About Last Weekend: Bukka Hut!

Ok, it’s Friday night and we were on our way back from the office. It was one of those weeks where we question our choice to join the Lagos raucous. After over one and a half hours of driving in a slow moving traffic we decided, without much persuasion, that we deserved to be pampered for all the week’s hassles. Now the question was where do we go? We were on Admiralty way in Lekki phase 1 and I subtly let Jay know she could choose any place in Lagos as long as it was on Admiralty way.  Not even for pampering was I ready to dare the traffic elsewhere. We consulted our ever ready Google map and the friendly automated voice told us Bukka Hut was just up ahead. We had heard of it, but had not had the chance to check it out so it was indeed perfect. Twenty minutes of sardine-tight navigation, we finally found a parking space by the gracious mercy of a security staff. The scrolling neon lights on top of the building welcoming you to ‘Bukka Hut’ was put there to build a sense of excitement (Isuppose), it almost worked, but I was too tired from the hard week to be swooned by a mere swirling light. Just as we got out of the car, I stood startled at the wonder before my eyes.  At the right side of the building was an array of different kinds of meat grilled. I automatically headed towards the grill as if drawn by an invisible hand. Jay had to grab my arm swiftly. “whoa whoa, champ, that’s not what we came for,” she said. I love my wife, but she can sabi spoil person groove. Like a little boy denied his Christmas gift, I followed her into the doors instead. Kay if I catch you eh! Anyway, when we entered, I wasn’t so impressed. I had heard so much about Bukka Hut I expected the décor to be wow-ing. It wasn’t. The décor was like every other fast food place—nonexistent. Anyway, with hope that the food would redeem this impression I already bore heavily in my heart, we pulled out chairs and sat. When no waiter came to attend to us, we asked a staff clearing a table nearby what we were supposed to do. After staring at us for a brief what-the-hell moment, he pointed us to the counter. “Oh it’s not a restaurant?” I asked Kay as though he wasn’t a JJC like me. The girl behind the counter was cheerful and somehow she infected us and in no time we were all smiling. She took our orders: Spaghetti and Asun for me and Coconut rice, Asun and Vegetable soup For Kay. After judiciously taking the pictures below for you guys, I delved in and boy oh boy, Bukka Hut took my heart! Everyone who has ever tasted my cooking knows that I love spicy food. That Spaghetti was phlegm dripping hot! I ate like a hungry rabbit, forgetting every manner ‘Act Like a Lady’ ever thought me. I ate up the Spaghetti and then got to the Asun. Hmmm, the meat was well cooked, well spiced, well presented. Even though, I would normally eat half of that offering, I cleared my plate and almost raised it to my tongue. Kay’s eyes stopped me. Lol.

You won’t believe it my people, but if I didn’t caution Jay, truly she would have done it. Then again, I really didn’t blame her; I was not fairing any better. I was shoving food into my mouth with one hand, while the other held the tissue that I was using to dab my dripping nose, eyes and other leaking pores. The place should be called ‘bukka HOT’ not ‘bukka HUT’. The vegetables in my soup were slightly dried like it was fried a little with pieces of pomo and fish to engage you. The coconut rice was like food ordered from the heart; tasty and moist without being soggy. I love food with all kinds of condiments in it, and this one had just the right balance.

Somebody indeed got it right that day. I don’t know if the chef was just happy, lucky or exceptionally good, whichever it was, they should remain that way. Bukka Hut, if you keep this up, then you have not seen the last of me… that grill… hmmmm. Cost (Naira) Asun = 1,000 (per serving) Spaghetti = 400 Coconut rice = 450 Vegetable soup = 350 Total = 3,200 (2 persons)