Eating out in Gauteng is hit or miss - TIP: Keep it Local! or Indian!
April 14, 2012Wow – thank you all for all the support! I had no idea that my writing would mean that much to people but as one person commented about my absence from the blogosphere - “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” I do feel appreciated and promise to try to be a better blogger in the future, as in managing my time better. “What have you been doing?”, is a question I get asked a lot lately, so it is only fair to let you know that my life is rather full of exciting opportunities which are busy unfolding in a number of ways. Aquila D’oro Coffee is fast becoming a coffee brand of choice and is being served in boardrooms and B&Bs across the country. I am also involved with Butlers Point of Sale Logistics, which is a fascinating new realm for me – but really amazing. I have also been travelling quite a bit lately and have had the chance to eat in some amazing and some disappointing restaurants.
This post is a brief synopsis of some of the best and one of the worst places, in Gauteng, I have ever eaten in, recently and ever.
The Classic Indian – Key Largo Shopping Centre, Boksburg Tel: 0118947323
Is it me or does everybody love Indian food? Well, we have found an absolute gem on the East Rand in The Classic Indian – it is an excellent stop for authentic Indian cuisine and the flavours and ambience are only outdone by the service. Every mouthful bursts with spices, both aromatic and robust – whether it be Butter Chicken or Lamb Roganjosh. The food is outstanding and it has become a place I look forward to going to on any trip to Johannesburg. Definite 10/10 on all levels.
The Local Grill – The Birchwood Hotel 14 Viewpoint Rd Boksburg Tel: 0118970022 www.localgrill.co.za
On one of our first trips up to Gauteng, we forgot that people up North are far more organised when it comes to Valentine’s Day – so we eventually found the Local Grill, with room in the “inn” for us to have a meal. The place was filled to the rafters, and it is not a small restaurant, and the atmosphere was great. We were seated in one of their conference rooms, adjoining the normal restaurant, which was a bit stark and lacking in décor, but when it came to the food – it was amazing. They pride themselves on their meat, and the menu offers Chalmar grain fed, Greenfields Free range in either wet or dry aged, which is incredible to see. You know exactly where your plate of food is coming from and how it has made its way to their kitchen. The service was great, but the steaks were unbelievably good, and it is seriously no wonder that this restaurant has won the award from eatout magazine as the Best Steakhouse in the country. I must say that the bill was a bit of a shock, especially where the wine is concerned but this unpretentious steakhouse does exactly what it says on the box – it is a Local Grill and it grills good!
Nunos Portuguese Restaurant – 7th St, Melville Tel: 011 482 6990
I am not the kind of person who enjoys writing scathing reviews of restaurants, as I worked in the industry and I know that sometimes you have a bad day/night or there are issues the customer has no idea about. But when you are taking money from people in a difficult economy, you go out of your way to get it right, even when things go wrong. Melville used to hold such fond memories for me and when we arrived there for dinner after a long and busy day, it looked more like a ghost town than a trendy avenue of fine eateries. We made the unfortunate assumption that the busiest place on the street held promise, and faltered further by believing our street waiter ensuring us of the best service around. The menu is pedestrian at best with a few highlights, and after driving around most of the evening we just settled for something we believed to be quick and fool-proof – Burgers with Blue cheese and caramalised onion. The first clue of disappointment should have been that the waiter brought and opened the incorrect wine before checking with the table. The burgers, well, possibly the worst plate of food I have ever tried to eat. I am only going to mention the serious flaws as I am limited for space – the only edible thing was the patty, which I doubted was homemade! The caramalised onions were as raw as if they had been cut a minute before plating - and one of our diners who skipped the burger and went for steak, complained that his Medium fillet was in fact boot leather well over done! If you have read my reviews you will know that no matter how disastrous a situation is, it can always be rescued by a dynamic and on-the-ball manager – afraid not in this case. He approached the table, apologised for the miserable meal, with no explanation, and offered compensation by way of cappuccinos. I am sorry if I am old-school, but a cup of Java does not make up for a plate of food that returns to the kitchen with more than ¾ of the food delivered to the table in the first place. So, in a nutshell – a big NO NO to Nunos.
Posted by Marc Bovim. Posted In : Restaurant
