I find it weird that 2020 was the year I finally dropped by Maison Eric Kayser, ok given I have been out of Lagos full time for the last five years, and I only popped in briefly, but I’m still mad that it took me this long to discover the beauty that is Eric Kayser.
I made my first visit to Eric Kayser midway into the lockdown ease; at this time, restaurants were already opened, and they only had takeout options. All I did was grab a cup of hot chocolate, and my eyes opened up at the beauty I had ignored for so long.
On my second visit, however, dine-in options were now available Thank God, and I knew I needed to have Eric Kaiser at the top of my dine-in list.
The first thing I noticed was that they had a walk-in option, which means that even if you fail to make a reservation, you could still easily walk-in and be served. Now, I don’t want to assume, but this was my experience during a weekday. However, if you choose to go over the weekend, I would advise that you take out time to make a reservation to avoid walking in when they have no seats available.
I also noticed that the seats are still properly spaced to maintain social distancing; wearing masks was still compulsory. Everyone from the security to the servers had a mask on, which totally impressed me.
ORDERING
For takeouts, you can easily walk up to the counter to order whatever you want. However, you have to be seated for dine-ins and call for a waiter whenever you are ready. The waiters at Eric Kayser are always smartly dressed, white shirts tucked in and ironed black pants, all of which contribute to the restaurant’s aesthetics.
The menu is in a QR code at the edge of the placemat, which you have to scan to view. As cool as this is, I have to imagine what would be done if you don’t use a smartphone. Maybe they have a paper menu available for cases like that? I mean, I might test that theory out.
So, fast forward to scanning, now let’s talk about my major problem deciding what to eat. After spending a long day at work, I forgot to check out the menu to select my order. There I was, as usual, being my most indecisive self and calling the waiter then asking for more time for about 30 minutes, which, if you ask me, is ghetto.
THE FOOD
Before deciding on my order, I bought a desert and while I cannot remember the name, I vividly remember the moist burst of chocolate that came with every bite of the desert.
After a long 30 minutes of indecisiveness, I finally settled on the Maison Kayser Lasagna for my date, which included Lasagna, Bechamel sauce, asparagus, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, emmental & mozzarella.
Now that I look back, I don’t remember ordering the Bolognese, but I must have because that was what I got served. The Bolognese Spaghetti included spaghetti, minced meat, tomato sauce, and topped with shaved parmesan.
I have to admit, as sad as it is that the Bolognese didn’t bang with me, I don’t know if it was because i had a lot to eat earlier in the day or if I genuinely didn’t like it. The only part I really liked was the shaved parmesan on top; the rest of it was too “tomatoie” for me, so no thanks. I ended up having to swap meals with my date.
Now, the Maison Kayser Lasagna I loved, there’s something about cheese that just does it for me. All that cheesiness finding its way into my mouth and settling in my stomach; there was no way I could say no.
I loved that with each bite I took, I felt the fluffy, moist, cheesy top this dish came in. And that extra sauce, “ça m’ a mis l’eau à la bouche.”
For drinks, there was nothing I wanted more than a cup of hot chocolate, and that was exactly what I ordered. I love a great cup of chocolate, and I would definitely have one no matter the time of the day or the weather.
Just a tip Maison Kayser has excellent hot chocolate, and you should give it a try soon. On the other hand, my date had a milkshake, which the waiter recommended, which eventually turned out to be disappointing.
THE SERVICE
As usual, Maison Eric Kaiser came through with their impeccable service. I was very much impressed, there was always a waiter hovering around to answer any requests, but they were still discreet enough to not stay in your way.
They started us off with a bread basket which I appreciated although I do not eat bread and I left that untouched.
Also, I’m not too fond of the extra added consumption and VAT taxes they included at the end of the meal. This is precisely my problem with major restaurants in Lagos, but this is something the government makes them do, so we have no choice but to adapt.
In all, for me, Eric Kayser gets a strong 9/10, I deducted the last one for the extra consumption charges.
AMBIANCE
When it comes to photography and great ambiance, Maison Eric Kayser sits as one of the best restaurants to dine in. With indoor and outdoor dining options, the restaurant’s wooden floors and high ceiling adds a rustic yet elegant effect to your entire dining experience.
You can choose to either eat indoors or enjoy the cool breeze and silence of nature outside, which I doubt because Lagos drivers stay honking at every point in time.
The car parking space is quoted small, though, so on busy days finding a place to park could be difficult so maybe opt for a cab to save you that stress.
DAMAGES NAIRA
- Bolognese Spaghetti 4500
- Maison Kayser Lasagna 4800
- Hot Chocolate 2200
- Milkshake 2800
