Tired of the same old banga soup and starch? Maybe banga rice might do the trick.
Beans is now regular to you, and you just wish something could be added to spice it up. Maybe a bit of beef cutlets, sweet corn or red peppers could be added to the mix.
You’re on a diet, you have to stop eating meat which means nkwobi is a no no. But what if instead of beef, chicken is used and it becomes ‘chikwobi’.
Or you simply don’t care about all that, you just want your native soup in all its glory, rich and nice like your grandma used to make it in the village.
Otres Restaurant is attempting to do all of that for you and more. They’ve been open for a little over a year, and are sticking to their mantra of food being distinct, unique and yummy all at the same time.
So these guys were parading innovations like banga rice, and I was skeptical. My curiosity however got the best of me and I decided to at least visit them even if I wasn’t gonna try it.
Otres is located in Lekki Phase 1, and I think it is pretty easy to find.
I liked the building, and the interior is quite nice. It has a gold and purple thing going on, and most importantly it is neatly laid out.
After settling down on our table, menus were brought and orders were made. I noticed that instead of the napkins being folded, they are put up like candle sticks, which is different and I suppose it adds to the decor.
Ironic how I was at a Nigerian restaurant, but ordered the least Nigerian thing on the menu.
Our order included :-
1. Roasted potatoes and grilled fish
2. Banga rice & snails (I was secretly happy someone ordered this, because I knew I had to try it one way or the other.
3. Chikwobi (Chicken version of Nkowbi).
4. Fruit Salad
However, when it came to ordering drinks, there was a slight issue as most of the drinks we wanted weren’t available so we just went with regular chapman and water. Still not sure I’m satisfied with the excuse given, but c’est la vie!
My friend also wanted tea, but they said its only served in the morning. They however don’t open till about 11, so it was kind of confusing. (Who drinks tea in the afternoon anyway?)
While waiting for our meal to come, I did what I do best. I went around to take pictures for you guys.
Otres has two floors, downstairs being the main restaurant, while upstairs has the bar, vip section and a roof terrace. You can take your food upstairs if you want to watch a match or whatever is on.
So back to the food, our order came and I must admit I like their presentation.
I tried the ‘chikwobi’ and I’m still on the fence about it, not because it wasn’t nice but I simply think the original nkwobi is better. Maybe if I eat it a few more times, I might change my mind. I also have issues with being able to taste chicken broth, so that may have put me off too.
I loved my roasted potatoes and grilled fish. I am not a fish person, but I had no complaints about this. The potatoes were also perfect. And I like that the meal came with a little bit of vegetables.
Roasted potatoes & Fish
The banga rice was nice. Of course I’m not sure how banga rice is meant to taste, since this is the first I’m hearing of it, but it was alright. It’s another way of making rice look interesting. The owner of the meal had no complaints except for not being able to finish it, so it was packed up. The snails were good and it was a good size. (I can see all the people who don’t eat snails silently judging me).
The fruit salad was ok, but they could do alot more with variety. They just put pineapples and watermelon.
At the end of it all, I was satisfied with my meal. For a restaurant that has been open for just a year, they aren’t doing too badly and I expect they will be doing better in the future.
So for an interesting spin on traditional dishes, check them out.
Useful Info
1. Cash & Cards are accepted
2. Private parties can be held there..
3. High seats/booster chairs are available for babies.
4. Some meals have to be ordered 24 hours before you go in eg moi-moi & ekpan kwukwo (coco yam pottage)
5. No parking available on premises.
6. You can order for pick up/takeaway & free deliveries are available for orders over N10,000 (32GBP, 44 EUR & $50)
7. Reservations can be made over the phone or online.
8. They open Tue – Fri: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Sat: 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm & Sun: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm. They are closed on Mondays!
9.Every month, they have a Corporate Social Responsibility program going on. It is called Heart2feed. So if you’re interested in giving back to the community through food, please contact them.
10. You can check out their website here
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Review Summary
Food – 7
Staff – 7
Decor – 9
Good for – Meetings, special occasions, lunches/dinners, dates etc
Damage done – If you get everything stated above, you’ll land in the N12,000 – N16,000 mark (38GBP – 51GBP, 54EUR – 72EUR & $60 – $80)
Have you been there? Lets know your thoughts.
For more Nigerian themed restaurants, why not try Yellow Chilli or Jevnik!
Contact
Block A9 Plot 7 Wole Olateju Street Lekki Phase1 Lagos
Tel – +2349095323063
Email – infro@otresrestaurant.com
*foreign conversion is based on the current rate of the Naira and is subject to change.
Reviews are based on my opinion and personal experience, and may differ from person to person
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