was demolished without prior warning in September 2016 but the founder didn’t give up and a year later in 2017, they have grown to four outlets. In spite of the horror of the sheer injustice, the management was resilient and committed to growing the brand and staying in business.

7. Orchid Bistro

Orchid Bistro is slowly becoming a Lagos institution. With their second outlet in Ikoyi, Orchid Bistro is cementing their place as a Lagos OG restaurant.

8. Yellow Chili

This is one of the first Nigerian restaurants we remember. Some complain that the quality has waned but even more still sing mighty praises to their name. My (Folly) gut tells me that they’ll be around for a while.

9. Urban Fuxion

Urban Fuxion was not the first food truck in Nigeria but without a doubt the most successful. It might have seemed like a ludicrous idea to most when they launched with a massive and pretty expensive (according to word on the street) truck in 2015. Two years on, they now have a second one and you’d be hard pressed to find any major food event in Lagos where they aren’t present.

Bonus: Toasties

We're not including them on this list because they're still fairly young establishment, but all the signs for long term success are there. Their progression from blog to brick & mortar has been remarkable.

The results are in from our little question on Twitter the other day.

Best restaurant in Lagos this year?

— Eat.Drink.Lagos (@EatDrinkLagos) December 30, 2017

After 90 votes, it was a pretty close and we half expected the result. What we didn't expect was our first runner up.

Lagos Restaurant of the Year '17

Your 2017 Lagos Restaurant of the Year is NOK by Alara

The top 5:

1. NOK by Alara

2. BL Restaurant

3. Craft Gourmet

4. Backyard

5. HSE Gourmet

Definitely didn't see BL coming second when we asked the question, but here we are. The big shock for us is the complete absence of 1415 followed by how low RSVP is placed. Oh well, the people have spoken.

Congrats NOK!

Noir @ La Pointe

4A Akin Olugbade Street, VI, Lagos

A post shared by La Pointe DELICATESSEN&GROCER (@lapointegrocery) on Dec 28, 2017 at 4:59am PST

This has been "opening" for about a year now so we've kinda been looking forward to this opening. A couple personal friends have been and recommend it so it's probably good.

The House

4 AJ Marinho Drive, VI, Lagos

A post shared by The House (@thehouselagos) on Dec 30, 2017 at 2:47am PST

This feels like a retread of South and Backyard, but another one never hurt anyone.

Wings N Sides

29 Fola Osibo St, Lekki, Lagos

A post shared by Wings'n'Sides (@wingsnsides.ng) on Dec 7, 2017 at 11:38am PST

Cafe Jade

7 Caroline Atounah St, Lekki, Lagos

She takes the perfect shots #beautifulpeople #cafejadelagos #🖤 #Repost @serrabellum (@get_repost) ・・・ Coffee, please.

A post shared by Cafe Jade (@cafejadelagos) on Dec 30, 2017 at 4:01am PST

Closed shop in VI about a year ago and it appears Cafe Jade is back. Bigger and better this time.

The Lighthouse Bar & Grill

Beside Cafe Neo, Admiralty Way, Lekki, Lagos

This one is cheating a bit because we've actually been here, but it's a fairly new opening so it deserves to be here.

9B Idejo St. Victoria Island, Lagos

0706 633 3333. 01 792 7922

NOSA: We've been meaning to check out Mashawi's for a while but I wasn't too sure whether we could count it as a separate review from Vellvett because when you order from Mashawi's you technically seat in Vellvett's space. 

FOLLY: I completely let Nosa do the ordering because I was trying to sort something out and the menu didn't appeal to me at all so I just trusted Nosa to find the needle in the haystack. 

FOLLY: He ordered the Mixed Grill, Hummus, and "Cheese Sticks"

NOSA: Cheese Rikakat, is what it's called.

FOLLY: Oddly, the cheese sticks were my favorite thing but I could just "taste" them. The filling was made of garlic cream, halloumi, and feta. Some of the best cheeses after mozzarella, brie, and gouda if you ask me. 

NOSA: All that together and deep fried. I bet some Lebanese guy went to the Texas State Fair and came up with this because this is some really fat shit. Like all fat shit, I liked it. Smh at my life. 

FOLLY: The mixed grill was not exceptional but as good as it gets. I felt all the meats were more seasoned than others that I've tried. The chicken wings were solid though, who knew you could find A1 chicken wings at a Lebanese restaurant.

NOSA: Their mixed grill was probably the most underwhelming I’ve had in Lagos. It didn’t taste bad or anything, but it wasn’t as loaded as I expected. Mixed Grills are usually the culinary personification of gluttony. This one wasn’t.  

FOLLY: Nosa wasn't a fan

NOSA: The wings were great though, but yeah, I wasn't impressed by the whole thing. I think my annoyance is directly connected to how much it cost.

Probably.

NOSA: We got the hummus with meat. The hummus was very hummus-y and hummus-ed well. About as hummus as hummus gets.

FOLLY: Precisely, it didn't blow us away like the one at BL.

NOSA: or Syrian Club

FOLLY: Also, it was oddly cold, I've never had cold hummus. 

POSTSCRIPT

FOLLY: We've always wanted to check out Mashawi's and I'm glad it did. It's decent Lebanese food but not the best in Lagos. 

NOSA: Eh, for me. There's better.

VERDICT

DAMAGE

Mixed Grill - N8200

Hummus Lahmeh - N3500

Cheese Rikakat - N3200

PARKING

Good enough on days that they aren't busy. 

28a Oju Olobun Cl, Victoria Island, Lagos

0809 662 2666

NOSA: I feel weird calling them D Cafe. The name is not just razz, but the other guys aren’t deserving of the “Delis” name. 

FOLLY: I agree, the name is razz 

NOSA: In some ways, it’s an upgrade. Not the name sha, but the space is significantly nicer than their old digs. The parking is dog poop compared what they had and considering Delis doesn’t have great parking, you can just imagine how bad it is. The menu is a lot uglier and the prices are a bit higher. I guess someone has to pay for all this new shit.

Anyway, I ordered the ribs with side of mashed potatoes while Folly got the salmon with a side of herbed pasta

FOLLY: The salmon was salmon nothing special per say. I did like that that the top was breaded and the skin side was crispy  

NOSA: After much thought, I think i prefer my salmon cold. And thinly sliced. And in a bagel with cream cheese. Anything else is not for me, but that's probably because I think fish, on the whole, is boring as hell.

On a random note: I heard that if you're really popping in Lagos, you make your fish stew with Norwegian salmon. 

NOSA: I probably should not have gone with the mash. The wedges might have been a better idea. The mash tastes nice but had so many clumps in it. 

FOLLY: The garlic buttery pasta was definitely a good choice. A bit salty at times but it complemented my main well

NOSA: The ribs were pretty good, but absolutely did not taste how much it cost. If I can get ribs that taste similar for a significant fraction of the cost, like a quarter, what is the justification for this? Look, maybe I’m reacting this way because my week has been long, but this shit makes no sense.

FOLLY: The prices are wild, I couldn’t believe how much everything came to when the bill was presented 

NOSA: Maybe my memory is failing me, but i do not remember it being this expensive in their old place. 

POSTSCRIPT

NOSA: Rant aside, D Cafe has lost no step from when it was still called Delis. Good, not great, but better than most. It's priced like its better than most though. I like it, but maybe i'll get a salad next time because their mains don't present value for money.

VERDICT

DAMAGE

Salmon - N10,000

Ribs - N14,000

PARKING

Terrible

Beside Heroes Furniture. Off Sabitex Hotel Road. Lekki, Lagos.

0814 000 1002

NOSA: Since the blog started, I believe we have written about BBQ & Cravings more times than any other spot. This little tidbit is pretty hilarious considering I said this in the postscript of our first ever BBQ & Cravings review:

FOLLY: I didn't have any strong feelings like Nosa. I didn't go to school in Texas and experience authentic BBQ, I was just happy to be able to eat rice that wasn't at home.

NOSA: Two years later, my feelings have changed greatly. I’ve come to admire the reclusive nature of the establishment.  It’s not often that you’ll find me venturing into Greater Lekki, but every now and again, I will for BBQ & Cravings. I still don’t like that the BBQ ribs aren’t as tender as I prefer them, but that’s their style and I respect it. Olumide, the owner, has more or less done this thing on his own terms. If you want to join the party, you must seek it out and not the other way round. 

NOSA: We stopped by BBQ & Cravings over the weekend to check out the latest additions to the menu - Aunty Sade burger, Ali Burger, Nina HH burger, and the Dirty Politician. The first two burgers weren’t available on the day so we settled for the Nina HH burger and the Dirty Politician.

NOSA: Before I go any further, I should probably mention the fish… it’s fantastic.

FOLLY: We had that another day we visited.

NOSA: The Dirty Politician is BBQ & Cravings spin on loaded fries and boy, is it great. This might be the most sinful thing I’ve ever encountered on a plate in Lagos. Excuse my hyperbole, but I was mightily impressed by it. 

FOLLY: Yeah, it's pretty overwhelming. What I liked the most were the pockets of ground beef and jalapenos. I would have preferred less of the "orange sauce"

NOSA: I wish it had some more jalapeños and a whole lot of cheese. Like, A WHOLE LOT.  If Olumide ever stumbles on this post, I hope he adds a cheese option. Call it the “Dirty Nosa” even. 

NOSA: The Nina HH was the other thing we tried. Beef patty, slow-cooked oxtail, mozzarella, caramelized onions, strawberry jam, and salsa. All of that between two buns. If you haven’t guessed by now, but greed is a running theme here. 

The oxtail is bit faint and gets easily overpowered by the beef + jam.

FOLLY: You actually don't taste all the individual elements unless you deconstruct like I did. Together it all works really well too, I just wanted to take it apart to 'understand' the individual components. 

NOSA: The jam was a great touch for me. That whole sweet and savory thing works very well. 

FOLLY: Funny, cause I thought Nosa would hate the jam. 

NOSA: It might be the cheat code for all burgers. Just add a hint of sweet and it goes from a regular burger to something serious.  

POSTSCRIPT

NOSA: Yeah, my stance on BBQ & Cravings has changed. It took me two years, but I guess I’m here now. 

FOLLY: BBQ & Cravings is home to one of the best burgers in Lagos.

VERDICT

DAMAGE

Dirty Politician - N3500

NinaHH - N4000

PARKING

Can take about 10-15 cars, but getting out might be a struggle

13 Taslim Elias Close, Victoria Island, Lagos

0706 104 7017

NOSA: We've checked out the place before but our original review saw us sit outside by the pool. On this fine day, we decided to sit inside because of the unbearable heat and I'm glad we did.

FOLLY: Honestly, not really sure why we visited again but Nosa said that there were new items (I doubted) but I still went along with it. 

NOSA: A little #NosaFunFact: I lived in Italy (Fano, to be exact) for about a year when I was little. One of the things I vaguely remember about that year was Pandoro, an Italian Christmas staple. Another thing I can't seem to forget are the little cozy deli-style restaurants littered all over Fano and, oh, eating pizza with a fork & knife. Our trip to La Pizza was a memory trigger of sorts. Walking in and seeing the Pandoro on the shelf transported me to a simpler time.

FOLLY: From some angles, the little bungalow  really doesn't look like it's Nigeria

NOSA: See, La Pizza feels just as cozy as those restaurants in Fano. I can't understand why the restaurant isn't a brunch fixture in Lagos. I guess it's a good thing it isn't. It can be our little Lagos hidden gem. Just you and I, my dear reader.

FOLLY: Is it just me or is this is starting to read like Nosa's personal diary?

NOSA: We got some pizza to start, the Calabrese. Onions, Italian Sausage, and Mozzarella. They might have been a bit selfish with the mozzarella, however.

FOLLY: Yeah very stingy with the mozzarella. It didn't look like the picture but then they had a little disclaimer that it might not. The sausage was also the very salty kind - this won't work for the Nigerian palatte mine inclusive I started actively eating aroun the sausage. 

NOSA: By Lagos standards, this wasn't an elite pizza by any means, but it was better than most. It's right there in that Pizza Marella tier, i.e. significantly better than a Dominos but not quite a Pizze-Riah.

FOLLY: Precisely, pretty good but I still prefer Taverna and Pizze-Riah (never as takeaway though because their pizza cannot sit out more than 10 minutes before becoming gross)

NOSA: Also, they sell pizza by the slice. They might be the only place in Lagos to do so too. You can get a slice of pizza and a drink for N1500 as a weekday lunch special.

NOSA: Because the pizza didn't go a really long way, Folly and I ordered some pasta as well - the Salmon Ravioli. Wale, a good friend of the blog, had some nice things to say about the pasta (and the steak) so I figured we'd give it a go.

Stuffed pasta is my favorite thing in the world. In college, I used to run through bags frozen tortellini. It took like 5-10 mins to cook al dente. Add some vodka sauce and it was my go-to "Hey! Let me cook for you" move. Ah, good times.

FOLLY: Stuffed pasta is my least favorite usually because they are stuff with soft cheeses which I can't eat or olives or other things I don't like.  I wasn't paying attention when Nosa ordered.

NOSA: The sauce was a bit too salty and the ravioli was cooked a little too much.

POSTSCRIPT

NOSA: There were some glaring flaws with our meal, but I'll definitely be back. I mean, they sell their steak by the gram so it has to be good.

FOLLY: If I'm around the area, not one of the top dining experiences I've had recently.

VERDICT

DAMAGE

Calabrese - N4500

Salmon Ravioli - N6500

PARKING

Parking is a bit weird. Can take maybe 6 cars max.