Ono Ikanone had a choice when working out the recipe for pepper soup with goat meat at his restaurant, Levels Nigerian Cuisine: temper the heat to appeal to an American dining public less used to the spice level that defines the dish in West Africa or boldly showcase the flavors you'd get at a restaurant in the heart of Lagos.
You understand which way he chose to go the moment the spoon touches your lips and they immediately begin to tingle. As powerful in flavor as it is delicate in texture, the broth sets off chile-spiked fireworks on every surface of your palate that linger thanks to oil and rendered goat fat that slicks every bite. And that meat — it's so tender it falls apart like the slowest-cooked pot roast, a stunning counter to anyone who's ever complained about goat being inherently tough or stringy. After tasting this dish, you understand why pepper soup is typically served at celebrations; it's pure joy.
Sharing the joy inherent in his culture is precisely why Ikanone had long dreamed of opening a place like Levels (1405 Washington Avenue, 314-571-9990). Ever since immigrating to the United States as a teenager, he's taken every opportunity to share his culinary heritage with friends. He developed the cooking chops to do so because his mother stayed behind in Lagos for several years as he and his father moved to St. Louis. Ikanone became the family's cook, learning to prepare the dishes he'd grown up with through his mother's long-distance training as well as his own trial and error. In college, he became known for his dinner gatherings, which morphed into him putting on more formal events that showcased Nigerian cuisine and culture.
Still, Ikanone did not plan on becoming a restaurateur but rather pursued studies in engineering. He found success in a great job, but something kept pulling him in a different direction — a call he decided to heed when he began dabbling in real estate and found a stunning property in the heart of Washington Avenue's loft district. It seemed like the perfect spot to open not simply a restaurant but an immersive Nigerian experience, the kind of place he loved to seek out when traveling around the U.S. It was shocking to him that St. Louis lacked this sort of venue, and he knew he had the vision, as well as the support of his wife, Justice Johnson, to bring such an experience to life. In October of 2022, he and Johnson purchased the building and got to work.
Ikanone and Johnson faced far bigger challenges in opening Levels than a building so deteriorated it would often rain inside. Thanks to the City of St. Louis' cumbersome liquor-license process and an organized racist smear campaign against them, Ikanone and Justice found themselves battling not only the municipal bureaucracy but the prejudices of neighborhood residents, who viewed them with suspicion after being tormented by many incidents (including multiple shootings) at the nearby shuttered nightclub Reign. They assumed Ikanone and Justice were going to open a similar nightclub — an assumption based in prejudice, not in reality. Thankfully, the overwhelming majority of neighbors abandoned that presumption once they got to k now the husband and wife and understood what Levels was all about.
But mostly, you see their success in their food, which is some of the most thrilling cuisine currently being served in the St. Louis metro area. The goat soup is but one dish in a long line of outstanding culinary offerings brought to life by Ikanone and Levels' talented chef, Ruqaiya Adeyemo, that transport you to the streets of Lagos.
Chicken suya, for instance, is fiery street food that features thick slices of tender boneless chicken dusted in a chile- and peanut-based seasoning and grilled so that a char flavor gives the meat a delectable, grill-kissed bitterness around the edges. The spice is not piquant — more of an intense warmth — and it builds with every bite, countered by slices of fresh cucumber, tomato and onion that garnish the outstanding dish.
There is also beef suya, served on its own as an appetizer or as a burger, which is a fun fusion riff. Here, hunks of the seasoned beef are placed atop a soft bun and garnished with a thick slice of red onion and a creamy condiment akin to Thousand Island dressing. It's like a steak sandwich meets burger meets Nigerian street food — the best of all worlds.
Jollof rice, a quintessential West African dish, is fragrant with tangy tomatoes and scotch bonnet peppers; think Spanish rice meets Caribbean jerk seasoning. The kitchen tops the generous heap of rice with two chicken wings and a massive chicken leg that are seasoned in a fiery, deeply earthy spice rub. The meat falls off the bone, mixing with the rice to form a spicy, smoky flavor balanced by a side of caramelly plantains and creamy coleslaw.
Egusi soup, another traditional Nigerian dish, is less a brothy concoction and more a mound of bell peppers, greens, onions, spices and melon seeds that has an almost couscous-like texture. Hunks of fork-tender beef are interspersed throughout the concoction, which has gentle heat and green herbal undertones. That delightful, vegetal flavor is also present in the vegetarian version of the efo riro, a mouthwatering medley of bitter greens, bell peppers and gentle spices. Both are served with pounded yam — a starchy accompaniment similar to a sticky, firmer mashed potato — which is meant to be pulled apart and used as a scoop for soaking up all of the delicious flavor.
There is nowhere else like Levels in the St. Louis area. The food alone proves this, but what's so special about this restaurant is that it is much more than a place to eat. It is an immersive experience that's not only a window to Nigeria the place; it plunges you into the experience of West African joy through the art, music, dishes, video, decor and warm hospitality of Ikanone, Johnson and their team. It's an interesting conundrum: It transports you to another place while making you want to be nowhere else on earth.
Open Wed.-Thurs. 4-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 4-midnight (Closed Sun.-Tues.)
