Review: Ile Iyan (Lekki)
Ile iyan
Plot 6, Dr. Muiz Banire Street. Lekki Phase 1
Toni: I found out about Ile Iyan when they first opened and itās been on my list ever since. As an Ijeį¹£a babe, you canāt tell me thereās a space dedicated to pounded yam and expect me to not do anything about it. But going there takes some planning, if Iām eating pounded yam, I need to be sure I have no other plans for the day because it takes me out. The opportunity arose when a lunch date got canceled and Imoteda mentioned it as an alternative. I was too ready.
Imoteda: I got there first and really I must applaud their social media person. I have seen shoe boxes larger than this space. It was pretty packed and they tried to sit me outside. Insert Iyanlaās not on my watch gif cause I am not doing that. I am a soft babe and I need AC. They managed to move some people around and find me a space for two. It was tight but better than being outside. Luckily not long after I was seated, a group left so I could breathe.
This is the only picture we could get of the space because it would have been too invasive for others since it was such a small space
Toni: I was definitely shocked at how tiny the place was. I had seen pictures and did not expect it to look like that. Honestly, I was prepared to head home when Imoteda called to say we might have to sit outdoors. I canāt eat hot egusi and pounded yam in the Nigerian sun. I was not built for suffering plis. I was greeted by a very pleasant lady in aso-oke, the full works: iro, buba, gele and beads to match. She greeted us in Yoruba and handed the menus over.
Imoteda: I loved the hostessā aso oke outfit. I feel like I wanna start wearing that daily.
Toni: The menu was pretty straight to the point. All the meals were pounded yam with either egusi or efo, the only differentiating factor between the items were the types (and quantity) of meat. I did notice that the prices were different from the prices on their Instagram. I later found that they had just changed them that day. This administration needs to crumble.
I chose egusi cause I donāt believe in efo riro. I find it to be so lazy and boring. Stewed vegetables? Yoruba people need to try a little harder with their soups, have they not seen their mates? As Iām not a criminal, I settled for their Deluxe Meal: two pieces of goat meat and one piece of snail. I also got a bottle of zobo causeā¦ why not?
Imoteda: I am very much a criminal so I got the Olobe lo Loko (Itās the owner of the soup that owns the husband). Itās actually what my uncle calls me because I cook. I found that funny. I got the efo riro cause forget what Toni says, good efo riro bangs! Also Yoruba people have plenty of soups, itās not our fault you don't want to research.
Toni: Please, someone should help me with this extensive list of Yoruba soups in the comments. Iām tryna see something.
Imoteda: They had cocktails on the menu but apparently their bartender wasnāt around so I just got water. I definitely think they should have palmwine on their menu.
Toni: The food came and I was super excited. The lady who had greeted us brought it in a cute basket. The pounded yam was wrapped in leaves. I personally donāt care for that cause the leaves add their own taste and pounded yam is already perfect on its own. There were two wraps of pounded yam and the egusi portion was large. The pieces of goat meat were also quite big. The snail was on the small side but I know how much snails cost, especially in the dry season, so it was expected. We were asked if we wanted cutlery or a bowl of water to wash our hands. Omi iį¹£owo wayyy. I donāt love eating messy food with my hands but I was in the spirit. Maybe it was that aso-oke babe. I was ready for the full experience
Imoteda: The efo riro was a huge portion. No wonder they were packed! The goat meat was massive which I found intimidating. I donāt like big meat, cut it into small small pieces for me please. The snail was small but thatās fine. The turkey was a good size. I really liked the presentation in the basket and the wooden bowls which were all slightly different. Felt very authentic. This is where I will take my oyibo friends.
Olobe Lo Loko
Toni: I found the pounded yam interesting. Both the texture and the taste were different. I assumed the taste was influenced by the leaves it was wrapped in but Iām not completely sure. As for the texture, it was extremely soft. I honestly thought it was poundo at first and I was ready to fight with everyone but it definitely did taste like real yam. I was later told that Ondo people make their pounded yam extremely smooth and soft. They really beat that yam into submission. I think they beat some of the personality out of the yam too and thatās why it tastes different. As an Ijeį¹£a babe, I need small resistance from my pounded yam. Soft still but I need to be able to taste and feel its journey.
Imoteda: I did not like the pounded yam. It was way too soft and sticky. I ate half of it to say I did and then just focused on my efo riro which was AMAZING. Flavourful, plenty iru, perfectly seasoned, lots of dry fish but not bony. It was so good! Infact as I am typing this, I am tasting it and I know what I am getting today. The goat meat was tough and difficult to eat so I gave up after one piece. The snail was quite tender which was good. I was dipping it in the efo riro so I donāt know if it was seasoned but I enjoyed it. The turkey was reasonably tender and well seasoned. My hands were a HOT MESS. Just oil and leaves everywhere. I can never go here on a date. Mo ma hembarazz everybody.
Toni: I thought the egusi was really good. It needed a touch of salt but I do have a salt problem so that might just be me. It was a little oily but I thought it was a perfect amount of oil for the pounded yam. I appreciated that it didnāt have fish bits in it. I really hate when they do that but most places do it so eating Nigerian soups gets tricky for me. The egusi was flavorful and I enjoyed every bit of it. My experience with the meat was the opposite of Imotedaās. The snail was underwhelming; it was a little harder than I would have liked and it didnāt really have any flavor. My goat meat, however, was very soft and nicely seasoned. I had a bit too much fun with it. Even with the pounded yam not being as I wanted it, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole meal. The zobo was pretty good too. It was strong, slightly sweet and (ginger) spicy.
Deluxe
Imoteda: Yea overall it was a great experience. I was pleased!
Toni: We did a prewash with the bowls of water we were given at first then asked for fresh bowls to do a second wash. I donāt understand how people use one bowl for the whole process, like before and after. O wrong nau.
Imoteda: Very much wrong, especially after the mess I made.
Toni: Getting our bill took forever though. We couldnāt find anyone for a while and when someone came along, they ran straight to the kitchen. We felt bad for people who were waiting to place their orders so we didnāt make a fuss until they were sorted. The aso-oke lady eventually showed up and was very apologetic and friendly. She said they had issues with their computer and had difficulties printing the bill. She spoke in both English and Yoruba which I really liked. If you already couldnāt tell, I really liked her. She had a good personality and made the experience better.
POSTSCRIPT
Toni: I had a good time and would definitely go back or order for delivery. Even though I feel like itāll probably be a novelty thing for me.
VERDICT
Parking
Thereās a lot of parking since itās in a shopping complex
Damage
Deluxe - 9,000
Olobe lo loko - 14,000
Zobo - 2,000
Water - 500
