#VRW2018 @ HARD ROCK CAFE.
21.11.18
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WEARING
ASOS JACKET || MISS SELFRIDGE TOP || ZARA JEANS || RENAISSANCE BY JANET SHOES || LEKKI ARTS & CRAFTS MARKET BAG
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ASOS JACKET || MISS SELFRIDGE TOP || ZARA JEANS || RENAISSANCE BY JANET SHOES || LEKKI ARTS & CRAFTS MARKET BAG
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I'll start off by saying that there were five of us and we shared three three-course meals. We had one of everything on the #vrw2018 menu except the Spicy Jollof Rice and I'd like to believe that we all left satisfied. Not stuffed but definitely satisfied. Below is a breakdown of what we had:
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| LEFT: GRILLED CHICKEN SUYA || CENTER: RED HOT CHILLI FRIES || RIGHT: ROCKIN' WINGS |
Grilled Chicken Suya: This was decent. The menu claims that the skewers have got a "Hard Rock twist" to them but really, they tasted like regular chicken suya.
Red Hot Chilli Fries: I burst out laughing when I tasted this starter because the fries were not "red hot". These were the mildest "red hot" fries I have ever tasted. They're supposed to be cajun-spiced but I think they skipped that. Don't get me wrong, they were great fries but they did not match the description. Still, this was my favourite out of the three starters I tried. I liked the cheese sauce that came with the fries so much that I held on to it for the next course.
Rockin' Wings: These were okay and I haven't got much to say about them except that I think 7 is a weird amount of wings for a serving. It's usually 6 or 12? Typing this and looking over the menu, I've just realised that we were supposed to able to choose between having our wings coated with either Suya Spice or Chilli Pepper Sauce. The waitress didn't bring this up and I can't tell what we were served.
MAINS
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| TOP: SOUTHERN SPICE COCONUT CHICKEN CURRY WITH STEAMED RICE || BOTTOM LEFT: CLASSIC 8OZ BURGER WITH ONION RINGS || BOTTOM RIGHT: PASTA ARRABIATA |
Southern Spice Coconut Chicken Curry with Steamed Rice: This was a hit! I wish we'd skipped the burger and got two of these, it was that good!
Classic 8oz Burger with Onion Rings: The burger was supposed to come with fries but right after the waitress cleared our starter plates she ran back out and announced that they had run out of fries. We were asked to choose either onion rings or a salad as a substitute. You guys, my friends tried to choose a salad. I stood up for what I believed in and we ended up having onion rings. I do not regret that decision. Hands down, these are the best onion rings I've eaten in Nigeria. It didn't feel or taste like I was eating solid oil - I'm looking at you Johnny Rockets - they were nice and crispy. I didn't try the burger but the people that did say that it was "just there" and "nothing special". There was no cheese in the burger and that was a surprise to me. Cheese could've made it better alas, cheapskates can't be choosers lol. I bet we could have asked for cheese added on at an extra cost.
Pasta Arrabiata with Garlic Bread: I assumed that there would be meat in this? Turns out this is the vegetarian option. Picky eaters beware, it isn't stated on the menu that there's broccoli in this. I get the feeling that Uzoamaka and I were the only ones that enjoyed this dish as everyone else was indifferent.
DESSERTS
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| TOP: HOT FUDGE BROWNIE || BOTTOM LEFT: FRESH APPLE COBBLER || BOTTOM RIGHT: THREE LAYER CARROT CAKE |
Hot Fudge Brownie: First off, the brownie was rock solid. The chocolate sprinkles that were mentioned on the menu were nowhere to be found. Trying to eat this was like trying to eat a biscuit with a spoon. The menu describes it as a "fresh homemade brownie"... fresh? Okay. Taste-wise it wasn't bad. The struggle of trying to get the brownie on my spoon made me give up. Also, the brownie we were served looked nothing like the photo on the website. Laugh with me, please.
Fresh Apple Cobbler: The best dessert on the menu! This surpassed everyone's expectations, especially after trying the brownie. It was so good, we almost ate the plate. I wish there had been more to go round because it disappeared real quick.
Three Layer Carrot Cake: If you follow me on Instagram and watch my stories you probably know about my random carrot cake cravings. Carrot cake is probably my favourite type of cake. Coming from a carrot cake connoisseur, I would not recommend this carrot cake. Let's start with the obvious. How many layers can you count? Two. Where is the third layer? Why does it look like I was given a layer and a half? The menu describes it as a "moist carrot cake". It was for lack of a better phrase, "just there" in texture and taste. I'm really trying to hold back tears as I'm typing this because I was very disappointed, especially after seeing and expecting something close to the photo on Hard Rock Cafe's ig. I will add though that it was Cassie's first time tasting carrot cake and she liked it.
SERVICE & THOUGHTS
I really like the ambience and layout of the restaurant. They've got an outdoor seating area and a private beach at the back. They've also got overpriced, branded souvenirs for sale at the entrance. I've got my eye on a tee there alas, I can't bring myself to spend ₦10,500 on it.Hard Rock Cafe is one of those places with the stupid no-camera policy that seems to be popular at most locations in Nigeria. What's hilarious is that you're allowed to take pictures with your phones but actual cameras aren't allowed. This is a huge joke because there are mobile phones on the market that have got cameras that can compete with quite a few entry-level dslrs and mirrorless cameras - the majority of what the public has. I'm talking sharp pictures with no details missing. What then is the point of banning cameras? I will never be able to wrap my head around this.
I went with my camera but ended up using my phone for the photos above because I couldn't be bothered to argue with anyone.
Overall, I wouldn't say we got the best service. Our waitress had a serious attitude problem that we noticed at the beginning of our meal. When it was time to pay, she handed over the bill and walked away without waiting to ask us how we would be paying or if we had any issues with the bill. She disappeared. While trying to figure out why there was an extra ₦2,500 added to the bill, I tracked down a different waitress. I asked her what the service charge was and she didn't know what I was talking about. A shame to be honest. She had to send for the manager to speak to us. That's basic information that staff should know. It turns out that the service charge there is a whopping 20% of your total bill. That is the most I've ever had to pay for the subpar service that most Nigerian restaurants offer. Usually, it's 10% and even that makes my skin crawl.
The manager then apparently scolded our first waitress - the disappearing one - thinking she was the one that didn't know the service charge. Little Miss Haughty then came to our table to confront us, screaming that we falsely accused her. All this before rudely apologising for walking away. ₦5,000 for that service? Lovely.
If you wanna see more of what I got up to yesterday, you can view Cassie's vlog or check out my IG highlight!
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