Bistro, Borrowdale buzzes

By The Standard | Feb. 24, 2013

I do so look forward to the periodical get-together lunches of the Restaurateurs’ Association of Zimbabwe, which are always held at attractive, interesting venues, the proprietors of which often seem to try to outdo the hosts of the previous function in terms of quality of cooking, presentation of dishes and value for money.

My one complaint is that there aren’t sufficient of these functions. We had, I think, three last year; the most recent of which was in October at the five-star Meikles Hotel’s La Fontaine Grill Room.

The traditional November early pre-Christmas lunch was somehow overlooked in 2012; in December the restaurateurs — if they’re any good — are rushed off their feet with end-of-year celebrations and in January — the popular perception is — everyone’s knackered from Christmas and New Year and skint from paying enormous school fees.

So it’s February before we meet again! On Tuesday (these functions are usually held Mondays) we foregathered at a new restaurant to me, and one fairly fresh on the scene: The Bistro at 2, Kingsmead Road, Borrowdale. It abuts the now appallingly busy Borrowdale Road. I often encounter bumper-to-bumper, ill-natured tailbacks and solid gridlock from Borrowdale Village to Celebration Centre and beyond.

Traffic jams are, of course, totally ignored by commuter omnibus drivers, who merely sail past the congestion at top-speed on the wrong side of the road.

On my way to the lunch I saw one such driver clambering over a wall at Allan Wilson School, a hue-and-cry in hot pursuit after he slammed head-on at speed into a high-end, very top-of-the-range 4WD at the intersection; a similarly expensive larney BMW appeared trashed on the right hand side of Herbert Chitepo, a bakkie was buggered on the left hand and a large Mercedes abandoned (apparently unscathed) bang in the middle, causing total chaos. (Maybe the driver joined the howling mob?)

Blood red I estimated damage as at least US$100 000. Although I saw no one hurt, steaming water under the combi was blood red. The driver was probably 23 and had either bought his licence or was using his brother’s.

This was a few minutes after I slowed down to a crawl to pass a pedestrian (apparently) presumably dead (a constable was drawing a chalk outline round the foetal position figure) in Samora Machel Avenue heading west. A large 4WD was close to the centre verge in Sam-Mach running east, but facing west!

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These things always come in threes, I muttered to myself, unconvinced that the suicide at Fourth, between Nelson Mandela and Union Avenue I saw a week earlier when some mentally disturbed bloke threw himself under a vehicle at lunchtime was No 1!

But I digress…as usual! The Bistro is a very pleasant mainly outdoorsy restaurant set amid several acres of nicely laid out, typically suburban, garden surrounding yet another former colonial era dwelling. Eating is in thatched rondavels or on a shaded stoep next to a sparkling swimming pool.

It’s run by Wayne and Trish Napier, who own the property. They formerly also had Mimi’s, in Borrowdale Village, which is now Pistachio.

I gather there were a few no-shows. Even restaurateurs are guilty of booking tables and not turning up, which I consider heinous, but there were possibly 40 of us “on parade”.

After much “networking” (buzz-word for nattering, gossiping) and several welcome drinks on a hot, humid, cloudless, day we sat down to tuck into a splendid starter course of smoked chicken and mushroom filo basket.

Complex wine This went remarkably well with the main wine we tasted: Ingenuity from Nederburg, an extraordinarily complex white, layered with abundant flavours and with a refined structure. It’s a blend of eight varietals and oaky-smoky undertones seemed to enhance the delicately smoked huku.

A leaflet we were handed says it should accompany quail, duck, guinea-fowl, rabbit, lamb, FREE-RANGE (my caps) chicken (so none of your battery-fed rubbish, eh?) or TOP-GRADE beef prepared with spice, fruit, and citrus seasonings.

Guys, this wine costs US$27 a bottle wholesale. That could be US$90-US$100 in a five star hotel applying typical mark-ups. Who the hell’s going to slurp it with boiled ration meat or a cheese sandwich?

Main course was pork fillet escallops (thank goodness we’d finished the Ingenuity at this stage—pork isn’t listed as going with it— and I was on Pilsener!) in a whole grain mustard cream sauce; it was melt-in-the-mouth tender. I really loved an onion-parsley rosti and a brace of croquet potatoes but the steamed seasonal vegetables could have done with steaming several minutes more. Mine weren’t al dente, they were virtually raw.

I’ve seen much more colourful puddings than our chocolate mousse with orange cream and pecan praline wafers, but it made up in taste, texture, presentation and general wow factor what it lacked in psychedelic hues.

The cost was US$25. All Restaurateurs’ dos seem to be priced at twenty-five bucks and this was very much worth it.

Incident No 3 was a huge palm branch crashing to the ground having hit the stoep’s lean-to roof en route. It weighed plenty and would have probably killed anyone standing underneath. Which was exactly what Keith Boshi, boss man of Moldon Marketing, who had donated the Ingenuity on behalf of African Distillers, was doing minutes earlier, politely answering a cellphone calls away from the dining table. (Missed again, Keith!)

Big Six-Zero Llew (Llewellyn) Hughes, a partner in Miller’s (no relation) Café at Borrowdale Village was celebrating his 60th birthday and female staff presented him with a gallon bottle of Famous Grouse scotch whisky, relabeled Famous Llew at the lunch and The Bistro staff sang Happy Birthday to him. Llew is also involved in cricket administration.

I hear very good things about The Bistro’s breakfasts and certainly this would be a delightful spot to have such an early meal enjoying fresh air and sunshine.

One of the reasons I’d never previously been was that I was told it was absolutely vital to book in advance, yet no one seemed to know their phone number, something I’ve rectified below.

Wayne joined our table after the lunch and said this wasn’t strictly true, but he had turned away scores of hopefuls simply rocking up without a reservation on St Valentine’s Day. (Can you believe their lack of foresight?) Incidentally, I hear that a bunch of Sikhs turned up in hope at Paula’s Place and were asked politely by the doorman: “Excuse me, gentlemen, do you have a reservation?”

To which the indignant reply was “Do we look like THOSE sort of Indians?” Boom! Boom!

The Bistro, 2, Kingsmead Road, Borrowdale. Tel 881231. Proprietors Wayne and Trish Napier. Open breakfast and lunch Tuesday to Sunday; supper Tuesday to Saturday. A la carte menu with daily specials. Booking strongly recommended. Fully licensed, well-stocked bar at reasonable prices. Compact wine list. Eating mainly outdoors in weatherproofed conditions. Smoking/non-smoking. Child and fairly handicapped friendly. Safe parking in the garden, guarded outside. [email protected]

Main course was pork fillet escallops (thank goodness we’d finished the Ingenuity at this stage — pork isn’t listed as going with it — and I was on Pilsener!) in a whole grain mustard cream sauce; it was melt-in-the-mouth tender. I really loved an onion-parsley rösti and a brace of croquet potatoes but the steamed seasonal vegetables could have done with steaming several minutes more. Mine weren’t al dente, they were virtually raw.

The cost was US$25. All Restaurateurs’ dos seem to be priced at twenty-five bucks and this was very much worth it.

Llew (Llewellyn) Hughes, a partner in Miller’s (no relation) Café at Borrowdale Village was celebrating his 60th birthday and female staff presented him with a gallon bottle of Famous Grouse scotch whisky, relabelled Famous Llew at the lunch and The Bistro staff sang Happy Birthday to him. Llew is also involved in cricket administration.

I hear very good things about The Bistro’s breakfasts and certainly this would be a delightful spot to have such an early meal enjoying fresh air and sunshine. One of the reasons I’d never previously been there was that I was told it was absolutely vital to book in advance, yet no one seemed to know their phone number, something I’ve rectified below.

Incidentally, I hear that a bunch of Sikhs turned up in hope at Paula’s Place and were asked politely by the doorman: “Excuse me, gentlemen, do you have a reservation?”

To which the indignant reply was “Do we look like THOSE sort of Indians?” Boom! Boom! The Bistro, 2, Kingsmead Road, Borrowdale. Tel 881231. Proprietors Wayne and Trish Napier. Open breakfast and lunch Tuesday to Sunday; supper Tuesday to Saturday. A la carte menu with daily specials. Booking strongly recommended. Fully licensed, well-stocked bar at reasonable prices. Compact wine list. Eating mainly outdoors in weatherproofed conditions. Smoking/non-smoking. Child and fairly handicapped friendly. Safe parking in the garden, guarded outside. l [email protected]