Ikoyi Restaurant

Pushing the boundaries of what deliciousness isWith the exponentially growing amount of shared pictures of signature dishes combined with spying and stealing (known as inspiration), most of the fine dining today is becoming alarmingly similar in terms of ingredients, combinations, dishes and plating. In this sense, Chef Jeremy Chan's and Iré Hassan-Odukale's Ikoyi feels refreshingly different. This two Michelin star holder (since 2022) is said to be a fusion of "West Africa meets British Isles" cuisine, but it could also be aptly described as "genuinely original" or even "bold but delicious" fine dining. Most of the spices come from Nigeria / West Africa, practically all of the ingredients are sourced locally, and the techniques employed are global, making it pleasantly challenging to pinpoint what Ikoyi is all about. As Chan himself puts it, the goal is to "push the boundaries of what deliciousness is" and "help guests discover flavors they're not familiar with." Few examples? A chicken sausage marinated with vin jaune infused with African peppercorns and served with a mushroom emulsion on soft toast that has been caramelized in chicken fat known as a drunken chicken toast. Or on the other end of the spectrum, their rough looking but superbly comforting signature dish Smoked jollof rice. Ikoyi moved at the end of 2022. The new space designed by David Thulstrup (known for his work on new Noma, etc.) is on par with the cuisine. The space has an understated and cave-meets-sci-fi feel, combining southern warmth and nordic coolness. Very expensive but truly unique as well. To wrap things up, for those who don't know (like myself), what is Ikoyi, it is the most affluent neighborhood in Lagos, set to become the most populous city in the world.