Lunch at Salamander (review)

A normal Friday in Abuja, with the roads coming to a standstill due to cars rushing home for the weekend at the peak of the afternoon but I was at a visually lovely restaurant called SALAMANDER.

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Once you approach it you are struck with its lovely yellow picket fence and a beautifully flowered surrounding. I’m surprised it’s in the heart of the city of ABUJA.You are greeted or should I just say the door is opened for you by a security man standing inside the restaurant. That helps because frankly it’s a heavy door.

On entrance we were greeted or had a vague welcoming exchange between us and the waiter, now at this point I always expect a smile and maybe to be asked what kind of table I like. I didn’t get any of that so we decided to sit at a table that sits 4 but we were 3.

After sitting down the waiter almost immediately approached us with a menu. Might have been a long stressful day that warranted the absence of a smile but we got our menu on time.

The menu is a diverse and I dare say all-encompassing menu, so I can’t place the restaurants specialty from that. They have Nigerian food and lots of continental dishes signature to certain countries of the world, they also have a section for breakfast and brunch, and then small chops, what I’ll call the starter section, I had a difficult time finding it by the way, I was trying to find it first unfortunately it was at the bottom of the menu. Reading the menu itself I have to say was a tedious task, I was confused by the set-up and it packed a lot of items some of which were repetition but it was a promising menu. Made me look forward to my meal.

The ambience the restaurant exudes is a chill out zone. It’s a place that makes you forget yourself if you are a real person I dare say. It relaxes you to a fault! My companions were yawning and they complained the music was too depressing, I can agree with them in some cases but I think the music is just right for the kind of place salamander is, it’s a place where the typical 'boho' chic individual would feel comfortable. Its for the young and hip (are we allowed to use that word still or it’s outdated?). The new generation of Nigerian indie crowd (if there is anything like that). Although I think it can do with Nigerian Jazz too, and an upbeat tone for the afternoons not the kukere’s or the gagacrazy’s though that would be out of place.

We made our decision on what we wanted to eat but we had to call the attention of one of the 2 waiters available at that time. He took our orders and left without incidence (my Nigerian brothers and sisters will understand what I mean).

Our drinks came first and they arrived on time too, we had lemonade and fruit cocktail it said. The fruit cocktail for me was more of a smoothie, fresh though and unadulterated but it could do with an uplift, maybe pay more attention when buying the fruits. The lemonade though fresh, was bitter! I can blame the Nigerian lemon for that taste but as a restaurant paying attention to where you get your produce is imperative! Considering it will affect what you serve to customers palette. My palette was slightly offended, but I was impressed by its freshness.

The food took a long time to arrive and I only hope it had nothing to do with the noise coming from the kitchen into the diner’s area. I heard conversations about ‘nyanya’ (a district in Abuja) and how someone missed another. This does not go well for decorum. I know my waiter/waitress has a life aside from serving me food! Thank you by the way, but there is a time, a place and a method for everything.

When the meal arrived though I totally forget how long it took to come ( just for a minute though!). There was couscous and lamb chops sauce; now, I have had different kinds of couscous dishes in my life but this is up there among the best I’ve ever had! ( singing in my John legend voice) It was delicious! Soft but not mushy, packed the right kind of spiciness and sweetness (from the dried fruit), the garlic was just right. It was heavenly. The sauce was tasty too but I felt it didn’t compliment the couscous.

A bruschetta dish ( which I thought was a bread dish because I have had bruschetta several times before and is heavenly especially with the right kind of balsamic vinegar, this had no bread though but it did have the right type of balsamic vinegar and taste, just one thing I must mention, the tomato, was stale!).

We also had lamb chops which came with chips; the lamb chops were tender and seasoned well but the chips were nothing close to it; Oily and not appealing to the eye.

Grilled  chicken salad was fresh and crunchy and delicious. Even without the dressing. Thank God they give you the dressing by the side. We finished it without looking at the salad dressing and after tasting the salad dressing I’m glad I finished the salad without a glance at it.

Overall I have to say salamander gave me food that would take me back to it. But I wasn’t impressed with the service. I felt at some point like I was intruding or unwelcome and that’s what happens when the human touch is disconnected with the idea a restaurant is trying to sell. If you can’t offer excellent service then do a buffet and ask customer to serve themselves.

I’ll go back to salamander again but I hope they’ll retrain staff to be a tad bit friendlier and also procurement department should pay attention to produce and its quality.

Oh and that double seater cushion couch, looks comfortable but definitely not for eating on a dining table.!

I’ll have lunch there again and maybe again (because of that couscous!) but make me feel like the king I am as a customer and you might be unbeatable! Goodluck.

Salamander Café LTD is located at no 5, Bujumbra Street, off Libreville, Wuse II, Abuja. Phone Number: 07027850932.

PS: I didn’t leave any tip because I was charged 10 percent service charge, I say you’ve tipped yourself already, and also I didn’t get a smile!!