I’m back again with another new spot in Abuja! I know, i know, you all have been dying to read about a new spot and that’s why i’m here to give you just that!
I found out about Papi grill through an instagram Ad and immediately i knew i had to visit and share all the juicy details. Papi grill is located at 45, Libreville Crescent Wuse, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. On the outlook, it appears like a small place but it’s actually quite spacious on the inside. I’m really excited for you to read all about it because i absolutely loved it. Scroll to read more.
Ambience
The cafe ambience is really unique. On the outside it gives Paris cafe vibes. It was decorated with beautiful rustic chairs and tables. The outdoor space is beautifully covered with canopies that keep you away from the sun during the day. There are also some lovely flowers which really add to the beauty of the space. The outdoor space gives you a view of the streets while you dine.
The indoor space is really something else. The black/brown wooden and leather interior combination is really a banger. At first you are met with a small space with bar stools and tables. When you proceed inside, there’s a bigger and more spacious room. There is also a bit of an enclosed private space that is just as pretty as the other spaces. The restaurant space is quiet and peaceful. The indoor space has large windows which gives you a view of the streets and compliments the vibe of the restaurant.
Menu
The cafe menu features quite a lot of food and drink options. I loved that they had quite the variety of starters, main dishes and desserts. They also have nice breakfast, lunch and dinner options. The menu pricing is in between affordable and expensive, depending on what you are going for.
Food & Drinks
For my food and drink, i wanted something tasty and spicy so i ordered the Penne in spicy alfredo sauce with chicken and veggies with a glass of orange juice. My sister ordered Turkish coffee with white chocolate banana bread.
Turkish coffee – NGN1,500
Before now, my sister and i had never tried Turkish coffee before so we were quite excited to try it. It was served in a cute tea pot with an option of extra honey and sugar. It was served hot & fresh so we really enjoyed it. The coffee was already mixed with milk and it tasted a bit spicy like it had some herbs or ingredients mixed in it. The coffee was unfiltered, which is apparently the way Turkish coffee is meant to be so you have to give it a good stir before drinking. I was glad they actually made a nice Turkish coffee and not a shabby mediocre attempt at one.
White chocolate Banana bread – NGN1,500
The serving of the white chocolate banana bread was actually beyond my expectation. It was beautifully served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a bit of a honey drizzle. The pairing of the banana bread with vanilla ice cream was great. The banana bread wasn’t too sweet, so the additional honey drizzle didn’t make it unbearable to eat. The banana bread itself was a bit dry and lacking moisture.
Penne in spicy alfredo sauce with chicken and veggies – NGN5,300
The penne pasta was a whole dish and more! When i saw it on the menu i thought the chicken and veggies would all be mixed together in the making of the pasta. I was surprised to see each component finely made on its own. The penne was indeed spicy, they did not lie about that! I have a very low tolerance for spicy food so it was a bit too spicy for me. Although i won’t lie, i cleared my plate because the meal was too good to not eat. I was prepared to face the consequences. The vegetables were soft and nicely cut. The vegetables had a little zesty flavor to it. The chicken on the other hand was a bit spicy as well. It was tender and tasty. All in all it was a great and very satisfying dish.
Orange juice – NGN1,500
First off, the orange juice was quite affordable so i expected the usual trend of restaurants just serving a glass of 5 alive orange juice instead of freshly squeezed orange juice. To my surprise it was actually fresh orange juice. I mean if it wasn’t, then they did a very good job of getting a nice packaged orange juice because it was really good and it tasted fresh and refreshing.
General Review
The cafe/restaurant service is really really great. It’s always very obvious when you enter a newly opened restaurant and you know they are READY! It’s not just some tight budget, unexperienced, poorly planned/managed place. Their ambience, service and food is awesome and they are most definitely off to a great start and it is really commendable. The one thing i would say doesn’t really settle well with me is the name of the place. Now the cafe is named ’Papi grill’ which automatically gives off the notion of an outdoor or grill kind of place but instead it’s not really like that. It is also a cafe/patisserie but has limited options of pastries on the menu. Kindly drop a comment or share your experience/thoughts if you visit papi grill.
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DIARY OF A SOFT BABE 