Noel Par Chef Fregz

The Christmas holiday is hands down the best holiday of the entire year. Not only do we get to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus, we get to stuff our faces with food for days on end. Can I get an Amen!!?

Christmas with my family is the same every year. The girls spend endless hours cooking an array of dishes, we all 'over eat'and drink and pass out in front of the T.V. This year was no different. By the 29th however, we were all out of leftovers and I remembered there was some foodie event and so off I went to the GET Arena for Chef Fregz Special.( okay I didn't just remember, I had this circled on my calendar for months)

The Chef:

So I had read quite a bit about this French trained chef and to be honest I thought he was going to be super snobbish, so I was kind of ready not to like him. To my surprise he was really nice, like REALLY nice. He took time out from the kitchen to say hello to guests and make sure everyone was satisfied. So even if the food wasn't so great (the food was amazing), I would love it either way.

The Menu: The Menu had a musical theme with dishes named after the hottest Nigerian songs of 2013. Three main meals named So le? Eminado and Pull over. My least favourite song out of the three is Eminado(sorry Tiwa) so I tried out everything except that.

The Food:

SO LE? : So le was described in the menu as chicken pieces marinated with lemongrass, whole spices and a touch of efirin leaves. A yellow coconut curry formed the lake which  surrounded a very generous island of fried rice. Despite the attractive presentation, I thought the answer to the question So le would be Ko le. But there I go judging the dish without tasting it. This dish was off the charts. One of my tasting buddies almost licked the plate clean.

The curry sauce was fiercely flavourful and the touch of efirin leaves was a perfect combo of gourmet meets local cuisine. So le? O le gaan.


PULLOVER: Now singing ' Park! Baby o pullover ,' as the smiling waitress brought out the second meal.
It was smoked beef fillets with cranberry salsa sauce and cheese wrapped in a soft freshly made tortilla.

The abundance of black beans and rice(and duh the tortilla) reminded me vaguely of a Mexican taco. The sweet cranberry with smoked beef wasn't really cutting it for me, but the burst of cheese right in the middle made up for it.

DESSERT:
XO: I think I died and went to heaven when I had the XO which was a strawberry cheese cake with fresh strawberries in it.

I could eat this for the rest of my life

imagine an engagement ring hidden in this. just a hint fellas!

So the cake didn't quite set so it ended up being a bit of a custard but it was undoubtedly the most delectable dessert I've had all year. The crunchy crushed biscuit with the creamy strawberry was just decadence on a plate.

 Delivery Time: The meals came out about twenty minutes after the orders were placed, and the dessert in less than five minutes. For the presentation and taste, I think that was pretty fast.

Being the 12th Edition of Chef Fregz's Special, Chef Fregz is clearly not a novice and knows exactly what he's doing. He's been able to tailor his French culinary skills to suit the average Nigerian's palate and create dishes that are impeccably michellin starred restaurant standard and yet not too pretentious. He's definitely one to watch out for.

*  Chef Fregz is available for events. Send an e-mail to info@cheffregz.com.  
Happy Holidays Everyone, see you in the new year. 

French/Italian Cuisine? Oui, per favore

Just in time for French national day, I discovered a very chic restaurant that serves up not just French cuisine but also Italian. La Scala is nestled in the premises of the Musical Society of Nigeria Center, Onikan,(MUSON) home to classical music nationwide. It's strange how I've been to the Center so many times and never noticed the restaurant. So for those who have been just as oblivious of this hot spot, you are welcome.

The Ambiance: La Scala does its best to pay homage to both French and Italian influences with its decor. There is also an infusion of African and even Buddhist artifacts and artworks which work seamlessly together to create the elegant atmosphere. The large table seating and classical music wafting gently in the atmosphere was somewhat reminiscent of a scene out of one of the famous 'godfather' movies.

I can totally picture Don Corleone here

Bar stocked with the usual culprits, you can also get a coffee here

Informal seating by the bar

Erm...interesting

The Menu: At first glance the eight pages, categorized into soups,meats,fish,poultry, salads and vegetarian, did not seem intimidating. However ordering food seemed like an advanced French class, quite a tongue twister. Escargots `a la bourguignonne was just one of the words I had to pronounce, and all that boils down to is snails in garlic butter sauce.

The Food!!!:

The Entree: To be honest, asides the soups, which were pretty pricey, all the starters were a bit ridiculous. The first thing I ordered was something called a Carpaccio, which was described as thin slices of marinated beef topped with parmesan, safe enough. The waiter looked me dead in the eye and goes, 'Can you eat this?' And I retorted with an attitude filled " YES!!I have teeth," rolling my eyes. He smiled and explained to me that my beloved Carpaccio was RAW MEAT!! So let's say that the complimentary bread rolls and butter was more than enough for me. 

The bread rolls were soft and warm and served with just enough salted butter.

The Main meals:

The first hot meal was the "Supreme de volaille `a l'orange" (yes it's okay to bite your tongue trying to pronounce that). This meal is essentially two thinly sliced strips of chicken, sautéed in fresh cream and orange sauce. It also comes with a side serving of plain white rice. 

The sauce was really exquisite, but the corn, peas and carrots swimming in it just reminded me of a bag of store bought mixed vegetables. The flavours from the vegetables did not blend too well with the orange sauce, and just distracted from the rich flavour of the sauce. 

The chicken on the other hand was amazingly seasoned and cooked to perfection.

The second main meal was the "La Tamboure exotic" aka grilled croaker fish in a Hawaiian spicy pineapple sauce. This was a really bold choice for me, because I absolutely hate all types of fish, but after tasting this, I just might have a change of heart. 

Sugar snaps on the side

Two generous slices of spicy grilled fish on a plateau of mashed potatoes surrounded by pineapple sauce with diced peppers and pineapples in it was really an amazing burst of flavours all at once. 

The slice of lemon squeezed on the fish gave it a zesty flavour. Simply ambrosial.

Dessert: For dessert I was expecting a continuation of the French theme with chocolate pastries or airy souffles, but I was disappointed with the mundane option of either ice-cream or fruit salad. It was as though whoever designed the menu just couldn't be bothered to think of anything unique.

The ice-cream was rich and creamy but honestly, I could get that any good ice-cream spot in Lagos.

Wine: What's a french restaurant without wine eh? La Scala has an extensive supply of wines and champagnes (which I spied some bishops knocking back). 

If you are staying away from the bottle, not to worry they make a mean and affordable Chapman, and you can pretend it's red wine.

Portion Control: I actually expected the meals to be much smaller, so I was pleasantly surprised that each meal could feed a party of two. The idea is not to get stupid full. If you have a really healthy appetite, then a plate should be just fine for you.

The Staff: The waiters were clearly heaven sent as they saved me from ordering raw meat. They are excellent food guides. Make sure you ask them for their recommendations, they'll be sure to help you make edible choices. 

Like all fine dining, La Scala is NOT CHEAP!!A three course meal for two will set you back about N 15,000.

15 what!!?

Pocket change for some but not for all. But if you are looking to impress, this is the perfect setting for a power lunch to broker some multimillion transaction or just a cute dinner for two, your call.

La Scala is open for lunch from 12 p.m-3 p.m, and dinner's served from 7 p.m t0 11 p.m.

They've added an extra 30 minutes

*La Scala is located within the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos. Call 08032963051 for your reservations. 

As always, feel free to leave your comments and/or questions. Au revoir and happy French National Day.