Best old-school steakhouses

03 October 2011 - 03:29 By Times LIVE
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Our favourite old-school steakhouses around the country: places to go for post-rugby protein

HUSSAR GRILL, Cape Town, 47 years old

10 Main Road, Rondebosch. 0216899516. www.hussargrill.co.za

Graham Texeira first opened the Hussar back in 1964. Today it's Greg Bax who opens the door in his chef's whites.

"Over all these years, nothing much has changed on the menu, and that consistency is key to a restaurant like this," says Greg. "If anybody asks me what to order I'll always tell them: '300g rump medium rare (R125), with pepper sauce and chips.'"

The decor is as reliable as the menu. There's an old-school feel to the place, with its wood-panelled walls and polished brass.

A short drive from Newlands cricket and rugby stadiums, Hussar is also a popular hangout for local sporting stars.

"We get a lot of the old rugby and cricket players coming here," says Greg. "Jackman, Quirk and the boys, they're often in here for lunch." -Richard Holmes

THUNDERGUN, Joburg, 43 years old

239 Beyers Naudé Drive, Blackheath. 011678 7224. www.thundergun.co.za

Joburg's oldest steakhouse opened in 1968 and though it has expanded over the years (it now has a dedicated pub, an enclosed outside area and extra eating space), the softly lit red interior is exactly the same as many of us remember from our childhoods. The menu still offers excellent value for money: a 300g Boston fillet with bacon and mushrooms is R127.95, and a 300g rump topped with a whole camembert is R121.95.

This is the sort of place where celebrities mingle unobtrusively with the rest of the loyal patrons at the carvery special on a Monday. You might spot a cabaret star of yesteryear at the popular pensioners' lunch on a Tuesday. The Thundergun is as much a part of Johannesburg as the mine dumps once were, and we hope it lasts longer than they did. - Sue de Groot

MADERS, Pretoria, 40 years old

816 Paul Kruger Street, Mayville, Pretoria. No phone. Open Mon to Sat for lunch.

Patrick Smit hasn't got a telephone in his super-successful restaurant and adjoining butchery because, as his son Pat explains, "he threw it out of the window 39 years ago. He says telephones distract from customer care." The decor is Miss Havisham meets Vierkleur. Antique farm equipment and SADF memorabilia is piled on every surface. There is a giant portrait of PW Botha and miniature ox wagons. You'd think these things would put black patrons off, but not a bit of it. Both the restaurant and the butchery are packed with South Africans of every hue. You pick rump, fillet or T-bone from the fridges, have it weighed and then wait while it is sizzled and seared to perfection. All plates are piled with pap and tomato relish. A meal for two comes to around R150, and the wine list has almost no mark-up. - Anna Trapido

LE PETIT, East London, 33 years old

54 Beach Road, Nahoon. 043 735 3685

Gareth Cliff loves the buffalo steak and even President Jacob Zuma has enjoyed an evening at Le Petit, which opened in 1978. Chef and owner Llewellyn Thatcher took over the restaurant four years ago and changed nothing. The steaks are unusual: from the speciality menu you can order buffalo steak, springbok fillet, ostrich fillet or eland au poivre vert (R159). All are flambéed at your table. Another favourite is crocodile steak. All the meat is cut on the premises by Thatcher or his head chef and they buy Angus beef. - Nicolette Scrooby

MARGARITAS, Bloemfontein, 14 years old

59 Milner Rd, Baysvillage, Bloemfontein. 051 346 3729

Margaritas Steakhouse was established by George and Nicky Papadoulakis in 1997, after they had worked in their father's restaurant, The Mexican, since 1980. Regulars have their special tables and George prides himself on knowing what they will order. Loyal patrons go for the black pepper fillet (R100), pan-fried with brandy and served with a black pepper and mushroom sauce. The rump Moscow (R80) has a tasty twist of creamy mushroom, vodka and pepper sauce. The fillet Emmanuel (R100) comes with a cream, garlic, mushroom and bacon sauce. The longest-standing family-run steakhouse in the Rose City attracts its fair share of famous visitors, with the Springbok team eating there after the 2010 New Zealand clash. - Ailsa Uys

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