The Lagos-Ore road is a busy commute all year long as a result, the locals in areas found around this path, seize the opportunity to offer travellers needed array of gastronomic delight to keep them going.
From favorites like chin-chin and plantain chips to full-blown greasy meals, these foods offered are ingenious combinations of flavor, nourishment and cost efficacy that reflect the country’s cosmopolitanism.
Jovago.com, Africa’s largest hotel booking portal provides a sampling of 5 must-try food combos that complete the Lagos-Ore travel experience.
Banana + Groundnut
Sometimes, the best street foods are usually the simplest. The banana and groundnut combo is a simple and popular option for people who use the Lagos-Ore road.
Bananas are considered fruit; however it is filling and can pass for a complete meal, especially when combined with fried or roasted groundnuts. Most hawkers pair the two together and the combo can be purchased from as low as NGN 200.
Gala + Lacasera
This is the most purchased food combo on the streets of Lagos.
‘Gala” is a soft beef roll while Lacasera is a fizzy drink that comes in multiple flavour – although, apple is the most preferred. Travellers easily relate to these two inseparable combinations as it is not only NAFDAC approved but the gala is effective for controlling bowel movement while the Lacasera is very refreshing.
Bread + Suya
Bread and suya is a palatable delight for people with a craving for spice. The bread found on this road are usually rectangular shaped, sliced or unsliced, made of wheat flour, butter, milk and sugar. And due to how fast they sell, the hawkers usually have fresh and delicious offers.
Suya on the other hand are sold by ‘Mallams’ at key bus stops. The suya is made of beef and entrails – liver, intestines, kidney, and chicken – cooked over a grill, well spiced and seasoned with slices of onions and sometimes vegetables like cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers. Travellers combine bread and suya as a local sandwich.
Roast Plantain + Groundnut
If you have been on the Lagos-ore road, you most probably have seen these roasted plantain and groundnut vendors offering the delicious combo in newspaper wraps.
A snack believed to have emanated from south-south Nigeria, it is not just tasty but also nutritious. The good thing about this combo is that it is affordable and the sellers are usually flexible with the quantity you wish to purchase.
Boboze + Coconut
Boboze also called “akpu mmiri” is a meal made from cassava. It is prepared by slicing cassava into strips, half-boiling it and then soaking it in water for days to kill any lingering toxin.
It is usually combined with coconut for a tastier experience and vendors often tie small quantities of this combo in a transparent nylon bag half-filled with water to keep the meal moist, as that is how it is best eaten. The only reason some travelers do not purchase this much is because of the germs that may be contained in the water used by the local vendor.
– Ndem Nkem