THE COUNCIL ABUJA

I visited The Council Abuja with a few of my friends some weeks ago and it was an interesting experience. The Council is a nice blend of a casual dining restaurant and a lounge with pretty great music.

LOCATION

British council, plot 3645 Ibrahim Babangida Way, Maitama Abuja, Nigeria. Please note there’s no sign outside and Google maps is not 100% helpful. Just ask to be taken to the British Council.

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AMBIENCE

The space at the Council is actually smaller than I had imagined but it is just big enough for quite a crowd. There is a lounge area and dining area quite separated. At first, we sat at the lounge area then we were informed that bottle service starts in two hours (7 pm I think) so we moved to the dining area because we were there for food and cocktails.

Call me lazy or unfit but one thing I definitely didn’t like about their set-up was having to climb the steep stairs at the entrance, t’s very uncomfortable whether you’re going up or down. The interior is quite colourful with dim lights that set a really lovely mood once it’s getting dark.

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FOOD

We had:

• Samosa (5 pcs) – ₦2500
• Breaded Chicken Arrabiata – ₦7500
• Naija Pasta Remix – ₦5500

Drinks

• Tutti Fruity – ₦3000
• Baby Girl – ₦4500
• Mango Daiquiri – ₦4500
• Strawberry Virgin Daiquiri – ₦3000

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I ordered the Naija Pasta Remix which is spaghetti topped with diced goat meat or beef (I went with goat meat) in a spicy tomato sauce. The sauce was the highlight of this dish – it had tasty and perfectly cooked pieces of goat meat with mixed veggies. I also tried the Breaded Chicken Arrabiata and I promised myself to go back and get a full plate for myself. The breaded chicken was a lot more tender than I thought and the chicken had a really great taste. All our cocktails were great, I tried Mango Daiquiri for the first time and I didn’t really like it because the alcohol totally overpowered the sweetness of the mango puree, however, I’m open to trying it somewhere else.

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SERVICE

I think The Council Abuja has a fair service. Menus were presented as soon as we settled in and the waiter was very responsive to our queries and requests.

Overall I’d give them a 3.5-star rating and I may visit again.

Socials

For opening hours, menu and other information about The Council Abuja, check out their Instagram page.