Tulip Bistro 2.0 | Abuja

📍 141, Adetokunbo Ademola Cres, Wuse II

Long time no new post. 2022 started off busy and it’s been going uphill since then. But thanks to my support system, we’ve been pushing! 💆🏾‍♀️

Speaking of support systems, one of them was visiting over the week and of course food had to be involved, and because I hadn’t been out to eat in a hot minute, I wanted to make it count and so we wentttt to Tulip Bistro!

Last time I was in Tulip was August 2019 , so definitely I would expect things to have changed overtime. Changes made were a new location, decor, menu, as well as increase in prices.

AMBIENCE:

Let’s start with location and decor! Still located in Wuse 2, the restaurants new space is now on the 4th floor of what I call the ‘Unnamed Plaza’. The one that has Pink Bear in it too.

Construction was still going on so this made finding the restaurant itself tricky, but after asking the security guards, we found our way up.

Leaving the elevator, you’re welcomed into a lobby space which let’s you take a moment to decide where you’d want to sit. Inside or outside?

By default we sat indoors because of Abuja’s heat, but we had a look at the outdoor seating first. Before entering the outdoor space you’re welcomed by a beautiful painting.

Going in, the view for one was good to look at, cause on one side you see the hillside and it’s houses while on another you see the ever busy Wuse 2 streets swarming with cars and pedestrians.

The patio furniture made me want to sit, order a mocktail and just vibe. Looked like a comfortable space to relax.

Moving to the interior space, there was a lot to take in. There were large birdcage chairs, framed portrait prints, and plants all around the space.

The chairs were slightly uncomfortable as the armrests were too thin to rest your arm on, so my arms kept sliding off. LOL

Tulip Bistro now has a bar! Didn’t see any cocktails on the menu, but I’m guessing you could order the cocktail version of a mocktail upon request?

FOOD:

The menu also underwent some changes towards the Mediterranean side. A lot of things were removed while things like Hummus, Arayis and Kibbeh were added.

Chapman – N2500 x Minted Lemonade – N3000

Mocktail options were somewhat limiting but I went with the Minted Lemonade which was quite refreshing.

Arayis Kafta – N4000

(fresh bread, kafta with rocca salad)

I had never tried an Arayis before, but once my friend described it, I was curious to try it. It’s basically pita bread filled with mince meat, topped with rocket salad.

Quoting my friend who has tried a few, she said ‘Mino, this is not Arayis’ and I knew we were in trouble. I wasn’t particularly impressed. I wished the bread was lighter and the meat had more flavor.

Chicken Louisiana Pasta – N8000

(penne pasta in rich spicy tomato and cream mushroom, with parmesan, basil & grilled chicken)

Because it had been wayy too long, I had to have the Chicken Louisiana pasta. It’s just the perfect mix of tomato and cream pasta that’s beautifully spiced.

Portion size is still great but how did we go from 5k to 8k please?

Spaghetti Bolognese – N7500

(spaghetti cooked in rich ragu sauce topped w parmesan cheese)

My friend had the spaghetti bolognese which is also a people’s favorite. The sauce was rich with flavors which is key with bologneses’.

SERVICE:

Service was great seeing as they just re-opened. I hope they keep the momentum going.

SALMAH’S SIDENOTE:

Not sure if it was just me, but I left tulip confused. The decor (both in and out) as well as the new menu didn’t really relate to each other in my opinion. Although the interior is stunning, I failed to see how it tied with the concept of Mediterranean food.

SPEND SUMMARY:

Chapman – N2500

Minted Lemonade – N3000

Arayis Kafta – N4000

Chicken Louisiana Pasta – N8000

Spaghetti Bolognese – N7500

MENU: