•OUK seeks creation of entrepreneurs’ fund
By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
Abuja, the nation’s capital, is known for its sophistication in every material particular. Restaurants, lounges and clubs are characterized by refined, even elaborate, preparations and services to keep up with the demands of patrons who seek sensuous places to dine or relax. Only the best is good enough and and the cuisines must be tasteful.
Recently, a fabulous restaurant and bakery was unveiled in highbrow Wuse 2 area of Abuja. Called Tastia, it is owned by Mr. Kester Agwu, who is known for going the extra mile to raise the bar of comfort.
Tastia is a magnificent effort. The location is good and the interior is alluring. The staff are courteous and the cuisines are wonderful. According to Agwu, it is Abuja’ s biggest restaurant.
Agwu said: “It the biggest restaurant in Abuja, if it’s not the biggest in Nigeria. It has a sitting capacity of 250 persons at a go and I have not come across any restaurant that is as big as what we have here in Nigeria.
“Apart from that, we have the biggest variety of food anywhere in Nigeria today. We serve Nigerian and continental cuisines. We spent over N500 million to put the place together. This is our newest one.
“The most interesting thing is that our prices are pocket-friendly and that’s part of the reason we have a huge customer base. We are not greedy. We give the best and our prices are good.”
Sitting majestically, it has different sections. There’s the VIP section, a space for birthdays and other events, another section where people can come and rest, buffet services, home delivery and more.
Stepping into the place, you are immediately charmed even as delicious aroma of imaginative local and international cuisines deliver the message that your taste buds will be tantalized. It operates à la carte menu.
Tastia is a profound statement in food processing, production, packaging, promotion and presentation. And the chefs can rub shoulders with their foreign counterparts in terms of masterful handling of cuisines.
Agwu likened Tastia to a one-stop shop, disclosing that they produce things themselves so as to control the quality of what they serve. He said: “We produce the water we serve our customers. We produce the fruit drinks. We produce bread. In fact, our bakery is of international standard. We produce different types of bread. We produce ice cream of various flavours and colours. We produce what we serve our guests.”
At Tastia, you don’t have to ask the waiters what they have, you simply tell them what you want and it will be served in a jiffy. In other words, what you want is what you get.
Creativity and innovation is the cutting edge of Tastia. When asked what was their special menu, Agwu said everything they served was special. However, he disclosed that their Asun rice was the choice of many.
“Just as the name implies, we provide the best of food and we provide the best of services. We have variety going for us. You know, for food, what is most important is the taste and the quality of the food. And we have all of that going for us,” he said.
A customer, Mr. Jude Tsa, said: “My friends and I are excited about the new outlet because it offers special delicacies and you don’t have to break the bank to pay. We have been patronizing other outlets over the years but this one is closer home and we love it.”
Similarly, Cynthia Eleh said that a day without being at Tastia is not complete.
“For some of us, visiting Tastia has become a habit. I cannot imagine a day without being at Tastia. Apart from the wonderful food they serve, the ambience is good.
“I’m looking forward to celebrating my birthday at Tastia because there is a space for such events. Instead of hiring a hall, you do it there with your friends and enjoy fantastic meals. So, for my friends and I, it’s Tastia all the way,” she said.
While inaugurating the restaurant and bakery, former governor of Abia State and former Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, commended Agwu for providing employment to over 1,000 Nigerians in his companies. He urged Agwu to expand so that more people would be employed. He also encouraged him to ensure that the standard he has set is maintained.
Kalu said government should create policies that will encourage more Nigerians to go into entrepreneurship to boost the hospitality business in Nigeria.
He urged the Federal Government to create special funds to support entrepreneurs in the country.
