About the Outdoor Menu at the Grill by Delis
NOSA: During our first visit to Grill by Delis, we tried ordering off the “Nibbles & Bites”, aka outdoor menu but we weren’t allowed to. According to the waiter, “you can only get sliders if you sit outside”.
Fair enough, mate.
FOLLY: You can check out our review of the main restaurant here.
NOSA: This time around, we made sure we sat outside and hung out with Lagos flies just to order those sliders. Speaking of flies, I think we’re reaching a point where Lagos restaurants shouldn’t bother with outdoor dining areas.
FOLLY: There's literally no point. I wouldn't even sit outside to get nice pictures because "better lighting" - the flies make it unberable.
NOSA: We’ve reached an untenable position with these flies and somebody has to concede. I know, for sure, that the flies aren’t conceding so Lagos restaurant owners might have to take the L this time.
FOLLY: Delis will also need to come out with a longer term solution to control the fly problem than kerosene on the tables because I don't believe that is food safe. I also said "control" because I don't believe there's any way to eliminate them fully in these temprate parts.
NOSA: Pests aside, the outdoor menu isn’t the most extensive thing. Just four items on it: Mini Sliders, Local Grilled Mini Lamb Chops, Memo’s Buffalo Chicken Wings, and Hand Cut Fries. We ordered everything on it for the culture.
FOLLY: With the exception of the hand cut fries because we didn't need the extra carbs.
NOSA: The sliders come in a trio - Plain, Cheeseburger, and Mexican. After Mama Rocks, it’s been really hard adjusting to Lagos burgers so you can imagine how disappointed I was by the sliders at Grill by Delis.
FOLLY: Ditto
NOSA: Sure, the beef in it is quality but everything else just shows an utter lack of imagination.
FOLLY: Like it does all the good beef stuff - texture and taste. Also it wasn't over cooked to a crumbly mess but on flavor it was completely lacking.
NOSA: The plain one is literally a plain slider with a bun and a patty. Like, I thought it was a joke stuff but I certainly wasn’t expecting them to mean plain like that.
The Mexican was no different either. They added a bit of guacamole to the plain slider and called it “Mexican”. How is that Mexican in anyway?
FOLLY: If I was Mexican, I'd have been big upset. To be honest, I'm not and I still am. It's really insulting to condense all that is impressive about Mexican cuisine and flavors into smothering some mashed avocado on a mini burger and calling it Mexican.
NOSA: Could’ve called it the “Millennial Slider” and I’d be less upset.
FOLLY: The cheeseburger was the most tenable of the lot because the saltiness of the cheddar added the slightest bit of dimension to the slider.
NOSA: The sliders are way too expensive to be this disappointing. They don’t even come with a side of fries, you have to pay extra for that. The wings were a tad better. Spicy, breaded, and coated in Buffalo sauce.
FOLLY: An extra spicy buffalo sauce.
NOSA: The lamb chops were the ultimate let down for me. Like, I wouldn’t recommend it at all.
FOLLY: I feel like they warned us on the menu because it's listed a "Local lamb chops". It was chewy, overcooked, crispy and charred (read: burnt) in some areas.
NOSA: You can get the sliders if money ain’t a thing because when you take out the price, they’re decent enough. The lamb chops are just all round bad. They aren’t seasoned well enough to justify how tough they are. You don’t even get a steak knife to chop it up with. Just imagine the stress.
FOLLY: Overall, it was an exhausting eating experience and even more underwhelming taste wise.
NOSA: It’s like dying in a war your country doesn’t win. You sacrifice so much for no larger benefit.
POSTSCRIPT
NOSA: Grill by Delis is great if you have lots of money and you’re looking for a nicer way to set it on fire. The outdoor area has a really vibe and looks like it might be a mood in the night time, but just stick to the indoor menu if you don’t want any disappointment.
FOLLY: The only redeeming thing about the experience at Grill by Delis was the service and the cocktail.
VERDICT
DAMAGE
Mini Slider - N4800
Cheeky Smile - N3500
Memo's Buffalo Chicken Wings - N4800
Local Grilled Mini Lamb Chops - N6500
PARKING
Decent-ish. About 10 cars