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March 14, 2023 West African, Michelin Star, St James Place, London

Ikoyi

One of the many great things about London is the sheer variety of cuisine you can sample here. West African food has roots all over London, with the focus being on authentic casual eateries. However in recent years, there has been an uptick in West African fine dining, and no restaurant has had a bigger meteoric rise in this space than Ikoyi. Founded by friends Ire Hassan-Odukale and Jeremy Chan. They focus on heat and umami to create unique dishes from the region. It’s strange to think that when I first went to the restaurant a tasting menu was around £70 a head, 2 Michelin stars later, dinner will set you back £300, so it’s definitely a blow out type meal and one that should be set aside for a special occasion. Two staples of the menu are the Plantain with Scotch Bonnet powder, and any variation they make of Jollof rice. The former is a wonderful starter that has a soft texture when you first bite into it, but the scotch bonnett powder gives it a real kick, not enough to kill you, but enough to wake you up! I’ve tried many versions of the jollof rice, ones with wagyu to crab, and in this instance I think every variation with seafood has been my favourite. Jollof rice here though tends to be smoked, and as such is an entirely unique dish you would not have experienced at other restaurant. Every time I eat this rice, I have the same thought, “I wish they served a double portion, because I could eat this for days”. Ikoyi is rare, in that it’s truly one of a kind in a city that has many one of a kind restaurants.

Price per head: £250 and up

Scotch Bonnet PlantainScotch Bonnet Plantain Jollof RiceJollof Rice

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