It had been a long Saturday of gallery hopping with my friends and I. All the driving and walking around in the Lagos heat really takes its toll on your energy levels; so we just needed a relaxed place to eat and have a couple of drinks.
We decided to try out The Vibe, a fun-dining lounge on Akin Olugbade street. The Vibe is an eclectic mix of spaces, with each one providing its own unique... well, vibe. It has spacious indoor seating with terraces, outdoor seating with a stage to watch performances, and an amazing bar.
The multi-coloured indoor lights are a bit much for me and didn't do much to accentuate the walls, the interesting art or the furniture. The music was my favourite part of the establishment, low and ambient, perfect for conversation.
We took a look at the menu and it was a nice one - not too many options, readable text and well spaced out. Pricing is competitive, nothing that would scare you off so we did drinks, starters and mains. I'd like to see a bit more variety in the menu however, seems like the chef is playing it safe.
The lads got the usual mortuary standard Heinekens while the ladies got a Tropicana and a Chapman. The girl's drinks were very good and you could really taste the refreshing fruits that went into them; they had to order another round.
For our starters, we got the Peppered Wings and Chicken Satay Skewers. These were both bursting with juices, and come with extra sauces for you to further the flavour complexity.
Our mains were good as well; we had the Prawn Linguini, Pasta Aribiata, Steak Sandwhich and Spicy Beef Ribs.
The Prawn Linguini had a rich, creamy taste and each bite was soulful and came with mild heat. The prawns were lovely; fresh, meaty and perfectly cooked. I would recommend adding some freshly cracked black pepper to the pasta and some garnish for the visual allure.
Our other pasta dish was flavourful but a bit too spicy. This can be indicated on the menu or the spice can be toned down, because as lovers of spicy food, we were still a bit surprised. Once again, something green on top would be a nice touch of contrast.
The steak in the sandwich was tender and worked well with the fresh lettuce and juicy tomatoes. However, I think this sandwich can be elevated with a lightly toasted bun and a healthy slather of something beyond the common sauces we are accustomed to. The fries were great as well!
There was quite a wait for the Spicy Beef Ribs to come, it wasn't great that we didn't all get our food at the same time. The meat tasted great however, it was slow-cooked and fell off the bones with little effort. I typically don't enjoy sweeter sauces but the barbecue sauce here worked great, however the adjoining mashed potatoes needs a little bit more richness.
Our waitress was on hand to handle all of our needs in the most polite manner and she made sure we enjoyed our time at The Vibe. I was particularly impressed by the quality of their food, especially since it's a newer space. There is stiff competition in that area, but this is also an opportunity. There is a solid foundation on which to build on and once they get into their stride, this could be one of the go-to spots in Victoria Island.
Check out their instagram page HERE, and don't forget to share.