My brother recently returned to Nigeria after nearly a decade in Scotland. So, to welcome him, my sister and I decided to take him out to see the ‘new and improved’ Lagos. We had promised him a good time, perhaps starting the night with dinner at a nice restaurant and ending it with a bar crawl, but after going through the menus of the various restaurants we had in mind (Koi, Slice, Kaly), we respected our wallets and opted for dinner at SLOW instead, cancelling all plans for a bar crawl.
SLOW isn’t remotely cheap, but it met all our criteria: good food, a diverse cocktail menu, and a relaxed ambience. Fun Fact: This used to be my description of RSVP, but since the pandemic, it appears that the entire city of Lagos goes there; the true definition of the slang: ‘Casted.’
Anyway, upon arriving at SLOW, we were ushered to our table by the hostess. Trust me to do a quick scan of the room to ensure there were no familiar faces, so I wouldn’t have to be too composed. For context, I laugh like a hyena with a baritone voice and for someone who can’t match the beat to her steps, I tend to dance unprovoked, even when there’s no music playing.
The waiter handed us the menu, and we went to town. We started with two appetizers: Spicy Lamb Flatbread, which is slow-cooked for 7 hours, and Seafood Fritto Misto, a combination of deep-fried shrimp, calamari, and eggplant. The former transported me to heaven and back, but the Fritto Misto was pretty underwhelming, in my opinion. I mean, why deep-fry an eggplant?
My brother and I paired our appetisers with cocktails. My sister was wise enough to order a 7up with ice and lemon; I say wise because the cocktail bill was HEAVY. I thought I was being wise by ordering a Gin and Tonic because it was under N5,000, but I overlooked the additional N4k for the Hendricks Gin.
The entree was the highlight of my evening; SLOW makes a mean short rib. Another 6-hour slow-cooked gastronomic goodness. My sister had a steak sandwich, which was also quite tasty. We finished the evening by listening to the jazzy live band amidst the frequent Birthday announcements chants.
- Name of Restaurant: SLOW Lagos
- Location:2 Musa Yar’Adua St, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
- Experience: An elevated dining experience. The food is phenomenal.
- Parking: Parking is quite poor, to be honest. I’m tired of having to tip security to park in a place where I’m going to spend a fortune anyway.
- Menu: Love the menu. There’s something for everyone.
- Starters:
Spicy Lamb Flatbread – 7,800
Seafood Fritto Misto – 8,800
Mains:
Slow-cooked short ribs – 24,800
Steak Sandwich – 14,800
- What meal(s)/drink(s) would you recommend?
I would recommend everything I had except the Seafood Fritto Misto. I hear the brisket tacos are fantastic, so I’ll definitely try them some other time.
- Rate the service:
I’ll rate SLOW 8/10. They lost one point for parking and another for that seafood fritto whatever.
I must also add that the service is amazing.
- Verdict? Would you recommend this place?
Most definitely. In the words of Nosa of Eat, Drink, Lagos, ‘Lagos needs multiple Slows’.
- Any additional information about this place you’d like to share? The lighting isn’t the best for nighttime pictures but I’m camera-shy anyway so it didn’t matter. Best to go during the day if you’re all about aesthetics.
