Today’s restaurant of the week takes us to a Chinese restaurant that goes by the name Zenith Water Margin.
Zenith Water Margin is a little restaurant that can be found on the busy streets of Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere, Lagos. I drive past it everyday, so it was only right that I finally went in and tried it out. Another factor was a friend of mine who has been there several times and gave it pretty good reviews, so I was looking forward to it.
Zenith Water Margin first opened in 1986, and then reopened in 2011 after a major renovation took place. It is divided into two, the main restaurant and the Zen Xpress which is the take away outlet.
When you get in, as with all Chinese restaurants, you notice that the decor is reminiscent of China. A few things that depict China are strategically placed and overall they just about managed to pull it off. Despite the size, I thought the restaurant was nicely laid out and I liked the simplicity.
The waiter showed us to our seats, and brought the menus so we could decide on what to eat. We went with the set menu and ordered some drinks. Great thing is, service was quick which was good because I was famished after a long day at work.
Because I was hungry, I couldn’t wait to dig in. You know what they say about hunger? Imagine dreaming about something, and then it doesn’t taste as good as you thought it would. That’s exactly what happened to me.
My drink was too strong and I felt my food from the soup to the main meal was a bit too salty. The starters however were fine. I tried to carry on with the meal, but to be honest I couldn’t do it. It simply wasn’t cutting it for me and this upset me.
I made my complaints to the waiter who was shocked and promptly apologized. He also went on to speak to the chef about the incident.
My friend on the other hand has never had any complaints about their food, so perhaps this day was just a one off or my threshold for salt is really low. This didn’t make it any less annoying though.
After the meal, I was told they have an outdoor terrace on the 1st floor, and an exclusive/corporate VIP area so of course I went to take a look at it. The lighting is however quite dark (because of the time of the day) so pictures aren’t too clear.
Despite my issues with the food, it is a nice and quiet place to eat. If you like eating with the wind in your hair, the terrace doesn’t look half bad either.
Useful Info
1. Parking is limited.
2. Cash & cards are accepted
3. Private parties and corporate meetings can be held here, especially in the VIP area.
4. You can go in and order from their main menu for take out or head to Zen Xpress and pick what you want.
5. Delivery is available.
6. They offer outdoor, industrial & corporate catering services.
7. Reservations can be made over the phone or online.
8. They open Mon – Sun, 10.30 AM – 10.30 PM (including public holidays).
9. You can ask for substitutions to your meal, which I think is great.
10. You can check out their website here
Check out the pictures below and also the rating, pricing & contact details #gallery-2031-3 { margin: auto; } #gallery-2031-3 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-2031-3 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-2031-3 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Review Summary
Food – 4.5/10
Staff – 7
Decor – 6
Vibe – Casual, Simple & relaxed
Good for – Lunch meetings, Business meetings, special occasions, lunches/dinners, dates etc
Damage done – A set menu for two costs between N 13,000 to N 20, 000 depending on which option you pick. ($65 – $100, 44GBP – 67GBP, 60 Euro – 92 Euro)
Have you been there? Lets know your thoughts.
Contact
28 Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria.
Tel – +2347055 437 004
Email – info@zenithwatermargin.com
*foreign conversion is based on the current rate of the Naira and is subject to change.
Reviews are based on my opinion and personal experience, and may differ from person to person