Little Lagos

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 In a city where authentic ethnic food is so commonplace, one cuisine Sydney is yet to fully embrace is African cuisine. I have only reviewed one other African eatery: Jambo Jambo in its old Crows Nest location (it has since moved to Glebe), and I had a splendid time. Jambo Jambo mainly serves Ethiopian food, whereas this eatery I'm about to review that is full of heart serves Nigerian cuisine. 

Little Lagos started as a pop up in Earl's Juke Joint, a cozy, moody bar hidden behind the façade of a butcher shop. It became so popular that earlier this year, it got its own permanent location in Newtown. The clientele appears to be a mix of Nigerian ex-pats and curious food lovers. No matter our background and level of experience with Nigerian food, we are there for a good feed and a good time.

Little Lagos, by the way, comes with its own in-house DJ. The atmosphere is decidedly lively and casual. Sometimes it can be a little difficult to hold a conversation above the noise, but overall, it has such a good vibe. 

Fried Plantains, $15
When I found out that there are more than 1,000 types of bananas in the world, my mind was blown. We only eat a very small portion of all the bananas out there, and in both cultures I'm familiar with (being Chinese and Anglo-Saxon), we generally eat bananas as a fruit. In many other parts of the world, however, plantain is considered savoury starch. In South America, for example, they are enjoyed with guacamole like chips (see my review of Mejico). While the plantain served at Mejico was dry and mild in flavour, the ones at Little Lagos are decidedly richer and much sweeter. It added a satisfying sweetness to the savoury goat stew we had as a main. 

Goat Stew, $28
The goat at Little Lagos is described as "farm to table", and is marinated in a beautiful, rich, deep sauce of tomatoes, capsicum, habaneros and onions. The Nigerian spices (I don't know what they are, but I love them unreservedly) pack an absolutely flavour punch. Despite its red colouring, there is no heat. 


Puff puff, $5

We had these freshly made and piping hot - what a treat! There is a distinct beer-like, yeasty flavour which is surprisingly comforting and pleasant, like a good sourdough would be. Not overly-sweet, these are bouncy, carby, and gorgeous even the next day: all you need is just a few turns in the microwave. Though definitely not as good as freshly-made puff puffs, I enjoyed my leftover with some homemade jam and it made a wonderful light breakfast. 

Score: 4/5
Price: approx $40pp
Address: 125 Enmore Rd, Newtown
Website: https://www.alittlelagos.com/


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