Maple

9 Otunba Adedoyin Ogungbe Crescent, Lekki Phase I | Instagram | 0913 500 0462

I must admit, this is one review I’ve been holding back on because it was important to me to get it right — so much so that I went to Maple twice.

First things first, you might want to call ahead to book a reservation because both times I visited, it was full to the brim. I went to Maple the first time for breakfast and, in terms of the vibe, it’s a check. The decor is simple, fresh and clean, and I quite like the greenery around the restaurant as well — that always ups the look and feel of a space.

After a good look at the menu, I settled on the Creamy Lemon Pancakes and Lychee and Pineapple Smoothie (by the way, what’s with the sudden lychee craze? It’s all over my feed). The pancakes were standard and it could have done with a bit more on the flavour front, but that lemon cream sauce drizzle on it took it to another level. It was the *perfect* balance of sweetness and tanginess; fresh and, to be honest, just the kind of feel-good meal you need at the start of the day or for brunch.

I had just that and left very, very happy. I even forgot it came with a side of bacon — that’s how distracted I was with that pancake-drizzle combo. The smoothie, on the other hand, wasn’t as exciting and I still can’t identify why. Maybe another flavour might have worked better, but I’m not crying too hard over that.

Now, let’s talk about my follow-up visit for lunch 🔥🔥 Oh boy! The food was so good that I didn’t even get mad at the long 40+ minutes wait time it took to get to me. P.S I don’t know if Maple was just having a slow day, but my feeling is that if you’re not that patient, you might want to try ordering something else.

I got the Prawn Pesto Pasta and asked for a sprinkle of chilli flakes, and this meal was *BUSSIN*. The pesto was creamy and tasty, the pasta was well-cooked, and the fresh parmesan on top was the cherry on top. I did that little dance you do when you eat something really top-notch.

My guest ordered the Creamy Hot Wings with Maple-Style Fried Rice, which came with a side of corn on the cob and French fries. The wings were so tasty, well done as well. The fries were actually not soggy, which is KEY and tasted good, but the corn on the cob, for me, was the star of the meal. It was buttery and I could taste every single spice they put on it. So delicious.

Unfortunately, the Maple fried rice fell a bit flat. The rice was a little bit overcooked and that’s a no-no for fried rice.

For dessert, I went with the Smith’s Vanilla Cake, which confused me a bit because when it came out, it was quite a large chunk of cake. We struggled to finish it because we were so full at this point, but on an emptier stomach, I could have done better justice to this bad boy. It was so good — the cake was moist, I loved the cream around it and the strawberry sauce drizzled over it; truly the perfect way to end our date. Also worthy of note: For a Lagos restaurant, the portions were really fair for the price point.

For cocktails — both of which we enjoyed 👌🏾 — I got the Monalisa and my guest had the X, which came with full senrere and at least, entertained us for a bit.

postscript

I’d love to eat at Maple again on a weekday when it’s less busy.

verdict

damage

Creamy Lemon Pancakes — N7000

Creamy Hot Wings — N7000

Prawn Pesto Pasta — N12000

Maple Fried Rice — N3500

Lychee and Pineapple Smoothie — N5000

Monalisa Cocktail — N7000

Bacon & Maple Cocktail — N7000

Smith’s Vanilla Cake — N7000

Parking

It can only take about 3 cars, so you may have to use street parking.