After the security guard had taken down our details, we proceeded along the driveway until we reached the Castle. There were many cars in the parking lot, so I was relieved that I had made a reservation in advance. As it happened, there was a wedding function going on, and in the past the restaurant might have been closed on such an occasion, but times have changed and we were expected.
Having ordered from the bar, we sat in comfy chairs sipping our drinks while the waitress read out the menu options. The menu is set, with a choice out of three for each; the starter, main course and dessert. For starters I settled on the crumbed chicken strips, which turned out to be one of the best choices I have made this year and my partner chose the prawn starter. A pepper fillet steak and a chicken schnitzel were chosen for the main course while we both ended up choosing brandy snaps for dessert.
The restaurant is split with a bar and casual seating area below and dining tables up a flight of stairs. The overall theme and décor is one of an old English pub. The atmosphere is cosy with wood panelling and warm colours. The difference between a pub and this restaurant becomes apparent when you sit down to your meal; where you might expect quantity and basic service in a pub, here you get quality food with a “silver service”.
Once the starters were ready we were ushered up the stairs to our table. We were rather surprised to see that we were the only guests. We were not bothered and it just made for a more romantic evening. I have to say that if you visit the Coach House and they have crumbed chicken strips on the menu, then I strongly recommend that you choose them. They are absolutely divine, and I would happily go back just for those. The prawns were just as good.
Our wine waiter apologised for the lack of a number of Zimbabwean wines, but with the restaurant supporting the full Du Toitskloof range of wines, we had no problem choosing a Shiraz. The main courses arrived, and we were reminded how vegetables should be prepared; cooked so that they do not taste raw and yet still with a certain crispiness. We ate our respective main courses with great enjoyment.
Having enjoyed the nouveau dinner up to this point, the only complaint from my partner was that there was too much dessert! Two brandy snaps filled with cream finished off a spectacular meal. A coffee and Don Pedro were the final chapter of this pleasant evening.
It was difficult to find fault with the Coach House, but at the same time we know that complete 100% perfection is rarely attained. If I were to split a few hairs, I would say that the bar was not manned when we arrived and the wine glasses on the table could have been bigger. These did not detract from the overall dining experience.
A visit to the Coach House promises to be a dining experience of the highest standard and quality. This is the perfect venue for a dinner where you want to impress and be impressed.
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5 PlatesExpect to spend US$30 – US$35 per headNesbitt Castle Hotel 6 Percy Ave Hillside Bulawayo
Menu does not provide for vegetarians
If we had one comment regarding the menu, there was not a specific vegetarian choice. When making a booking, it would probably be wise to indicate if there are any vegetarians in your party. Although not tested, we did get the impression that even on the night they would have managed to provide some choice if either of us decided to go vegetarian.
