Sunday Lunch at Stranger
Heels In The Kitchen @ Stranger
3 Hakeem Dickson Street. Lekki Phase I, Lagos.
NOSA: Since mid-February, Stranger has been running a lunch series with Chef Imoteda of Heels In The Kitchen on Sundays. For some reason we've been procrastinating the rocks, but after our amazing Lunch Club with the Chef, we just had to go to the next one.
NOSA: I loved the tomato soup, but I think a lot of people might not. It is has nothing to do with quality of the soup and more to with the #BecauseNigeria effect. There's no meat/fish/whatever in it so I can see how the next man (e.g. Folly) might not fuck with it gastronomically. But yeah, I loved it. Reminded me of that one month in college where my roommate and I ate tomato soup and Paninis everyday for like a month. Then I started dating this one girl who pretty much ruined our thing. Started cooking pots of rice because she thought my roommate and I needed "real food". Couldn't exactly reject it because...food.
PS: ALL MY PICTURES ARE MAD PURPLE-Y BECAUSE OF THAT MAGENTA ROOM.
FOLLY: Yeah. I'm not a fan of tomato soup (and carrot soup and pea soup in case you were wondering). I only fux with bisques. I tasted Nosa's and it wasn't bad, had a nice kick.
NOSA: I got the pork chops with mash and bacon greens. The bacon greens are Chef Imoteda's little invention. Ugwu + thick cut bacon = bacon greens. No, seriously, it's actually ugwu and not spinach.
FOLLY: Yeah, Ugwu is not the "Nigerian" word for spinach. Ugwu is a tougher leaf.
NOSA: I thought the mash absolutely fantastic. The texture and consistency were just perfect. I wish she'd give these Lagos restaurants some tips on making proper mashed potatoes. Basilico, for starters, needs the lessons.
FOLLY: Lordtttt, Basilico's mash was so tragic. Chef Imoteda's was yummy. I got the Baked Chicken with the same sides as Nosa.
Lowks thought I was getting a blackened baked chicken with a spice rub or something tbh. This was nice but I'd have liked it even more if I had a gravy cause chicken/beef + mash + gravy = the American Dream.
Speaking of gravy, Chef Imoteda made a mean Hennessy mushroom gravy at the last lunch club. Peep it here. It would have been fab with my dish - I think.
NOSA: The pork chops could've been a little more tender. A shame because it actually tasted so good. Quality marinade and whatnot. The chops were goat meat tough and I didn't want to chow the things with my hands because badman nuh eat no ting without a fork.
FOLLY: Guys, you know how I'm always crying about creme brulee. I got creme brulee guys. I was like
Nawwww Chef Imoteda really came through for your girl on this one.
I'd never had a flavoured creme brulee. It was just a hint of pineapple and wasn't in any way overwhelming. As Nosa always says when he wants more of something "the kiddy portion wasn't the wave" cause I wanted more.
POSTSCRIPT
NOSA: I really love the fact she lets you break down the course. You don't have to get the full thing. You can go with just a main or just dessert. Oh, and complimentary wine. Wine is always good.
I wonder what her long term play is. Private dining/catering or an actual restaurant. The latter hopefully because the people need her food.
DAMAGE
Full Course - N6000
Main Only - N4500