Enough with the heated soups over a gas stove or all-in-one meals forced upon us by the continuous power cuts! We felt deserving, and decided to reward ourselves with a culinary expedition — and our destination of choice was Le Françàis restaurant in the Crowne Plaza Monomotapa hotel.We arrived early and were quickly seated. We had called ahead to make a reservation, anticipating a busy place as the power cut appeared to encompass quite a few Harare suburbs.
We were surprised to be amongst very few diners who were willing to brave the chilly July night. The restaurant is large, divided into two fairly large areas and a third more cosy area all decorated with the French flag and various prints of French national monuments as well as impressionist paintings. We were directed to the smaller section where a couple of other tables were occupied. The tables are set close together and we were initially afraid of having a conversation at normal volume lest we disturb the other diners. We were presented with a wine list featuring the usual foreign wines as well as the more well known local ones.
As we had decided to venture out of our normal comfort zones of some-kind-of-chicken dish, we chose a Boschendal Blanc de Noir to accompany our meals, as we were set on ordering real French food. This wine turned out to be a great choice, as it is not heavy, and was perfectly chilled.
As a starter, I selected garlic fried snails with mushrooms and shallots. It was delicious, a mélange that melted in the mouth. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. My partner opted for the “trio of cold fish” starter with “fried pancake and tagliatelle in an oyster sauce reduction”. The fish included in this dish are bream, hake and prawn, each prepared to stimulate different parts of the taste palette.
When it came to the main course, we were surprised and amazed to find crocodile steaks on tossed noodles with a julienne of vegetables as well as various lamb, beef and chicken dishes. My partner chose the crocodile of the commendation of our informative waiter. I chose pork chops accompanied by a baked potato and stir fried vegetables. This tasted great. The pork was moist with the hard edges of crackling.
I loved the vegetables which had been cooked just right. My partner enjoyed the crocodile steak very much. Working on the belief that it tastes “just like chicken,” she was surprised that it didn’t really! The meat is somehow denser, the taste more intense and just deliciously different.
The baked potatoes with a dollop of butter just melted in our mouths. The portions were substantial but in no way overwhelming, so when it was time for pudding, we did not hesitate. There was still room!
I selected a chocolate macadamia tart on cinnamon and amarula cream. This is superb, absolutely sublime and I felt I could just eat and eat and eat. My partner’s choice of hot apple tatin flamed with brandy and served with a side order of vanilla ice cream was made in front of us.
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The waiter turned chef was happy to talk us through the whole process. The smell of caramelising sugar swirled about the room as he expertly stirred the apple, lemon zest, Mazoe orange juice and other ingredients together. This culminated in the addition of the brandy and the whoosh of the whole dish as he lit it!
At this point we were on the edge of our seats. This pudding hits all the spots. The caramel is almost bitter but this is quickly followed by the tang of the lemon zest and topped off by the cool sweetness of the ice cream. The intensity of the taste cured my partner of her Blanc de Noir tipsiness! We rolled away from the table, sated and warmed.
Deluxe Restaurant4 PlatesExpect to spend US$30 to US$50 per headCrown Plaza, Monomatapa Hotel, 54 Park Lane, Harare
