Review: Rapa Nui (Victoria Island)
Rapa Nui
Sol Oniru by Box Mall, Water Corporation Road, Trinity Avenue, Oniru | Instagram | 0912 690 0139
In my quest for a bit of gastronomic adventure, Rapa Nui, possibly Lagos’s first Polynesian restaurant, stood out to me. The restaurant also happens to conveniently be right by The Box Beach, so I was basically killing two birds with one stone.
Note: Entry into the restaurant is free, meaning you don’t have to pay the beach gate fee.
I lost my Rapa Nui virginity on a Sunday afternoon and boy, did I regret the timing because it was packed and boisterous. That definitely took away from the restaurant’s ambience, but my friend, who’d visited before on weekdays, attested to its otherwise chill nature (so maybe don’t go on a weekend?). To be fair, their terrace dining area was sparsely occupied but we couldn’t bear the sun outside. Still, I quite liked the rustic contemporary décor of the restaurant and, of course, the view of the beach from the first floor, where we were seated.
Even though the restaurant was crowded, it didn’t take long at all for us to get some service, once we settled in. I ordered the Kiko Moa as my main course and a Tikki Tropical for drinks. My friend was in the mood for ‘something light’, so she had the Chicken Salad (actually part of the starter menu) as her main and a Coco Loco Tikki cocktail. We ordered the Taro Fritto and Tres Leches cake as a shared starter and dessert. Again, kudos to Rapa Nui on their timing because in just about 10 minutes, our server was back with starters and drinks.
Taro Fritto
The Taro Fritto was skin-on sweet potato fries served with spicy lemon mayonnaise. The fries, crisp and slightly salted, went really well with the mayonnaise, although we wished they had been more generous with the mayo and served it loaded-fries style. Also, when I saw how large the portion was, I questioned why they had made something that filling a starter. We couldn’t finish it because we still had to make room for the rest of our meals, so we had the rest to go.
My Tikki Tropical went down very well too — an appropriate blend of boozy, fruity and sweet. On the other hand, my friend’s Coco Loco Tikki cocktail sort of fell short of our expectations. The menu described it as a Pina Colada Twist, but the twist was not in the room with us. It just tasted like a basic Pina Colada to me, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing; my grouch was just that they didn’t do justice to its name. It was also a tad bit too boozy.
Tikki Tropical
Coco Loco Tikki
20 minutes after we signified readiness, our main courses were served. The Kiko Moa was grilled chicken served with a Polynesian sauce and aromatic basmati rice, all of which I absolutely loved. The entire meal just had a really fresh and lush feel to it. The chicken was yum, crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside, and the sauce, which had a mix of veggies and fruit, had a bit of a mild flavour, but it still worked great with the rest of the meal.
There was also a pepper sauce, but it added nothing to the meal besides spiciness, so I barely used it; plus, once again, these portions were a lot. It was hard to believe that this meal was for one person, but that’s never a bad thing in a city that tends to lean towards giving less for more. More food to take home for me, ya know?
My friend’s chicken salad was equally enjoyable. The chicken was great and a bit smoky, and the veggies were fresh and well immersed in the cream.
Kiko Moa
Chicken Salad
P.S: I should note that Polynesian cuisine, or at least Rapa Nui’s version of it, might not be for you if you’re not a fan of mildly-seasoned food. After my visit, I had a conversation with another friend who was disappointed with their food and we pinpointed that her issue was mostly a palate thing. All this shalaye is so you don’t hold our neck after eating their food and possibly finding out you don’t like it 🙏🏽
Tres Leches
The dessert also came in good time and folks, I honestly think Rapa Nui’s Tres Leches takes the crown for the best dessert I’ve had in a Lagos restaurant. It wasn’t even our initial pick, but at the end of the day, we were very grateful it was the only option available on their already limited "Sweet Bites" menu. It was super moist, milky and all round exquisite. We legit couldn’t get enough of it.
POSTSCRIPT
A second visit? I will be there, no matter what (on a weekday)
verdict
DAMAGE
Taro Fritto – N3500
Chicken Salad – N6500
Kiko Moa – N7500
Tikki Tropical – N5500
Coco Loco Tikki –N5500
Tres Leches – N4000
Incl. 7.5% VAT and 5% Consumption Tax
PARKING
Lots of beach parking available
