Drink Lagos: Danfo Bistro & Dives
I GOT QUITE DRUNK AT DANFO!
That’s basically all you need to know about this review but because I am known as a champion in these drinking streets, I’ll go into details of my humbling experience. It was a really hot Wednesday and, with the usual Lagos traffic, it took me quite a while to get out of VI. Also, I really needed a drink. Very important detail. Danfo was the next spot on my list for a review so it made sense to stop by on the way home.
Bonus reason: a good friend, Kepemi, lives in the area so a good chat over drinks felt like a good way to end my day.
On my previous two visits to Danfo Bistro, the cocktail menu was still a work in progress but third time’s the charm. I was quite curious to see the cocktail menu and how creative they would be based on the whole Nigerian theme and vibe. The cocktail menu wasn’t particularly extensive. It’s split into five different sections:
Bloody Marys
Sangrias
Mojitos
Condocto cocktails (Danfo Bistro’s signature cocktails)
Bubbly cocktails
I definitely wasn’t ordering anything from the Bloody Marys so I decided to pick one each from the other four sections.
My friend was quite intrigued with the Condocto cocktails and her smart ass decided to pick a cocktail called E STRONG OO. Now this cocktail has Gin, Triple Sec, Ogogoro, Palmwine and Sugar Syrup. Normal Lala would get pretty excited when I see an interesting mix, but I kept looking at the ingredients and the name, and wondering why my friend was so excited. The name felt like a warning of some sort but you know how the thing goes, YOLO!
E STRONG OO
It came in a highball tumbler, which I expected, with no extra serenre so you know its straight to business with this drink. Took the first sip and I could taste everything. The gin, palmwine and ogogoro all announced their presence at the same time. Oh, and the sugar syrup too. I decided to give it a stir, which I wish I didn’t as the ogogoro and gin became so profound.
It’s not a drink for the faint hearted at all, I feel like you can legit have a heart attack if you take more than couple. You should have seen Kepemi’s face when she tasted it. She basically went, “yup, I probably shouldn’t have picked that”. I can’t believe we had ogogoro, gin and palmwine in a glass and thought it would just be one of those usual overhyped cocktails.
Nope, definitely not.
During our drink, the senior bar manager, Sylvanus, really nice and polite guy, came to have a chat to make sure our drinks were good. Kepemi and I just giggled for no reason throughout the conversation. You should have seen the look on his face when he looked down and saw we had finished the E Strong O. I’m pretty sure he thought “ahhh, these ones are definitely on another level”.
It’s like a Naija version of a very strong Lagos Long Island and to be honest it was low-key not nice. I don’t see myself just walking into Danfo to order it unless I really need to have a wild night out and I need to get drunk quickly.
E STRONG OO definitely lives up to its name.
Danfo Mojito
Next, we ordered a Danfo Mojito. I felt bad about this because we already know Lagos bartenders and mojitos have a terrible relationship. It’s always too much leaves and sugar. The Danfo Mojito also had ogogoro and palmwine in it. Following the E Strong O, our eyes were still turning. We did, however, hope the ogogoro and palmwine would not overpower the drink but help balance the sweetness.
We got exactly what we wanted with this drink. It was not overly sweet and didn’t have as much mint leaves as mojitos in Lagos always do. I couldn’t really taste any of the ingredients distinctively so it was just a good mixture of everything and it worked. It’s not the best mojito I have ever tasted but definitely one of the good mojitos in Lagos. It will never be a first choice for me as I am not a fan of mojitos but if you’re looking for a mojito that is not on the sweet side and has a kick; I’d recommend the Danfo Mojito.
Zobo Sangria
At this time, we were definitely feeling the effect of all the alcohol. Kepemi was having a “slight headache” and my eyes were trying to decide if they wanted to stay open or shut, so we made sure there was no ogogoro or palmwine in our next orders. We went with the Zobo Sangria and ordered the Yam Con Carne to help with the alcohol.
I’ve had the zobo sangria both times I was at Danfo, it’s one of their signature cocktails and always the waiters’ first choice when you ask them to suggest a cocktail. It has dark rum, zobo, red wine and fruits. I was a fan from the first moment I tasted it and I am still a fan. Spicy, thanks to the ginger in the zobo, and fruity, the Zobo Sangria is a massive “yes” from me. This was the first cocktail at Danfo to put a smile on our faces.
Mimosa
At this point we were already finished from alcohol, so to finish ourselves finally, and in style, we decided to order a Mimosa. I mean, ain’t nothing wrong with a Mimosa on a hot Wednesday afternoon, right? Especially after you’ve had so much ogogoro, gin and palmwine, sigh.
I’ve never had a bad mimosa and I don’t even know if it’s possible to have a bad mimosa, so I wasn’t bothered in any way. Also at this point, anything would have tasted nice. The mimosa was a mix of orange juice, passionfruit and prosecco and it was great end to our Danfo Bistro experience .
L-R: Danfo Mojito, Mimosa, E Strong OO, Zobo Sangria
PS: Beware of the E Strong OO.
TL:DR
Good for: Dinner & Drinks
Food: Full Kitchen
Happy Hour: No | Bottle Service: No | Wine: Yes | Beer: Yes
DAMAGE
E Strong OO - N3000
Danfo Mojito - N4000
Zobo Sangria - N2000
Mimosa - N1500