Review: Ohuru By HSE (Lekki)
Ohuru by HSE
7 Prince Samuel Adedoyin Street, Lekki | Instagram | 08161410578
In the quest for a Lagos rooftop experience, Ohuru by HSE was one place that stood out to me. OR maybe I just liked that it sounded like ‘Uhuru’, the South African music group we all really used to dig (cue in Khona 🎵). Whatever the case, my friend and I were headed there for a chance to experience the real Afro-fusion cuisine experience.
I have to say: Getting to Ohuru is a bit confusing. We thought our Uber was carrying us go where we no know, because he drove us into what seemed like a residential block in a gated estate. From there, we were directed to the fourth floor of a building that turned out to be a luxury hotel called Boardroom Apartments. It’s not that unusual to have a restaurant located inside a hotel, but I guess it was just a little confusing because there was no mention of it on their Instagram or Google Maps profile.
Of course, the ‘luxury hotel’ location meant that we were in for something boujee. It especially felt that way when we got to the top floor and the elevator door revealed Ohuru’s neon lights in the dark, cold hallway.
Isn’t it giving??
We stepped into the restaurant which was thankfully warmer; I was getting worried I would regret not wearing thicker clothes. The restaurant’s outdoor sitting had a rustic theme, while the indoor sitting had a more contemporary theme, with the murals adding a pop of colour. Plus, kudos to whoever curated the playlist going in the background because the song choices were a certified vibe; old school jams mixed with new school bangers and a very good amount of Amapiano — perhaps a nod off to their South African-sounding name, or am I just reaching? 😂
The restaurant wasn’t at all full when we got there, so we just picked our table ourselves. The server waited for us to settle in before letting us know it was a QR code-menu situation. Orders in, and it took about 10 minutes to get our cocktails, alongside a plate of complimentary groundnuts and cashew nuts.
My On the Beat cocktail came looking much more plain than its name, while my friend’s Passion Daze came in a ‘screaming’ cup (wondering what I mean? Lol all will be revealed soon). I wonder why they didn’t just stick with the over-the-top presentation for my cocktail too — I know my envy is showing, but I have a point.
Passion Daze Cocktail
On the Beat Cocktail
The On the Beat was a rum-based cocktail with strawberry, guava syrup and cranberry juice, and I could taste every single ingredient, which was delightful. It was flavourful and the alcohol was HITTING (unlike that cocktail-cosplaying mocktail I had at Indigo). Ironically, I usually like my cocktails with just a tinge of alcohol — and the alcohol content in this was no ‘tinge’ — but it worked regardless. I was very pleased and it was a good distraction from how long the food was taking to get served. Do restaurants maybe do this intentionally? 👀
The Passion Daze was a tequila-based cocktail with passionfruit and lime with fizz, but really it was more alcohol than anything else. I barely tasted the passionfruit, but there was a hint of lime in it. My friend could only really down it when the ice was melted and it was more diluted, so this would definitely not be a good choice for people who like light cocktails.
Another 10 minutes later, our starter — smoked chicken croquettes — arrived. They were simply divine; totally melted in my mouth. The chilli mayo and potato blended so well together that they tasted like a single ingredient, and the crunchy exterior gave a very nice contrast to the creamy texture of the interior. The chicken bits were also a delicious addition.
Smoked Chicken Croquettes
It took an hour in total and 30 minutes after we finished our starter for the main courses to be served — which I just found unthinkable. I had the Smoked Goat Asun Fried Rice, while my friend had the Braised Tozo Steak. What did they do — leave to buy the goat and cow from Ogun State just after we placed our order? In my opinion, these are simple enough meals that shouldn’t have taken that long to get to us.
It gets a little worse. The texture of my fried rice was nowhere near what fried rice was supposed to be; it was quite soggy. The ‘Asun’ part of the name also seemed like a mere suggestion because the little goat meat pieces did not taste like Asun at all. They were way too soft, so it didn’t even feel like I was eating meat; maybe some people like their meat like that, but I was not a fan in the slightest. I did appreciate the taste and spiciness of the meal though; it was spicy, but not Yoruba-mother level, so that was a good touch. If we’re looking for a silver lining, I guess…
Smoked Goat Asun Fried Rice
The Braised Tozo Steak came with yaji gravy, pickled carrots and a side of mashed potatoes with butternut squash. The steak was medium-well and tasted really good. The butternut squash-infused mashed potatoes came looking like well moulded yellow eba, I’m not going to lie 😂 Although the butternut squash definitely added colour to the mash, the intended sweetness just didn’t come through; it just tasted like plain old mashed potatoes. Plus, the pickled carrots were painfully salty.
As for the yaji gravy, I couldn’t pinpoint why exactly it didn’t work, but I just felt it wasn’t a good fit for the mashed potatoes. My friend felt the same way and ended up taking the rest of her meal home without the gravy.
Braised Tozo Steak
Once the server confirmed I was ready, it didn’t take long at all for the dessert to arrive. I had ordered the Kuli Kuli Fudgy Brownie, which was one of the only two dessert options. The other was strawberry cheesecake and I’m not a fan of cheesecake, so it was an easy pass.
P.S. I know some of you are ready to crucify me for this, but I think you should actually look inwards and ask yourself why you like that wannabe cake.
This dessert was exquisite. The brownie was sweet and perfectly moist, while the melting ice cream gave a great balance to the warmth of the brownie. I also loved the subtle but delicious touch of the kuli kuli sprinkles and the caramel drizzle.
How YUM.
POSTSCRIPT
It had its serious low points but Ohuru will be seeing me again. I just won’t be having the Asun Fried Rice.
verdict
DAMAGE
On the Beat Cocktail – N4800
Passion Daze Cocktail – N4800
Smoked Chicken Croquettes – N4800
Smoked Goat Asun Fried Rice – N7500
Braised Tozo Steak – N7800
Kuli Kuli Fudge Brownie – N4200
PARKING
Should take about 10-15 cars
Oyinda is a writer and lover of knowledge. When she's not reading random stuff on the internet, or putting finger to keyboard, you'll find her chopping the life of her head.
