Abujalicious!

Abuja is a beautiful city and a wonderful place to visit for its gastronomic delights. The city has wonderful restaurants and great places to eat: which is the interest of this article. I know some of the best places to have fun in Abuja and will deliver them to you on a plate.

Bon appétit!

Eat roast catfish at Ibiza. Ibiza is a local garden restaurant in Area 11. The boys have a fish pond from where you can select the size of fish you want. We call this ‘point and kill’ in Abuja (You point to the fish you want, they kill and cook it for you). The fish is cooked while you nurse a cold bottle of beer or a glass of wine and is often ready in about an hour.

It is, of course, best to go in company so the time passes really fast. Regardless, the wait is well rewarded with the taste of the well roasted and hot (fresh off the oven) succulent fish. Cooked in various condiments, the fish is a heavenly delight full of spices and sometimes Irish potato chips cooked in the juice.

You can choose to support the meal with a bottle of Chardonnay or other white wines. Either way, you are sure to want to come back the next night and the next… I do.

Spend an evening at Transcorp Hilton poolside. The hotel is the most expensive and perhaps the best in Abuja (largest hotel in Africa). The suya bar by the Hilton pool is my preferred spot at the hotel. This means that an evening here is an incredible experience, especially on a Saturday or Sunday evening with great atmosphere. Order either a light meal of roasted plantains and chicken or a full platter of ‘all sorts’ to share with friends.

It is one of the best, stylish, sundown experiences in Abuja. Add to this, of course, the views of lovely bodies on display by the poolside. You can join in, to swim or simply pose on the sun loungers, if you like.

Drink wine, eat kilishi at Protea Hotel. One of Abuja’s better hotels is the Protea Hotel in Asokoro. The hotel has a great mood and a welcoming cool interior. This contrasts beautifully with the hot taste of the peppered, sun dried beef, aka kilishi, on your palate. You will need the house wine and roasted peanuts to accompany the beef, cooling the inferno on your tongue. Nothing gets you salivating quite like this and it prepares you wonderfully for a banquet meal in their restaurant. However, that is another experience entirely.

Book a private table at Cubana. Extravagant, exorbitant, but damn good feeling in the heart of Wuse 2. You and your friends pay through the nose for a private champagne-adorned table in a private part of the club. It does feel good to be one of the haves protected by burly bouncers and served exclusively by pretty waitresses. With the alcohol, good music and perfect company, even your banker will join in the fun. But, remember, don’t drink and drive.

Wok it out at Silverbird. Wok is the very best Chinese restaurant in Abuja. Other places serve equally good sweet and sour chicken but Wok does it in real style. The restaurant is authentic, unpretentious and surprisingly affordable. The stylish and tasty food is of a high variety and a stunning departure from eating local cuisine.

If you are used to ordering Chinese as comfort food or when you are too tired to cook, this will not disappoint you. When you have eaten to your heart’s comfort, take a slow stroll through the Silverbird Galleria and go up to snore your head off in the cinema. I do.

Go to the top in DUNES: DUNES in Maitama has a great ambience. The whole complex is beautiful. Stroll through the supermarket on the ground and first floors before taking a seat in front of the waterfall. The food is excellent Lebanese and continental. The preparation is quick and the service girls are great. I love the sweets or desert, but they are not for the diabetic.

Great food at Wakkis Restaurant. This is one of the favourite places for eating great Indian foods and drinking cold, cold beer to go with it.

Also, honourable mention goes to great ambiance in the restaurant located on Aminu Kano Crescent. I like the smell from the kitchen and to see the chefs cooking up a storm. Order the buttered prawns for starters with warm Nan bread. Then, whatever type of rice you prefer with a curry dish. You are guaranteed to leave with a full stomach and a smile on your face. The proverbial cat that got the cream!

Too much food at Jevinik Restaurant. Enter any of the Jevinik chain of restaurants: the best place for local food. If you are really hungry and cannot wait, this is the place to go. The restaurants are great for dishing out mountains of food in the fastest time possible. The quality is good and the service pleasant.

From the health point of view, Jevinik is wasteful and perpetuates greed; so it’s best to go with friends and share a plate. Otherwise, you end up wasting enough food that could feed a small family. If you are watching your weight, eat only in moderation, as this is a place that can and will spoil you rotten.

Okay, there are lots of things to do in Abuja, but the most fun can be had eating and drinking with friends.

Abuja has a rich mix of restaurants from many countries and different parts of Nigeria. The choice is endless; so relax, it’s Abujalicious.