Nigerian Food to the World! (Ile Eros)

It was supposed to be a quick lunch break…..

But it turned out to be an experience that left my heart beaming with the pride of how rich the Nigerian Food Culture is!

MenuIle Eros (owned by Chef Eros) falls under the new school restaurant category…..polished casual meaning that this is the place you want to go to when you want to indulge in upscale dining but you are in no mood for fine-dining restaurants. Excitingly, their culinary wizardry is embodied in Nigerian/African food……spot your favorite local delicacies on the menu.

AppetizersI started off with the Ewa-Agoyin of Honeybean Croquet……magnifique! For those who do not know, ewa-agoyin (Yoruba) is a staple bean meal in most Western states in Nigeria. But this right here was far from the usual…..super soft beans wrapped around with seasoned crunchy cassava flakes (garri as some of us know it) laid over some bombass pepper sauce and strips of perfectly fried yam. Show me how to flaunt food creativity better than this and I would be completely dazed.

Next up, dambunama rolls. Dambunama (Hausa delicacy) means beef floss in English and heaven knows I am obsessed with this fluffy meat treat. To think that Chef Eros decided to feed it into a light crispy roll is simply mind & tastebud blowing. I could have a dozen of them and still crave for more.

Main

Lobster okra. “Rich” is an understatement. This is one seafood okro soup (Nigerian favorite) you want to eat with your fingers just so you can lick them. And the best part…..the minute you think you just ate the freshest piece of seafood, another fat one pops up and steals your heart away. Then the taste…..packed with flavoooor! Oooo the swallow….. it was like nothing I had ever had. Apparently, it is pounded yam infused with flavor, extremely soft and smooth. Overall, it was a fantastic plate of loveliness!

Dessert

Banana bread…… This was hands down my favorite eat of the day even though every other thing was great. Who would have thought that the combination of banana bread and brownie batter would turn out to be this worthy of praise? As if the warm moist loaf itself wasn’t decadent enough, they soaked it in the yummiest Crème Anglaise and added some crumble and sauce that made me want to rub my tummy joyfully.

Lagos cheese cake….. It was such a thrill to see “Lagos” and not “New York” cheesecake on the menu and when it finally arrived, I was even more thrilled…..creamy, sweet but cheesy and tangy all at the same time. Let’s take time out to appreciate the chin-chin crumble….. if this thing is packaged for sale, I would munch on it all day, everyday (chin-chin is a popular West African snack).

CoffeeI was asked if I wanted a cup of coffee after my meal and of course I wanted to indulge in every detail they had to offer so yes please!

Bread before mealLike every other nice restaurant, I got a bread basket while my food was being prepared. But of course there was a personal touch, this one got served with unique spreads……The butter and mayonnaise were herb, spice and truffle infused. One spice I clearly remember is the yaji/suya pepper (another Hausa favorite) in the mayonnaise…..yum!

DecorI love the feel of this place….. simple yet sophisticated…… heavily African inspired with hints of Paris here and there. You have to visit to understand 😛

Instagram: @Ile.eros

Address: 14, Kafayat Abdulrazak Street, Off Fola Osibo, Lekki Phase 1.

☎️ 09096460675

Restaurant visit courtesy: Dme.ng