Places to go: Zioux Luxury Cocktail Bar in Johannesburg, Hacienda in central Cape Town, Chinchilla Rooftop Bar also in the Capital and 14 in Chartwell, Durban. Photo: Provided
It’s the season to indulge, with the Easter holidays just around the corner, and as Restaurant Week South Africa is upon us. What better way to celebrate than with some delicious food from some of the best restaurants in the country – without breaking the bank. The event runs from March 31 to April 30.
If you are not familiar with this annual international culinary event, it aims to bring more light to the local dining scene, while giving foodies the chance to experience a variety of dishes at affordable prices.
Restaurant Week is not a new phenomenon. It was founded in 1992 by Tim Zagat, co-founder of Survey Zagat, an online platform that collects restaurant ratings and reviews by visitors. This was not only created as a marketing strategy for the restaurant, but as an opportunity for the public to dine at a discounted price, to sample a variety of foods, including more expensive foods that they would normally not be able to afford.
This culinary experience doesn’t just happen for seven days, it usually lasts for about 31 days with more than 100 of the country’s top restaurants participating. This year, there are 125 participating restaurants from different parts of the country. The establishment usually serves a two, three, four or five course menu, which people can preview before ordering.
Making a reservation is essential and is done online through the Restaurant Week platform. It is also important to note that the menu is mainly made for afternoon and evening meals. Each restaurant menu is designed to encourage customers to try the interesting and diverse flavors on offer – a great opportunity to introduce food to new places.
What’s great about the Restaurant Week ordering system is how easy and efficient it is to use. There are many search options that allow you to find the right place based on your dining experience; location; price; types of menus and restaurants and dietary requirements.
Some of the participating restaurants include the 2022 Eat Out Restaurant of the Year Award-winner LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate in Durban, Salsify at the Roundhouse in Cape Town, which took the three-star rating award at Eat Out in the same year, and Zioux, which was given the two-star Style Award and VISION at the ceremony.
LivingRoom Chef Johannes Richter is passionate about exploring different dishes using local and indigenous ingredients to create an extraordinary dining experience. When you are in the restaurant, you feel like you have been invited to a dinner party because of the cozy and intimate atmosphere.
They will serve a five-course sample meal at R650, including various ingredients, such as sweet potatoes, salted beef, beans, rhubarb, spinach and sourdough bread, creatively prepared in delicious meals.
Salsify will also offer a five-course meal at R650, which comes with a glass of bubbly. Some dishes include smoked springbok; cured grapefruit and sashimi; slow-cooked pork belly; grilled linefish; beef fillet and hazelnut and bitter chocolate tart. Head chef Ryan Cole’s cuisine is largely driven by seasonality, nature and a love for a variety of flavors.
The restaurant is located in a national monument that dates back to 1786. It has been renovated with a modern design aesthetic that is still part of the site’s history. It has beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Marble group’s luxury cocktail bar and Zioux’s Champagne Lounge are also popular choices for Restaurant Week, with two and three set lunch menus for just R350 and R450 respectively. There are seared game, pork belly tacos, pan-fried kingklip, chili con carne, hibiscus jelly and churros to choose from.
Besele head chef Moses Moloi, who has worked at the restaurant since it opened in December 2021, said: “We take a different approach. Our Mexican-Peruvian-inspired menu uses amazing local produce. The menu is constantly changing and my team is constantly working on new dishes. new. Seasonality does not affect us; it actually makes us innovative and creative in the sense that we set out to produce what is available.
Other restaurants from South Africa, mainly in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, that will participate in the event include Sejour in Houghton, Dusk in Stellenbosch and 9th Avenue Waterside, near the Durban harbour.
Booking is required if you want to attend Restaurant Week, which will take place from March 31 to April 30.
Here’s how you can get involved
Click here to go to the event website. In the search bar, enter the name of the participating city or province for the restaurant you want to visit and select the restaurant of your choice from the available list.
Choose a place, choose a date and time, fill in the number of people who make a reservation for, click on the course you are interested in, fill in the details in the form that appears and click reserve. It’s that simple.