📍1, Atabara St, off Kampala St, Wuse II, Abuja.
Spent last week Sunday at Taj Bistro and it was definitely one for the books. I was a bit skeptical at first cause I had heard more negative than positive reviews, but decided to take a risk regardless cause why not?
AMBIENCE:
The entrance to the the restaurant was through a well lit staircase which had the name of the restaurant at the top. It felt a bit majestic going up the stairs, probably cause my abaya was dramatically dragging behind me. 💀
Just after the reception you enter into a huge dining space. On your left you have the bar type-setting where you eat and watch the kitchen staff do what they do best.
Then there’s an actual bar area in the far back overlooking the main dining space, which has a ribbon of glazing that brings in a lot of natural light and some nice views.
Through a small corridor, you’re led into a different room which is reserved for those interested in food as well as shisha. It’s a small and cozy space with nice views and patio style furniture.
A bit tight, but there weren’t much people which made it a bit more comfortable to be in.
SERVICE:
Staff were quite pleasant and food was brought promptly. I’m surprised people had not so good experiences here, but I guess it’s all part of the ‘inconsistency’ issues Abuja restaurants have.
FOOD:
What made me super excited was that the restaurant served all-day breakfast, which automatically meant they were definitely getting my coins. The options on the menu seemed fun and exciting and I’m glad what we chose to order were all hits.
Virgin Mojito and Mint Lemonade Bubble Tea – N3500 each.
The virgin mojito was the usual you’d find around the city, but the bubble tea on the other was a madness. I have never had a bubble tea flavour that I’ve loved as much as this.
The popping pearls were made of mint while the drink itself was the lemonade. A bit too sweet for me, but I couldn’t care less at the time cause of how much fun I was having bursting mint flavours in my mouth and enjoying each sip.
Honey BBQ Chicken Wings – N3500
These were served just the way I like my honey wings. Perfect balance between sweet and savoury and the chicken was tender and seasoned right.
Taj Mini Burger Sliders (3) – N3800
(beef and chicken mini burger combo)
Highly recommended! Each bite felt like it was melting in my mouth, cause both bread and patty were light, but packed with flavour. I also loved the little olives placed at the top of the bun. Perfect for sharing.
Chicken and Waffles – N5500
(Buttermilk crispy boneless chicken)
I was worried ordering this would be a case of “we dun have eet ma”. But I was glad they had it because it was the highlight of my dinner. It was a breakfast for dinner affair.
The waffles were fluffy and sweet, and I could eat them forever. The chicken was crispy and beautifully tender but was quite under seasoned. Some more salt, with paprika, onion and garlic powder would’ve gone a long way and added more flavour to the overall meal.
Syrup is an essential part to chicken and waffles for me, so I was glad I had that on the side too. I really enjoyed this (despite the seasoning) and if you’re an all-day brekky person like me, you should definitely try it.
Agoyin Overload Spread – N3500
(honey beans, agoyin sauce, fried plantain cubes, shredded beef, served on agege bread)
This has always been something I’ve wanted to try, particularly the one at Danfo Bistro in Lagos. I’ve always been curious to try out the combination of beans and plantain served on bread.
Taj’s version was presented beautifully and I couldn’t wait to dig in. Generally, portion size was quite good and the flavours were there. The beans were cooked thoroughly and beef tasted like suya which I loved. However plantain was a bit hard for me cause I’m part of #teamsoftplantain. Agege bread was light and soaked some of the flavour too.
SALMAH’S SIDENOTE:
I heard about the occasional live cooking that goes on in the dining area, but didn’t see that for myself during my visit. So perhaps plan for that before you visit.
SPEND SUMMARY:
Virgin Mojito – N3500
Mint Lemonade Bubble Tea – N3500
Honey BBQ Chicken Wings – N3500
Taj Mini Burger Sliders (3)- N3800
Chicken and Waffles – N5500
Agoyin Overload Spread – N3500
Total : N18,000 Aprox.
SalmahXO 