I’m very excited about this new spot I discovered. I’m guessing it’s been around for a couple months. I happened upon it on my way to visit a friend. I would have asked the cab guy to stop but alas my wallet was as dry as an empty kitchen cabinet. I needed to replenish and soon because in all honesty, the restaurant looked too good to pass up.
Well I finally made it here and I was not disappointed. Once I entered the restaurant, I was greeted with a menu list which included their menu of the day. A few flights of stairs brought me to restaurant. I had the feeling that I had temporarily left Nigeria and I was standing inside the dining area of a very nice Italian resident. The restaurant had a very intimate and cozy feel to it. The accents and decors provided the perfect finishing to this wonderful place.
The restaurant is divided into two sections. The first section on your right is a mini shop with a variety of wines, pastas and my personal favorite – CHEESE!!!!! At this point I had to exercise a lot of restraint. I wouldn’t want to explain to my family and friends how I spent a night in jail because of cheese (that would have made for a very awkward and embarrassing tale. Don’t you think?). I respectfully made it to my table and awaited service. Let me at this point interject that I have never been a huge fan of Italian food. My appetite for Italian food is limited to spaghetti with meat sauce/bolognaise or lasagna. And maybe if I’m feeling adventurous I’ll add elbow macaroni to the mix (that’s considered Italian right?) I’ve been brainwashed into thinking that a lot of the so called Italian meals I had in the US were authentic Italian meal (well newsflash it isn’t! – don’t worry I’ll give you a second to get over your shock). A quick scan of the menu revealed a whole array of mouthwatering entrees but I quickly settled on the Caprese salad (mozzarella salad). I was nursing a serious craving for fresh mozzarella salad at this point. Service was actually fast and I was quite impressed. To my right, a couple friends were enjoying a three course meal accompanied with a bottle of wine. And seeing their meal, I was having second thoughts on just settling for the Caprese Salad.
My salad was served with a side of cold, day old bread (I was looking forward to some steaming hot Italian bread). The salad itself was made to perfection. Fresh tomatoes, fresh herbs, fresh mozzarella cheese and dressed with olive oil. Even thinking about it now is making my mouth water. This was the perfect Caprese salad. The authenticity and taste of fresh mozzarella salad was enough to have me singing from the highest mountains hahahahahahaha.
Before I left, I made it to the cheese display again to ask about their ricotta cheese (I used it to prepare lasagna a couple times back in the States) and I had a rather interesting/embarrassing chat with the owner. The ricotta cheese they sold in the States had a semi-soft consistency. And well this ricotta cheese was hard. I kept telling the owner that this was not ricotta as I know it. And off course I argued a bit until I came to my senses (dumb moment, everyone has them right? C’mon don’t leave me hanging). Imagine a non-Nigerian arguing with me about the preparation of oha soup or what we call oha leaves. Anyway he ended up telling me about having egusi soup in Italy and what we generally consider pizza is not actually pizza as the pioneers intended it to be.
Almost forgot, the cost of the meal was quite decent. I spent a total of 1400 naira on my meal, which in my opinion was well worth it. Meals start from 1000 naira and upwards.
Price: High
most of the ethnic foods in the state is americanized as you know by now. Shock of my life when I had authentic Chinese food.
ReplyDeleteAnd fresh mozzarella in Naija?? Wow.
You will be surprised- turkey breast, cheese, olives, shoot! we import everything hahahahaha. And yes unfortunately all the ethnic food has been Americanized. Apparently my so called enchillada and beef burrito cannot be considered mexican food either . So sad really
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