I loved its predecessor, the award-winning Urban Bliss, and feel strongly Antique Rose will be up there on the podium, soon, when Zimbabwe’s often disputed catering awards and accolades are dished out.
Antique Rose is run by a very modern rose. Stacey Attwell, who was at Lomagundi College and, judging by her looks, not all that long ago! If it’s not gallant to reveal the fact, she turns 26 in August.
Let’s get the cons out of the way before the pros. Antique Road appears to be a bit pricey for a coffee shop and as everything’s freshly cooked, it’s not the place to go if you’ve 10 minutes for lunch.
A well-known and self-confessed soupaholic, I didn’t even try Stacey’s oxtail version, thinking US$10 was just too much for it …regardless of how well-crafted and created it may be.
And then I’ll hoist myself on my own petard by stating I did order the blackboard menu’s single dearest item: prosaically described as sole fillets with rosemary potatoes, it was possibly the nicest piece of marine fish I’ve eaten in land-locked Zimbabwe in yonks and cost US$20, for two splendid fillets of grilled sole, the flesh of which was white and pearly. It sliced off the bone in two easy movements.
I would possibly have preferred the skin crisped up, but that was impossible because Stacey had generously basted the fish in a delicious home-made sauce, strongly featuring butter and olive oil, to which she hasn’t yet given a name.
The potatoes were splendid: quartered, lightly fried and tossed in rosemary and assorted herbs. And there was a salad to leave home for: artichoke hearts, pepper dews, gorgeous tomatoes in three different varieties, sliced radish, red and white onion, capsicum, mushroom, ricotta cheese stuffed some of the tomatoes and a single plump strawberry. There were sunflower, poppy and mustard seeds among rocket and mixed leaves.
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Friends at the next table oohed and aahed over their duck breast with creamy mashed potato at US$15 and stuffed mushrooms as a main course at US$12. I was torn between the exotic fish and rabbit stew with couscous (an unlikely combination of a favourite North of England eeh-by-gum flat-cap dish and the North African staple starch) also US$15.Stacey’s puddings are lovely; sadly, the lemon meringue pie (US$5) was not available, but a strawberry-rich Pavlova, with moreish crisp meringue, excellent ice-cream and a strawberry sauce was a very acceptable option at a dollar dearer.
Where did you learn to cook like this?” I asked Stacey on a previous visit, after establishing she baked her own light-as-air cakes (a huge creamy, strawberry-rich slice of Victoria sponge served at the next table was almost too tempting), gateaux, breads, biscuits, pastries, pies and much more.
“In my mother’s kitchen,” she told me. “My folks were always entertaining on a fairly grand scale on the farm and I watched and helped for as long as I can remember,” she said. “Oh, and I’m an avid viewer of TV cookery programmes.”
She confirmed she’d no formal training in the hospitality sector. Unfamiliar with the term “QBE” (qualified by experience) she seemed pleased with it.“The farm” was in Raffingora where dad, Chase Attwell (the rally driver and motor sport star) grew sun-hemp and tobacco and raised cattle. Sadly the family farm didn’t survive the lunatic land reform “programme”.
Chase rebuilt the coffee shop, giving it a roof providing welcome shade and Stacey opened for business in September 2010.
She will soon reopen an attached antiques shop (original stock all bought out by the Chinese!).
There are lots of antiques already in place and the decidedly up-market, coffee shop almost bursts under the “rose” theme. Table cloths and overlays are rose-patterned; the (farm) family-sized tea-set was one of Maxwell Williams’ Rose Blooms design; side and serving plates a popular Coalport China set featuring sprays of roses and other garden flowers.
The outlet is airy and sur-rounded by mature indigenous and exotic trees. An attractive garden pool lay within a few feet of my table and often attracts unwelcome visits from hamerkops seeking a fishy lunch.
Music, on a good quality sound system, is catholic and listenable at an agreeable volume level. I especially liked Scott Joplin numbers and — of course — Frank Sinatra.
The outlet is not licensed to serve alcohol and I’ve seen no one BYOB-ing, although I’m sure there would be no problem. With my mains I had a large freshly squeezed watermelon juice which was pleasant and refreshing and with pudding a pot of Rooibos tea with lemon slices and organic honey.
Bottom line: imported fish mains, Pavlova, juice, tea: US$32, but you could probably do yourselves proud for US$20.
Antique Rose, Golden Stairs Nursery. Opens Tuesday-to-Sat-urday 9am-3pm; Sunday 9:3am-1230pm. Tel 0712 217 [email protected]
