NOK by Alara

NOK by Alara is the restaurant attached to Alara, the design, fashion and art concept store created by Reni Folawiyo on Akin Olugbade Street in Victoria Island. Alara's striking orange building, designed by the architect David Adjaye, has attracted coverage from international newspapers and magazines, and NOK, which opened in 2015, is its culinary extension. It describes itself as a contemporary African restaurant, and its menu draws on cooking from across the continent and its diaspora.

The restaurant sits in a lush, bamboo-framed garden, and the interiors mix chandeliers, triangular forms and contemporary African art and design. During the day natural light floods the rooms, and colourful crafted chairs fill the garden outside. The look matches the store next door, so it is worth leaving time to browse Alara before or after your meal.

The menu travels across the continent. Dishes reported by reviewers include grilled calamari suya, oxtail hotpot, poisson braisé, lamb mafé in peanut sauce, jerk chicken with Ghanaian rice and beans, waakye, whole tilapia with akassa, and thiéboudienne, the Senegalese rice and fish dish. Nigerian staples such as amala appear alongside them, and desserts have included Agege bread toast with soursop jam and vanilla ice cream. Cocktails such as a mango chilli mule and hibiscus lemonade make use of West African flavours. The menu changes over time, so treat these as examples rather than a fixed list.

NOK suits couples, food lovers who want to explore the cooking of different African countries in one meal, and visitors looking for a special occasion restaurant with a strong sense of design. The garden setting is well suited to a weekend brunch. Prices are among the highest in Lagos, so budget accordingly, and reserve ahead for dinner and weekends. Smart casual dress fits the setting.

If this is your first time eating food from different parts of Africa, ask your server to explain the origins of dishes, as the menu moves between Nigerian, Senegalese, Ghanaian and Caribbean influences. Sharing several plates is a good way to compare them. Vegetarians should ask about options in advance, and as at many upscale Lagos restaurants, check whether service charge and VAT are added to the bill.

Akin Olugbade Street is in the heart of Victoria Island, a short ride from the hotels of Victoria Island and Ikoyi. Ride-hailing cars are the easiest way to arrive. Combine dinner with drinks at a Victoria Island bar, or visit during the day and pair lunch with shopping at Alara.