Drink Lagos: Crossroads
GBENGA: I was already having a bad day because the Lagos Marathon shut down VI/Lekki all morning so the trip to Crossroads was going to be something of a pick-me up.
I was so wrong!
On getting there (on time if I might add), I was greeted with the news of Aguero scoring 4 goals. Seeing that I didn’t have him on my FPL team, this was a disaster. My life ruined
LALA: On the other hand, I was having an awesome day but Gbenga came in sulking and guess what?
He was 2 HOURS LATE again.
He then proceeded to yelling about how his enemies were against him and his FPL was ruined. I just wanted needed a drink to celebrate my awesome day, so I ignored him and walked to the bar.
GBENGA: LMAO ahan 2hrs?
Temporarily putting my frustrations aside, Crossroads is on my top 10 spots in Lagos. How they’ve gone from a regular Tex-Mex Restaurant to the go-to spot on Wednesdays is really impressive. It has the perfect separation with the dining, lounge and bar; a master class on how to set up a restaurant
LALA: Crossroads on Wednesday was such a vibe. I haven’t been in a while though as the crowd they started getting on Wednesdays isn’t really my type but I heard it's still popping. We made sure we picked Saturday because we knew it will be calm and we could have the bar to ourselves.
Eko Atlantic
GBENGA: The menu here isn’t very informative. For a big restaurant, I found this to be rather old fashioned.
LALA: Yooo, the cocktail menu is boring. On first glance, it looked like an extensive list but it was so boring. I mean it’s a tex-mex restaurant so I understand the wide use of tequila but even the classic cocktail list was so meh! I didn’t feel any excited at all.
GBENGA: Lala called dibs on the Beer Margarita so I went with the Eko Atlantic, which has Cherry Brandy, Triple Sec, Orange Juice, Vodka and Grenadine.
This is a sweet cocktail to have; the orange juice is very prominent although I struggled to taste the Vodka. The Cherry brandy and Triple Sec add to the sweetness, which I felt was a negative. Basic mixology talks about having a good sweet and sour balance; this is the cornerstone for a good cocktail. I’m afraid this wasn’t the case here.
LALA: When Gbenga chose the Eko Atlantic, I expected a whiskey or gin based cocktail and not a vodka one. I was really hoping it would lift my disappointment with the cocktail menu. However, the Eko Atlantic was terrible. Tasted like diluted orange juice and sugar. Even worse, it had this weird after taste. I was so mad at it and Gbenga for choosing it so I made him order nachos.
GBENGA: Just say you were hungry and you wanted nachos.
LALA: I had the Beer Margarita. The bartender whom I didn’t ask for his name, as I wasn’t really impressed with the cocktail menu explained how it was made. So they make the margarita with tequila, Cointreau and lime, freeze it and add the beer on top.
[Ed Note: When Crossroads opened up for the first time. None of the bartenders had a clue how to make the Beer Margarita. In fact, Nosa got offered a margarita with Star on the side.]
I always have the Beer Margarita when I come to Crossroads so I wasn’t excited; I just knew I was having a good cocktail. It’s their signature drink, everyone had a picture of it at some point.
For those who haven’t tried it, it’s a pretty good cocktail and it’s large. It also has beer and tequila so you definitely know you’ll get that good buzz.
Beer Margarita
GBENGA: This to me is the best cocktail in Lagos, with regards to value for money, quantity and quality. With the large glass pitcher used, paying N3500 for this is almost a steal compared to what you get with the same amount in other spots. I really like this drink, so much so that it’s all I order whenever I come to Crossroads.
Still on quantity, I don't think I have ever finished a glass of this and I’m no slouch, its just that overwhelming.
LALA: I need like two "pitchers" of it with a couple of tequila shots in between to be very alright *side eye*
Classic Martini
GBENGA: Okay guys, Lala has just confessed that she’s downed 2 Beer Margaritas at a go before, with tequila shots on top. It’s like I’ll be switching places with Nosa because at this point I don’t know who is sitting next to me.
LALA: Booze champion cuz!
It took a while for us to order our final drink. We were so uninspired. We decided to play a game and I had to close my eyes and put a finger on a cocktail. My finger ended up on the Classic Martini.
GBENGA: I wish we had just gone home at this point. So if the first cocktail was too sweet, this was the total opposite. It consisted of gin, vermouth and olives, but I suspect the vermouth had gone bad hence the very dry taste. Ideally, after opening a bottle it should be stored in the fridge for no more than 3 months. I think the martini tasted dry because it had stayed a lot longer than the 3 months but don’t quote me sha.
I really don't know what was up with our bartender tonight; he did seem a bit nervous. (someone probably told him we were there to review cocktails, smh Lala!!). To be fair, after He noticed we had abandoned it, he offered to make it sweeter.
LALA: I mean it's basically mixing gin and vermouth with ice and straining it into a glass and garnishing with an olive. I didn’t see how he could get it wrong, maybe our bartender just didn’t have the skills because I have definitely had better.
Unfortunately, no drinkgasms or booze heaven this time
TL:DR
Good for: After Work Drinks – Groups
Food: Full Kitchen
Happy Hour: No | Bottle Service: Yes | Wine: Yes | Beer:Yes
DAMAGE
Eko Atlantic - N3500
Beer Margarita - N3500
Classic Martini - N3000
Lala is the Founder and Head Consultant Marketing at Lala Alakija agency. She also runs a cocktail club, Eko Cocktail Club, which you should join if you are a lover of cocktails and you are interested in partaking in creative boozy experiences.