Review: Oceans5 by Riviera (Victoria Island, Lagos)
Oceans5 by Riviera
20 Elsie Femi Pearse Street, Victoria Island, Lagos | Instagram | Phone
NOSA: I didn’t have the highest of hopes for Oceans5 before we visited. It just felt like one of those restaurants in Victoria Island that followed the template. You put some hummus here and maybe a pizza there. Add a lovely backdrop for Instagram pictures, and you’re all set. Not Oceans5, however, and I’m happy they proved me wrong.
FOLLY: I didn’t have any expectations. I was just interested in going somewhere new. So I was just happy to be here.
NOSA: By the way, is this the earliest I’ve said I liked a restaurant in one of our reviews?
FOLLY: Probably. People think we’re haters of things. I think we’re actually mostly meh on restaurants, and then equal parts hate and like.
NOSA: To start, we opened with the Hummus Platter - a trio of hummus served with pita bread and a side salad.
FOLLY: I ordered this because it was my season of intense hummus cravings - not pregnant. My desires were not met at all.
NOSA: Before I get into this, one thing that really stood out to me on the Oceans5 menu was how many vegetarian options there are. Sure, it’s Indian-owned, but still. This might be the most vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Lagos that isn’t boring.
Okay, back to the hummus.
Yeah, I didn’t like it. It wasn’t the hummus though, this one is on me. I wasn’t expecting beetroot hummus, and that was just a step too much adventure for me.
FOLLY: I definitely forgot I was not in a Lebanese restaurant because I had imagined we were getting Plain Hummus, Hummus with meat, Spicy Chilli Hummus for this trio. I didn’t ask our server, oh; I just fully believed that’s what I was getting. Just imagine my disappointment when I didn’t get that.
I just ate the side salad and moved on because this was all me. In fact, as the waitress placed the plate down, I whispered an audible “Won ti get me”, and I think she laughed.
NOSA: That said, we liked the Fried Mac & Cheese - another vegetarian option that we had as a starter. PS: Vegetarian, not vegan. The Fried Mac & Cheese is simple, but it works, and the truffle was a welcome addition.
FOLLY: Especially if you find Mac & Cheese overwhelming, it’s such an excellent (and lighter) place alternative. It’s a small enough portion, so you get the Mac & Cheese experience without the weight. It didn’t say on the menu, so we didn’t know the filling was actually a truffle Mac & Cheese, so that was a delight.
NOSA: For a starter, it gets the job done.
FOLLY: The tomato sauce doesn’t do much for this dish, so I think they could do without. Just tasted it and didn’t eat anymore. Maybe a dot of a truffle aioli on each Mac & Cheese ball instead, for presentation.
NOSA: The Kerala Tacos - marinated beef cooked in Indian spices and served in coin paratha with a creamy yoghurt dip.
chef’s kiss
FOLLY: The Kerala Tacos were all Nosa. I could have done without this starter.
NOSA: Probably my favourite of the starters we got. Think Indian meets Mexican, and you’ll get the picture. I never in my life expected this, but it was oh so good.
FOLLY: It’s very distinctively Indian. I ate one taco and moved on and left the rest for Nosa. I’m not the target market.
NOSA: For science, I ordered the Chicken Katsu Sushi Burger.
I knew I wasn’t going to like this, but sushi burgers were trendy on Instagram that year, and this is the first time I ever saw this on a Lagos menu. You’re not supposed to eat this like a regular burger, by the way.
FOLLY: How then? A fork and knife, I guess.
NOSA: The “bun” is sticky rice moulded into a bun, and it might be a little too much sticky rice for most. Almost like Eba in texture.
FOLLY: Hehe, yes, very much almost like Eba. Nosa took the filling out of the sticky rice patties. I actually liked the sticky rice, so I ate quite a bit of it before getting tired.
NOSA: I appreciate them for being different and not having a regular burger on the menu, but yeah, this wasn’t for me. Go like the pictures on Instagram, though.
FOLLY: I initially wanted pasta as my main, particularly the Spaghetti Aglio Olio. However, I allowed Nosa to incept me into ordering the butter chicken.
NOSA: I love how the Butter Chicken is served. It’s probably shaping my bias here, but this might be the best Butter Chicken I’ve had in Lagos. It’s the right amount of sweet, and the cheese naan we got on the side was just perfect.
FOLLY: We actually got Cheese Naan as an extra, but what is truly unique is that the Butter Chicken at Oceans5, by default, comes with plain naan or white rice. They don’t make you order it separately as a side at an extra cost.
NOSA: I’m probably exaggerating because the last time we got Indian was at 343 Degrees North, and that’s fair. BUT, this was pretty good.
FOLLY: I doubt that you are. This was solid. The butter chicken was silky, sweet and smoky. 10/10. I even prefer it to Sherlaton.
VERDICT
DAMAGE
Hummus Trio - N5,500
Beef Kerala Tacos - N6,000
Fried Mac & Cheese - N6,000
Cheese Naan - N2,000
Smoked Butter Chicken - N8,000
Chicken Katsu Chicken Burger - N7,000