Restaurant reviews
Foodies tried these two eateries for Restaurant Week — here's how they rated
With nine days to go before the end of Restaurant Week, Sanet Oberholzer and Hilary Biller share their discounted dining-out experiences at Geet and Bijou
Image: 123RF/STAS WALENGA
On until November 1, Restaurant Week SA gives you the chance to enjoy good meal and a great deal.
During this annual event, participating restaurants serve up delicious fare at reduced rates with special set menus starting from R150 for a two-course lunch, and R250 for a three-course dinner.
More than 100 eateries in Durban, Pretoria, Joburg, Cape Town, the Garden Route and the winelands are taking part, so there are plenty of options to choose from. This includes several well-known and award-winning restaurants.
We tried these two in Gauteng:
GEET INDIAN RESTAURANT, PRETORIA
THE REVIEWER: Sanet Oberholzer, Sunday Times Lifestyle writer
WHAT'S ON OFFER: For Restaurant Week, Geet is offering a three-course lunch menu for R250pp and a four-course dinner menu for R350pp. The chefs used the lockdown to experiment and have come up with a few new dishes that they are showcasing on both menus.
We could select between five choices for our main course — pitambari chicken, nalli gosht lamb, badami ostrich (a lovely alternative for meat lovers), baingan (brinjal) katlib masala and a coconut lime coriander prawn curry.
I couldn’t resist the prawn curry and was delighted with my choice — the light curry sauce had just the right amount of heat and didn't overpower the delicate flesh of the seafood.
The beauty of enjoying Restaurant Week with a partner is the option of sharing, meaning we could try both desserts on the special dinner menu — pear and carrot halwa and chocolate samosas. Both came with malai kulfi ice cream that was delicious.
WOULD I GO BACK? I would go back again, without hesitation. The wine list is extensive but pricey, offering good pairing options for the wide variety of dishes on the menu. I’ll be back for the saagwala and rogan josh curries and their range of ice creams.
OVERALL RATING: 4/5
TIP: If you’re visiting on a sunny day, ask to be seated on the terrace that wraps around the outside of the restaurant.
CONTACT DETAILS: Geet Indian Restaurant is located at 541 Fehrsen Street, Brooklyn, Pretoria. Open Mondays to Sundays. To book, call 012 460 3199 or visit restaurantweek.co.za
BIJOU RESTAURANT, ELANDSDRIFT
THE REVIEWER: Hilary Biller, Sunday Times Food editor
WHAT'S ON OFFER: For Restaurant Week, Bijou is offering a special two-course meal for R250pp, or a three-course meal at R350pp. We opted for the former when we visited on a sunny Saturday.
The restaurant is located Toadbury Hall Country Hotel, a short drive from the city, and the tables are set under the trees on the vast emerald green lawns with views over the lake.
It was all go at the hotel — we could catch snippets of a wedding taking place to one side, a birthday party happening down at the lake and a group of picnickers who were making the most of their picnic baskets close to the water's edge.
The service and view made up for it — and one of the best creme brûlées we’ve eaten in a long time.
VALUE FOR MONEY? We left with that niggling feeling that it wasn’t.
WOULD I GO BACK? For a picnic or birthday party, yes. For lunch, maybe not. For the brûlée, yes.
OVERALL RATING: 2.5 out of 5 — with the brûlée 3/5.
TIP: Wear your walking shoes, as the beautiful surroundings call for an afternoon stroll.
CONTACT DETAILS: Find Bijou at Toadbury Hall Country Hotel, Beyers Naudé Ext, Elandsdrift. Open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. To book, call 010 593 75 23 or visit restaurantweek.co.za