Ikoyi combines spices of the sub-Saharan West Africa and British beef, fish and produce. The very modern dining room has about 9 round tables and one separate party room for up to 6 guests. Overhead are metal blinds that curve down the side of the room opposite the open kitchen. The rich woods and soft lighting are what you’d expect from this 2 Michelin star restaurant. Soft music was in the background as the show in the kitchen took place. One thing you’ll notice is that the heat lamps are missing – food is made and delivered quickly to the table. Service was impeccable in the very comfortable room. They serve only a tasting menu and usually at lunch it’s a shorter menu but on Friday everyone gets the full dinner tasting. It’s a surprise with a menu given to you at the end of the meal. It was a fantastic tasting but be ready to be there several hours and it is on the pricey side. If you can swing it, put this one on your list.
Set-Up
Food
Gola Pepper broth was an infusion of chicken wings. It was savory with a nice pepper essence that left a tingle under your tongue.
Crab was on fermented rice toast and topped with caviar. Wonderful flavors and textures here. The crispy rice toast and the soft-dressed crab with the popping caviar was fabulous.
Artichoke Caesar was made with a braised artichoke, black pepper bread crumbs, and radicchio slaw then placed in a very thin shell. Lots of spices and peppers went into the slaw in a really delicate shell. Divine.
Smoked sirloin was topped with pink pomelo. The scrumptious ultra thin shell was packed with flavorful ingredients. It was a party on my tongue.
Red Mullet and Sugar Berry pumpkin were combined with a scallop roe emulsion. Yorkshire rhubarb, peppers, and so many things mentioned that all combined into glorious flavors. The pumpkin was in a purée that was sweet and smooth and the fish cooked perfectly. A cabbage leaf on the bottom of the plate absorbed all the flavors and made an outstanding finish to the dish.
Sorghum crepe and dark beer fondue were with octopus, maitake mushrooms, truffles and raspberry salt. It felt like there was cheese in it but I’m not sure. Lots of textures and flavors again in this folded surprise.
Sweetbread, morrel and creamed peas combined for the next course. Toasted sesame seeds were on the outside of the perfectly fried creamy sweetbread aside some creamed white peas. Lastly a stuffed morel rounded out the wonderful combination. A lingering spiciness stayed in your mouth afterwards.
Turbot was combined with Egusi miso. The tubot was aged for 5 days, to intensify the flavor, and then grilled and topped with a Cornish mussel. Crab bisque with carrot purée, radish and miso caramel made up a number of the enhancements. The fish was amazing as were the sweet carrots. A winner.
Aged mutton, chantererelles and sauerkraut were the next course. Thirteen year old retired mutton was plated with some sauces and vegetables. A very spicy and tender piece of lamb. Alongside was a smoked Joof rice dish topped with lobster custard. Both were very good. A side note is that we were drinking white wine with the tasting but ordered a glass of red to go with this course. The sommelier offered to store our white wine glasses in the chiller while we ate this one, so they’d still be nice when the next course came out – that’s service!
Citrus bab and salted pine sorbet were the transition course. Finger lime was with a rum baba. The flavor here came off more as rind than citrus. This one would just get an okay.
Flower sugar ice cream and red long pepper also used black olive, molasses, date and fig pudding. A biscuit with some almond flavor was combined with red long pepper and miso sugar. My notes are as confusing as the description but whatever it was a wonderful end result.
Benne miso cookie was topped with truffles, some fig jam and milk chocolate. The cookie should have been crisper in my opinion but who cared at this point? I was happy and content.
