Ibadan can be a hard town in which to find alternatives to Nigerian food For example, two of the three Chinese restaurants in town have closed down recently. That’s where Whimpey’s comes in – it serves as a great alternative to the cookie-cutter Nigerian and fast food outlets. Whimpey’s is part of a Lebanese-owned compound that comprises a small, well-stocked supermarket and a fast food/restaurant outlet. The restaurant part is situated in a single-story hall with a clean, modern kitchen, strong air-conditioning and soft drinks counters.
The food is a mix of continental and Lebanese dishes, which reflects the fact that Ibadan has an ever-growing Lebanese expat community. The crowd is mostly expats grabbing a hasty lunch between meetings, with a smattering of local Nigerians along for good measure.
The food is excellent, especially with regard to the Lebanese section of the menu, with fattoush, shwarma, hummus and pide featuring heavily. Expect to pay about N2500 a head.
The relaxed no-frills environment is neither stylish nor upmarket, but it is clean and comfortable. As with all the Lebanese establishments in Nigeria, it is run with a scrupulous eye on proceedings, in this case by an elderly matriarch who sits in one corner studiously counting takings and balancing the books.
Expert Review
Ibadan can be a hard town in which to find alternatives to Nigerian food For example, two of the three...
Ibadan can be a hard town in which to find alternatives to Nigerian food For example, two of the three Chinese restaurants in town have closed down recently. That’s where Whimpey’s comes in – it serves as a great alternative to the cookie-cutter Nigerian and fast food outlets. Whimpey’s is part of a Lebanese-owned compound that comprises a small, well-stocked supermarket and a fast food/restaurant outlet. The restaurant part is situated in a single-story hall with a clean, modern kitchen, strong air-conditioning and soft drinks counters.
The food is a mix of continental and Lebanese dishes, which reflects the fact that Ibadan has an ever-growing Lebanese expat community. The crowd is mostly expats grabbing a hasty lunch between meetings, with a smattering of local Nigerians along for good measure.
The food is excellent, especially with regard to the Lebanese section of the menu, with fattoush, shwarma, hummus and pide featuring heavily. Expect to pay about N2500 a head.
The relaxed no-frills environment is neither stylish nor upmarket, but it is clean and comfortable. As with all the Lebanese establishments in Nigeria, it is run with a scrupulous eye on proceedings, in this case by an elderly matriarch who sits in one corner studiously counting takings and balancing the books.