Ketchup, Abuja - Photos + Review

With so many available dining options in the capital city, each new establishment does what it can to be exceptional. Ketchup is one of such establishments. You can’t really call it a restaurant because it seems to be a bit more than that. The outdoor setting makes the place seem like sort of a garden-y kind of place. Like, maybe if they were located in a more serene location with a better view, it would be an awesome experience. But, Ketchup overlooks a street that’s often very busy and very crowded. So, if you have issues with eating in public, Ketchup might not be a place you’d enjoy eating out and you might want to consider take-out.

Although they tried to create a sort of boundary between the customers and the street by planting a border of hedges, it’s not quite high enough and even less effective. Take-out is also a good option because besides being set on a terrace, the tables and chairs aren’t very appealing. They’re metal-cast and not very stable, so seating sometimes is a bit uncomfortable. Sitting n rickety chairs and resting on cold, metal tables in an open space in front of a plaza with car horns blaring around you and strangers ogling you as you eat? Yeah, not a very good feeling.

Another thing about Ketchup is people hardly actually ever eat real actual food here. People mostly come to hang out and have drinks and/or watch a game on the available large screens which makes it a little bit of a sports bar and adds to its garden-y qualities. Besides people waiting for an order, you’re more likely to see people sitting around engaging in loud discussions with bottles of beer or whatever and maybe some wings in front of them but not actual food. Some feel this works against the restaurant as their food menu is actually quite good.

The Ketchup Menu is quite diverse and covers desserts, appetizers, full meals and even a great drinks menu. They have salads, seafood platters, chips and chicken, shawarma (which is actually quite popular), and rice dishes. The food is good, albeit a bit pricey, and shows that the people actually have a fair idea of what they’re doing. If you’re hanging out with friends, it’s not a bad place to go for a sit-down, catching up, sort of outing. If you can overlook the setting and general appearance of the place, you’ll find that the food is actually worth the trip. – Omega Center, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2 – Abuja.