The Return

Hello there, I know it’s been a while and here I am just saying ‘hello there’. Well, here it is, I am so sorry. Sincerely sorry and apologise for the long disappearance. Work’s been quite hectic so keeping steady on blogging has been demanding. But hey! It’s different now, I have something planned, and I mean I have a way around it all now. I promise to remain steady and relevant...lol
First things first though, I plan to make some changes on the page as you will notice as the week goes on, there’ll also be more pages in terms of content. That of course is aside the usual – events, entertainment gist, interviews and other random articles. New pages like People Are Talking About.., Top 10 Favourites Things, The Diner, How-to’s, Book, music and movie reviews, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, among others.
Well then, let me stop at that (you know, say less, act more). I should get back to planning the plan..lol for better production.

Have a terrific week ahead.

Remember: De’Buzz is back!

Quote: “The more you complain, the less you obtain.”

Enjoy!

A Trip on Sushi @ Bonsai

Sushi is thought to be an acquired taste and might not be for everyone, but the chef at Bonsai restaurant in VI prepares wonderful sushi that changes minds..

Sushi is just the beginning, as the original menu at Bonsai rivals the beauty of its setting. The chef at Bonsai took the Japanese menu and put his own twist on it in a way that will bring satisfaction to any and all taste buds. I will say I am not only a novice when it comes to sushi, but it would not be my first choice when it comes to dining. In amazing fashion, the Bonsai chef changed my mind. Not only did he provide two dishes that passed the taste test, but they were so tantalizing they have made me a fan of sushi—at least at Bonsai. The softshell crab was the best I have ever tried. I would say the ginger added a nice flavor, but what really set this dish apart was the crunchy texture of the tempura; it was a delightful extra touch. The second sushi dish that grabbed my taste buds was the poppin’ spicy crab. Mosttimes I can tell if a dish is original, and well it might not be all that original; but assuredly, this one is. The secret ingredient is pop rocks. I could hear the sushi popping when it was served, and I could feel the popping as I aet it. This dish does a wonderful job of walking me through the layers of flavour. The first sensation is, of course, the popping, which started me off with a sweetness and just a hint of crunchy texture. Next I received the crab, well-blended with just a slight flavoring from cucumber and asparagus; finally, just as I was about to finish, I was given that final kick of spice that finished it off in very nice fashion: not too hot, but just a nice, subtle transition, the same as the other flavours.

Ofcourse, Bonsai does not forget someone like me who is looking for a main course dinner to satisfy my hunger. The chef has put together a few Kobe beef-based items that are all outstanding. But if I had to pick just one, the Kobe beef short ribs are a choice I can’t go wrong with. The ribs are boneless and prepared so tenderly that I wondered how they stayed together on my plate, as at the first sign of my fork they began to fall apart.

This would not be a Japanese restaurant without some sake, and when I say some sake, I mean sake like has never been seen sake before. Bonsai has a vast assortment of sake, for me, I didn't have to worry because they also offer plenty of other more reasonable and tasty sake thatkept me satisfied. Because it was sought of my first time giving sake a try, I went with sake tasting to let myself experience a variety of flavours. Of course sake is not for everyone, and there are a number of great drinks that are special to Bonsai. My favorite is the Infusion martini. Not overly sweet, this libation is mixed with kai lychee blueberry-infused vodka and a hint of citrus, a great way to start the evening.

Not that I needed an excuse other than the food to visit Bonsai, but the fact that I heard Bonsaia has a good setting is not a bad bonus. Bonsai is a lovely place for a romantic evening.

The most surprising thing about Bonsai, other than the pop rocks, is the cost. For a restaurant in Victoria Island with such a stunning view, I found it is one of the more reasonable restaurants on the strip. The other noteworthy part of Bonsai is the service: not only was the entire staff friendly and always on top of things, but my waiter, knew the menu up and down and every recommendation he made was stellar.

Events

THEATRE
Theatre @ Terra
‘Who’s Afraid of Wole Soyinka?
Date: Every Sunday in June
Time: 3pm & 5pm
Venue: Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage Street, VI
Ticket: N2, 500
Directed by Sola Roberts Iwaotan
Enquiries: 08081239477, 070283672280 or laspapi@yahoo.com; wole@nigeriantheatre.com


ENTERTAINMENT

Miss Top Model and Mr Handsome Nigeria 2010
Date: Ongoing till 10th July
Time: 9am
Venue: Port Harcourt

Twiterave – 1st Naija Twitter Party
Date: 26th till 27th June
Time: 8pm
Venue: Club Karma, Off Ajose Adeogun, VI

RISE NATIONAL YOUTH FORUM, 2010

Date: Saturday, July 17, 2010
Time: 7:30am - 4:00pm
Venue: Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria.

ESSAY AND PHOTOGRAPH COMPETITION
Call for Essays/Short Stories and Photographs
For a Publication on:
UNITY IN DIVERSITY: DIVERSITY IS POSITIVE FOR NIGERIA
Age Limit: 18years to 35years
Deadline for submission: 31st August 2010
Notification: Selected entries will be notified before 9th October 2010
Further Information:
Heinrich Böll Stiftung
16a, Oladipo Diya Street
2nd Avenue Extension
Roselyn@boellnigeria.org
www.boellnigeria.org
Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at 11:00am

The Lagos: 2060 Open House (Book) Party on Saturday the 3rd of July
Date: Saturday, July 4, 2010
Time: 2:00pm - 7:00pm
Venue: 44A Palm Avenue, MKO Abiola Gardens, Alausa, Ikeja

Thematic Exhibition on Fabric by Terra Kulture
Enquiries:

Bisola TAE Fashion
Date: 4th July
Time: 2pm
Venue: Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage Street, VI

Joe Nsek & group exhibition
Date: 9th till 14th July
Venue: Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage Street, VI

1st Annual Creative Careers Fair
Date: 15th June till 20th July
Time: 10am – 5pm
Venue: Lagos City Hall, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island.

Filleto Milano is Legendary!

I have a secret to share, a good friend of mine whom I would say has a unique taste in men once told me that if I ever desired to see the most good looking, handsome, charming and mouth watering, yes, mouth watering Labanese guys in Lagos (all at once that is), then I should visit the delectable Piccolo Mondo restaurant located on Idejo Street, in Victoria Island.

The day arrived of course, the day I thought I could hold a enough breath to glance through and through a long queue of "handsome, good looking and charming (don't these words mean same by the way?) guys". I planned my day well - early to start work early to finish, called my strong- hearthed girlfriend. At least she would analyse the guys while I analyse the menu. Well planned I thought.





We went to Piccolo on a Thursday evening, we had not booked but on arrival the staff were very welcoming and immediately took our drinks order and showed us to a nice lounge area we were served our drinks while we looked through the extensive menu. A fine looking waiter took our food order, he was extremely helpful and explained the sauces and different dishes on offer. The wildboar sausages from the specials board were fantastic, my friend had steak as the main course stuffed with cheese and topped with parma ham, I had the salmon with a mixed side salad, my friend had the Seabass which was cooked to perfection while we shared a bottle of wine.

Looking at the menu we were pleasantly surprised at how reasonable the prices were especially in comparison to some other restaurants on the island. The restaurant is tastfully decorated, warm and comfortable with proper table clothes and napkins.

It's been a while we visited but I have consistently visited because the place is so consistent, a rarity I have found in so many other places I dine in. When I visit this restaurant I feel it provides a few hours of escapism and sheer indulgence. The ambience is fantastic, discreet , candle-lit and relaxing , just the way I Iike to dine. Again a rare scenario , as so many restaurants cram in as many as they can and urge them out the doors. This place is fantastic...best fillet steak I have ever tasted, Filleto milano is legendary! I really should try something else from the menu some day but I seriously love this combination of succulent fillet, dolcelatte cheese all lovingly wrapped in a sheet of parma ham.

The staff are tentative and nothing too much trouble. (My pet hate is to be served by someone who makes no eye contact when you place your order and appears distant and unresponsive to questions regarding dishes) Here I feel special, a tasty meal and a long array of fine guys.

The only negative point I could think of is that the waiting area at the front of the restaurant is very small and people may be required to stand while you wait to be seated. Luckily, this must be one of the reasons why the service is so organised because they won't have the diner waiting there for long. I would highly recommend Piccolo for an Italian dine in an authentic, relaxed, romantic surrounding which serves top class food.

Events this week and beyond

THEATRE

Theatre @ Terra Presents Wole Oguntokun's
Who's Afraid of Wole Soyinka?
Date: Every Sunday in June
Time: 3pm and 6pm
Venue: Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage Street, off Ahmadu Bello Way, VI
Ticket: N2500
Directed by Sola Roberts Iwaotan
Enquiries:08081239477, 070283672280 or laspapi@yahoo.com; wole@nigerian-theatre.com

Dance Ave @ Terra
Learn to dance the right way
Every 2nd Saturday
Time: 8am
Enquiries: 01 2700588, 080733803

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80
Every 2nd Saturday
Time: 8pm till midnight
Ticket: N2, 500

ENTERTAINMENT

The 1st Bi-Annual Taste Event
Food and Lifestyle, Exhibition and Fair - featuring 30 + restaurants, food vendors and other lifestyle vendors all in one location.
Date: 18th - 20th June
Time: 12pm - 8pm
Venue: Landmark Village Events Centre, Water Corporation Drive Victoria Island
Enquiries: 07028263888, 07066598474

1st Annual Creative Careers Fair
Date: 15th June till 20th July
Time: 10am - 5pm
Venue: Lagos City Hall, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island

Alibaba Presents Alligations
Featuring KSA, Alibaba, Dan Maraya, 2Face
Date:13th June
Venue: Civic Centre

Miss Top Model and Mr Handsome Nigeria 2010
Date: ongoing till 10th July
Time: 9am
Venue: Port Harcourt

Camp Get Away ....(2 Nights and 3 days)
Date: 11th till 14th June
Time: 4pm
Venue: Ancient Town, Badagry

Ankara Groove
Date: 25th June
Time: 3pm
Venue: Fountain of life church, industrial estate, by PZ industry, ilupeju

Twiterave - 1st naija twitter party
Date: 26th june
Time: 8pm
Venue: Club karma, off Ajose Adeogun, VI

June Celebrants Crazy Costume Party with Denrele
Date: 26th June
Time: 10pm
Venue: Lagos

Muson Centre Concert and Events

Diploma Band and Orchestra Concert
Date: 14th June
Time: 4pm
Venue: Agip Recital Hall, Onikan

Diploma Band $ Orchestra Concert
Date: 14th June
Time: 4pm
Venue: Agip Recital Hall
Attendance is free

Ludareh Excite Fans with double performances Monthly

 Thursday last week witnessed Ludareh monthly gig extension at CMD garden, Magodo. Although Ludareh was new to patrons of the garden and other guests in attendance, they could not but listen and dance to his melody with sign of delight written on their faces. According to the band spokesperson , “our presence at CMD garden is in fulfilment of our promises to our loyal fans, build more fan base, and most importantly to draw more admiration to juju music genre as we have done  in the last 10 months at Martino’s open view bar, Alausa”. The band also continued with the usual gig at Martino’s open view bar on Friday which also witnessed commendable performance from the band

A Royale Experience...

Moderate great breakfast is that meal of the day I rarely eat. Which is a good thing considering the amount of food I consume at other mealtimes. I know, I know I should still have some sort of cereal, or fruit and yogurt, or vegan smoothie energy shake thing, but I can’t deal with that. I can barely adjust to being awake most mornings, let alone dealing with the issue of digestion. So it is coffee, direct from my kitchen with bread from Big Treat or Butterfield.

But this week, I am a changed woman. I am all about breakfast. The reason for my change of heart is not because some wonderful new man has entered my life who springs from bed every morning to make me homemade breakfasts of fluffy omelets, crispy bacon, home fries, and assorted breakfast pastries, neither is it because I now temporarily stay on the Island. No. Here in what is known as the real world, the reason I am in love with breakfast is the Café Royale, part one of this newly opened Cafe, located at the newly refurbished building opposite Chocolate Royale, on Etim Inyang Crescent, VI. I’ll be straight with you here. Cafe Royale’s breakfast menu will have you bouncing out of bed at first light, and running on over there in your wrinkled PJs, with crusty eyes, and dragon breath. I suggest washing up and brushing those teeth first, and perhaps running a comb through your matted hair though cause you might feel a bit out of place in your sheep-covered flannels at Cafe Royale if you know what I mean. This place is glamorous and elegant, and not appropriate for casual sleepwear.

I guess it was sumptuously designed by the best interior designers we have around here, the Café is a smooth, elegant chocolate-toned room with cozy tables for two and luscious banquettes for more. It is fancy, in a civilized old world New York sort of way. The original floors are made of tiny little golden tiles, and the ceilings are high, with crown moldings etched in complementary gold hues. The bar, has an illicitly romantic feel to it, even in daytime. It is a sexy and snuggly room. It felt so warm and cozy in there that I expected to walk outside and find the streets hushed with freshly fallen drops or rain. But back to the breakfast, where you probably won’t be drinking at the bar (but stay long enough and you will)—I loved i t. Whatever drama befalls the chef but I would say the meals are cautiosly prepared at Cafe Royale. The meal my cousin and I had there the other day was divine. First of all, our server, could not have been nicer. I don’t know if they hand out happy pills before service or what, but I have never had a waiter who was just so sincerely eager to make sure we were comfortable and happy. (My cousin wanted to take him home with her.) And the food he brought us just kept us in a state of constant bliss. If only life were always like this. Our breakfast feast began with the Organic Soft Boiled Egg, served in a little cast iron plate filled with crisped nuggets of bread, cousin called out for something which I didn't hear and she has promised not to say but it appeared to be thickened cream. Yes, so good for the thighs. The egg was an alabaster masterpiece—an egg as art. The white was cooked just enough, and the hot yolk ran all over the lardons, and mixed with asparagus marmalade and that savory cream sauce. I was loving it. Other egg dishes take a more rustic route. The meals here are like something from a heavenly food truck stop somewhere in the beyond here.

Two fried eggs are served in a cast iron skillet crowded with a mess of buttery roasted fingerling potatoes, mushrooms, and roasted red peppers. It’s simple and it’s darn good, especially because it is served with grilled bread so you can mop off the yolks and leave a nice clean skillet. My cousin seemed to be on a yolk-mopping mission. She was dedicated to making sure the skillet she returned to the kitchen was spick and span. As cousin continued to clean her skillet of its egg and potato contents, we got into a discussion of how exactly I was going to get over my lost chef, whose absence from my life has been really difficult to adjust to. We rehashed the relationship, the break up, and my current state of heartache. She listened to me ramble on and hugged me and told me I would be okay. Funny, I am matured and my cousin is still hugging me and telling me everything will be okay.

Pathetic? Probably. But true. She told me it would just take some time. “I know that, cousin, but the process of getting through enough time so that the hurt goes away is a total drag,” I told her. “I don’t like feeling this way, with this big hole in my life, and my heart.” Morever the chef probably does not know I still miss his absence after all this while - how long has it been by the way, 4months?. And so I sat there, with tears running down my face while she finished her eggs. I was quite a sight. Our dear waiter, looked like he wanted to come over and give me a hug. I could have used it.

Look, I hate to sound so whiny. And this one wasn’t even so bad. The last one, which I had for just a duration of 2months didn't last , we broke up the day I was informed by the Manager of the restaurant that my beloved chef had moved back to his country - I was heartbroken. At the time, I thought it was fatal. But it wasn’t. I lived through it. But even when it doesn’t feel fatal, even when it’s just a flesh wound like now, it hurts. I guess anytime you give a piece of yourself up to a creative chef, only to have the whole thing fall apart, you’ve got to find a way to get that piece back again. And that takes time. And I think I just thought this time would be different. It felt different. And then it wasn’t. And that is what hurts more than the broken heart—the dashed expectations and the missed special meals I belived were specially made for me alone. It is just really disappointing. But alas! Hey, I just a new one - yes, the chef at Cafe Royale.

Anyway, soon I was sick of listening to myself moan, and I regained my composure, and we were ready to try the next meal, Leo, a brilliant take on the bagel and lox for those who can’t deal with all that bagel but really love the stuff that comes with it. Cafe Royale's version takes a pair of thin crisp wafers of a sliced bagel and fills them with layers of house-smoked salmon, whipped crème fraiche, tomatoes, sliced hard boiled eggs, capers, and shaved onion. It’s really the best way to taste all the ingredients, because you are not overwhelmed by doughy bread. It also leaves you more room to have the French Toast which is a ridiculous exercise in excess. I could barely eat more than one bite, so I recommend ordering it, but maybe just having it to share with your table, or just to look at. The French toast, which is more like a giant flapjack, is fashioned from buttery and golden brioche that is sliced in half cross-wise, and filled with fig jam and topped with a scoop of melting hazelnut butter. One bite fills your mouth with the flavors of sweet warm butter, figs and hazelnuts. It’s fairly phenomenal. And that day, it was the breakfast equivalent of a pint of a wonderful ice cream eaten with a spoon on the couch, with no intention of returning it to the freezer. The Café Royale also serves lunch, a fun menu that includes the burger (N550) with shallot tempura and special sauce on a toasted English muffin, lacquered pork with hushpuppies, pickled jalapeno and creamed corn, and duck frisee lardon salad (N850), with crispy Chinese duck leg, remoulade, and pickled red onions. But who needs lunch? People, it’s all about breakfast. And until I have a man in an apron in my kitchen, I’ll be at Cafe Royale