Anthony Bourdain loves Lagos, Nigeria. He was a fan when he explored the streets, markets, and food back in season ten of No Reservations and his food-nerd fandom has only grown in the years since.
This installment of Parts Unknown finds Bourdain exploring the local culture in that deep-divey way he adores. There are talks with journalists about the state of affairs on the ground, martial arts, a local music odyssey… And, of course, there’s a cornucopia of beautiful food at every turn. Oh yeah, there’s also plenty of beer.
This was one of those episodes that felt like it was truly over the hills and far away while still anchored in something familiar, delicious, and enticing. As always, we want to give you a visual guide to the places Bourdain hit in this latest episode. Unfortunately, in this part of the world, there isn’t an Instagram page for everything. So if you want to see Bourdain’s stop at the Chieftaincy Council of Hausa Community in Agege for lunch, you’ll have to watch the show.
Let’s jump right into all the luscious locales and food porn from this episode of Parts Unknown.
Rue 80 at Maison Fahrenheit Hotel
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Bourdain started his journey here to get a sense of the path ahead in Lagos. It was just a date for drinks. But if the hotel’s Instagram is any indication, the food looks fantastic as well.
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Iya Eba
Bourdain met journalist and TV host Kadaria Ahmed for a classic Lagos street food dish — Pepper Soup. The two talked politics in Nigeria and slurped down the spicy burn of the pepper soup over a couple beers while the hustle and bustle of Lagos pulsated around them.
Stella’s Kitchen
Bourdain met with journalist Tunji Andrews to discuss the economy of Nigeria and eat some pounded yam. The yam is beaten in a massive pestle and mortar until it forms a gluttonous ball that’s then used to sop up all sorts of delicious stews and soups. In this case, they sampled egusi soup which is a fish stock base with chilis, melon seeds, and tender goat meat.
Makoko Neighborhood
Makoko is a giant stilt city over Lagos’ lagoon. The neighborhood is a slum that houses over 250,000 people making it an incredible micro-culture. Bourdain bounced around the neighborhood with musician and activist Edoato Agbeniyi. They dropped in a local home for a home-cooked meal and a chat about the reality of living in the Makoko.
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Yakoyo Restaurant
Bourdain met up with some local food bloggers to talk all things Nigerian food. The feast was one for the senses, as spiced soups and rice dishes made their way around the table and everyone tucked into what looked like a spectacular meal. Jollof rice (a spicy tomato-forward dish), goat stew, and Ewedu were served. That last one is a soup made with crayfish, chilis, and locust beans. And, don’t worry, there was plenty of beer to wash it all down.
New Afrika Shrine
Bourdain loves diving into the local music scenes. Hell, he’s had entire episodes built around music — Nashville anyone? Bourdain met up with Femi and Seun Kuti who run New Afrika Shrine (a music venue) and are the kids of the Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti. The trio talks the music scene in Lagos over a lunch with, again, plenty of beer before wrapping up another great episode of the best travel show ever to air.
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