Review: Sycamore by One Basket (Magodo)

30a Bashiru Shittu Avenue, Magodo Phase II

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I was really excited about visiting Sycamore by One Basket because it's in my area and I wouldn't have to spend a killing on Uber fees just to treat myself to a proper dining experience. Last time I got that excited about a nearby restaurant was with Placebo last year and they were a colossal flop, but I still held out hope for Sycamore — turns out Placebo and Sycamore are even on the same street. I went along with a friend on a Saturday morning, so it was pretty much just us when we got there.

From the outside, Sycamore by One Basket looks like any house lining the streets of Magodo Phase 2, save for a small sign on the building. When you get into the space, you realise that’s indeed what it is: a house that has been converted into a two-floor restaurant. It’s basically the slightly less fancy Mainland version of The House. There’s an outdoor dining space with a fair amount of greenery and when you walk into the building, there’s a reception area that truly makes you feel like you’re visiting a friend’s place. 

From there, the friendly waiter guided us to a table for two in the downstairs seating area. The decor theme was again very homely, nothing over-the-top but definitely a little random. And the menus, laminated cards, were just on par with that. In terms of the content of the food menu, it was pretty generic: a mix of standard Nigerian cuisine and a few continental cuisine options. I ordered a Syca Burger Meal with a glass of their Syca House Special cocktail and a shared starter of spring rolls. My friend opted for a Virgin Strawberry Passion Fruit Daiquiri and their Seafood Alfredo Linguine, but with a tomato base instead of a creamy one. We were very pleased when the waiter came back from the kitchen with positive confirmation, because some restaurants in this Lagos like to behave like you’re asking for the impossible when you try to ask for slight modifications.

While we waited for our orders, we decided to explore the upper floor as well. It had two seating areas - a general section and a more private lounge. The latter had a table for two right by the window with a view of the estate—it’s not much of a view honestly lol, but it still works for people who enjoy people-watching. The entire restaurant space just had a very cosy ambience.

Our drinks and starter came within 15 minutes, good time in my opinion. At first, the spring rolls weren’t served with a dip, but I think it was just an oversight on the waiter’s part because she quickly brought a sweet chilli dip when we mentioned it. Without the dip, the spring rolls tasted good still, very crunchy and flavourful. But the sweet chilli sauce definitely elevated the flavour. My Syca House Special looked pretty, a bit like a Sex on the Beach even which is my favourite cocktail ever. In terms of taste, it was also quite similar as it had a citrusy tang and peachy sweetness. I couldn’t really taste the alcohol, but when I asked, the bartender informed me that the drink had a vodka and gin base. This became apparent later. I was busy drinking it like it was a mocktail and my head eventually felt it. As for the virgin daiquiri, it was super sweet and fruity. I absolutely loved the blend of strawberry and passionfruit flavours.

The main courses came about 30 minutes after our starters—a longer wait than I would have liked, especially considering our drinks were almost gone. I had been told earlier that big buns weren’t available for my Syca Burger, so the waiter suggested I had three sliders instead. I was confused when the waiter served them without fries, because I would have gotten fries with an actual burger. Thankfully, it didn’t take much back-and-forth for her to go back to the kitchen to ask for my fries.

Now to the sliders, they didn’t look too appealing and tasted as mid as they looked. The buns weren’t fresh and I could tell that they were store-bought. The chicken patty was soft, but not savoury enough and the spicy mayo sauce didn’t add much to the flavour either. It also seemed like the patty had been boiled as opposed to grilled. At the very least, the veggies were fresh and packed a crunch. I was hoping the fries would be worth the wait, but that wasn’t the case. They were crisp on the outside and well-salted, but they were too fat for my liking so at some point when I was biting into them, they tasted like boiled potatoes. My friend’s pasta, on the other hand, was infinitely better than my meal. The linguine was well-bathed in the seafood-broth rich tomato sauce. It was also slightly spicy. The calamari and prawns were firm on the outside, but succulent on the inside, just the way they should be.

There were no dessert options available, except ice cream which the waiter confirmed was not made in-house, so we were set to end our Sycamore dining experience. BUT, the waiter handed me a complimentary drink from the bartender who had apparently overheard me complaining about the lack of booze in my drink. I thought it was a sweet gesture, and the drink was literally really sweet lol. It had a mix of bubblegum flavour and that Chi Exotic pineapple-coconut flavour. 

POSTSCRIPT

Sycamore’s the kind of place I’d casually visit on a regular. It’s cosy, affordable and nearby. I just will not be nearing their burgers again.

VERDICT

PARKING

Street parking in the estate.

DAMAGE

Syca Burger Meal- N6,500

Seafood Linguine - N12,500

Spring rolls - N4,000

Syca House Special cocktail- N4,500

Virgin strawberry passion fruit daiquiri- N5,000

Water- N500