Fine dining at Harare’s garden hotel — Emmanuel’s

Wining & Dining
By Le ConnoisseurAlthough situated at the Bronte Hotel, Emmanuel’s has its own entrance on Josiah Chinamano Avenue.  The gateway leads to a private pretty garden with a patio area and a Victorian style gazebo.  The floor to ceiling glass frontage overlooks the garden but on the cold winter’s evening that we visited, the curtains were drawn making for a warmer interior.  

The welcome our foursome of diners received was equally warming, from the security guard in the street to the courteous waiters and front desk staff. We were advised that the table reserved for us was in the library — and on inspection, discovering that not only was there a heater adjacent to our table but that we had the room to ourselves, we settled in, after shedding some outer layers of clothing, and made ourselves at home.

The décor is tasteful with a honey coloured quarry tile floor and dark wooden chairs contrasting with the white palette of the walls and table linen.  Prints and paintings add touches of colour and in the “library” the handsome book cases, and the books themselves, add focus.  Needless to say the interesting selection of old books; their titles and subjects gave rise to a sizeable portion of our dinner conversation.  A single diner on selecting a volume or two could enjoy their meal with the companionship of a book!

 

Drinks to hand, and with our selection from a basket of home baked breads, white, brown and vegetable encrusted focaccia to whet our appetites, we studied the menu. And then studied the menu some more.  It is extensive and we found it stressful to have to choose – it all sounded not only delicious but interesting as well.

There is also a Special Chef’s Menu of seven courses of suitably small proportions (and one can choose as few as two of these courses).  This, I think would be great fun if all at the table participated and I have mentally added it to my “to-do” list.  On the normal menu, it is worthy of note that there are three vegetarian main courses on offer in addition to two fish dishes, one shellfish, two poultry, two beef, one venison, one lamb and one of mixed meats.  Eventually choices were made and we started to relax and enjoy our evening.

To begin with an unexpected amuse-bouche of piping hot pea soup, served in espresso cups, was brought to the table.  This was delicious and set the tone for the evening.  My starter of wild mushroom risotto was excellent — the rice was creamy but still textured and retaining its nuttiness, which the earthiness of the mushrooms complemented.  Other starters at our table included one of the daily soups, carrot and ginger, the home-cured salmon and the kudu carpaccio.

My main course was the roasted duck breast and this was cooked to perfection — succulent slices of pink edged with crispy fat — and served with a textbook version of potato rosti. My companions variously enjoyed the soya roast, the crab cannelloni and the trio of meats —comprising pork fillet, fillet mignon and the stuffed loin of lamb, each with a different sauce.

I sampled both the stuffed loin of lamb, which was well-flavoured and melt-in-the-mouth, and the crab cannelloni, which I found disappointingly dry and lacking in sauce.  On the whole the flavours of the dishes were subtle and less robust than anticipated. The vegetables accompanying the main courses were a delight.  The large square platter on which they were served was a work of art with serried ranks of emerald mange-tout, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, orange-hued butternut and red cabbage, alongside squares of potato dauphinois.

Undefeated by the meal, we did however require some respite before embarking on the desserts.  Our table’s choices included the baked lemon tarts, the strawberry sandwich of pastry, cream and Cointreau-infused strawberries and the deep fried ice-cream coated in coconut.  This last dessert was declared wonderful and very selfishly none of us were permitted to share in it!

I forwent the dessert and had the cheese board — with portions of nicely ripened French style soft cheeses, a blue cheese and a home-made pate of cheeses steeped in Port.  This was served with biscuits, celery sticks and grapes and was for me a fitting ending to a good meal, being washed down with the last of the red wine and rounded off with a good espresso.

It was a great evening out and our party all agreed that they would be happy to return. If there was any disappointment it was that certain of the dishes failed to meet our heightened expectations.  Possibly, given the complexities of each dish, the chef has been somewhat over-ambitious in having too extensive a menu.

However the service was exemplary and the ritual of opening and tasting the wine was executed expertly.  The cuisine is contemporary and the pairing of ingredients and flavours is innovative.  Emmanuel’s offers an exciting dining out experience and is a fitting participant in the Deluxe Restaurant category in Harare.

Deluxe Restaurant4 PlatesExpect to spend between US$20 – US$50 per head