Your favourite chop life crew member is here again.
My experience at Taj Restaurant is a go!! Trust me when I say that.
I was first invited to the opening of this place on the 29th of January 2023 because I have a common friend with the owner. As an outsider, my friend decided to give them my phone number and email address to invite me for the opening and food tasting because she knows I like such and will keep my opinion of the place100%, the owner needed people that will give honest feedback of their menu before they open to the public, but for some personal reasons, I wasn’t able to make it.
So, I decided to visit them about a month later to check out what they are bringing or going to do differently for a city like ours that seems to have it all (see me feeling like an important food critic) lol! Anyway, I also thought that they would try to impress people on their opening day by doing everything by the books, mind you they have a branch in Abuja, and I heard it’s a very cool top spot, so I needed to see for myself if the restaurant is worth all the hype.
At first, I thought it was an Indian restaurant from the name, but I was wrong, they have various pasta, sushi, dumplings (My fave), steaks, tacos etc. with no trace of any Indian cuisine found on the menu.
It is one thing to start, it’s another thing entirely to be consistent. It is only a few that try to maintain the same standard they started with.
Let us start with the ambience; it is giving 90% for me. How did she arrive at this percentage, you may ask, the settings of this restaurant did it for me though it is not too spacious like Kaly and co., but a decent space and it has a clear view of the outside through the glass partition.
My friend and I got a good table upstairs overseeing the outside, though we had not made a reservation in advance. However, I do highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time before leaving your house to anywhere in this Lagos to avoid embarrassment. After being seated, we scanned the menu code and were presented with a menu as long as a book when I was starving (rolled eyes).
After that headache-inducing search, I decided to start with the beef and chicken dumplings paired with a glass of cocktail as a starter, the dumplings were 6 pieces inside the bamboo steamer accompanied by some sour and soy sauce for a dip, oh boy! It was delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had to order another portion alongside my chicken pesto pasta and Lamb chops. I finished the second dumplings again and still shared another portion with my friend making it three portions of dumplings, that was how good the dumplings are. I barely touched my pasta dish and lamp chops, which were very tasty as well, if you do not mind the green colour that pesto adds to pasta, give the pesto pasta a try.
I love food, I am a big food person. I am passionate about eating good food all the time, so I was very happy leaving the restaurant on that day.
1. Name of Restaurant: TAJ RESTAURANT & BAR LOUNGE
2. Location: 1064, Abagbon CL, off Adeola Odeku Street V. I
3. Experience: Delicious food served in high-quality serving dishes, though I do not like the dish they used in serving the pasta because it triggered my tropophobia. A selection of fine wines, good choices of cocktails and great service.
4. Parking: Not too shabby; it is a roadside parking situation
5. Menu: Enough options to choose from. Well-seasoned meals. The great dining experience overall is a very pleasant one. I recommend this restaurant.
6. Extra advantage: Great service, good dining experience, beautiful space, and amazing outdoor space too.
7. Why?: The lamb chops were well seasoned and cooked to my liking which you hardly get these days, I got the medium well which was cooked the way I asked for, but you know… It wasn’t the highlight of the meal (beef and chicken Dumplings are) winks and the drinks were a hit as they have a full bar and a large cocktail and mocktail list to choose from with experienced mixologists.
8. Damage? The prices were not too bad when compared to the experience, enjoy this life beloved after all your hard work is to offer yourself that good life… I will attach the menu list and prices.
9. What meal(s)/drink(s) would you recommend? Try the beef and chicken dumplings (but it might not be the best option if you are new to trying dumplings).
10. Rate the service: I will rate the service 95%. It’s as if these people now know I’m always there to rate them, lol! so they always bring their A-game which is very good for business, customer retention and referrals.
11. Verdict? Would you recommend this place? Sure! why not? I am going back.
12. Any additional information about this place you would like to share? This place has another section for shisha lovers, overseeing the other side of the street. They serve breakfast from 9 am to noon (I was told this because I wanted breakfast for lunch when I saw it on the menu, wink) and they enforce a strict smart casual dress code for all guests. Etc
Give yourself a nice treat beloved! This life is only once.
Some of us are so busy we do not make time to enjoy our lives, good company, and GOOD FOOD.
Love,
Jess.
