Organikks delights time and again

Standard Style
Organikks is a restaurant that defies all attempts to compartmentalise it. Starting out several years ago as a daytime-only café, it has grown and matured in so many ways, especially since it came under the personal direction of its owner, Karen Mutasa, about two years ago. Now it is much more of a restaurant than a café, but it still retains the charming offerings and features of the latter category.

Organikks is a restaurant that defies all attempts to compartmentalise it. Starting out several years ago as a daytime-only café, it has grown and matured in so many ways, especially since it came under the personal direction of its owner, Karen Mutasa, about two years ago. Now it is much more of a restaurant than a café, but it still retains the charming offerings and features of the latter category.

restaurant review with Epicurean

Salmon and Fire Cracker for mains
Salmon and Fire Cracker for mains

So it’s hard to place it in the categories used in Zimbabwe to place a dining venue for ease of description and recognition; however, it’s definitely a fine dining venue, although operationally it offers what diners will expect from a café, or a family restaurant or even a speciality restaurant. It’s a venue that offers a sparkling mix of quality cuisine, good, friendly service and a pleasing ambience. Each time I dine there I get a sense of innovation and creativity, and this really came home to me when I dined there most recently, to explore the new menu offerings. It is without doubt one of the finest dining venues in Harare, and full marks to Karen and her team on this achievement, which is confirmed somewhat by a very enthusiastic response on TripAdvisor.

We first had a chance to see the new development at the venue, which is situated in a former home on the corner of Hindhead Avenue and Dacomb Drive in Chisipite, a stone’s throw from Chisipite senior school. This development is centred around the swimming pool, now crowned by a new deck and walls, and soon to feature a full-time sushi bar and regular cocktail evenings. This is set in the garden, itself under restyling, and complementary to the dining areas on the terrace and inside the main building.

The new poolside venue was in use twice recently for major functions: an all-white party hosted by a group of young entrepreneurs and, last weekend a Dewali celebration that was given much praise and commendation in social media. After taking a table on the terrace and ordering lunch, my guest and I were able to peruse not only the new lunchtime menu but also the dinner menu, which has been recently boosted by a series of additions. Chief among the new features is the sushi section, now substantial and by all accounts popular.

For lunch my guest ordered one of the sushi dishes: the delightfully-named Fire Cracker. This turned out to be a plate of eight sushi pieces, each featuring prawn meat as the centrepiece. My guest was thrilled not only by the stylish presentation but more especially by a series of flavours that she found interesting and enjoyable. I ordered the Asian Salmon, grilled to perfection and finished off with a light turmeric-based topping; it was exquisite — tasty and subtly spicy. The accompanying fried rice, served in an unusual square formation, was also exceedingly tasty, very flavoursome and appealing.

We finished with cakes, the desserts that day for the lunchtime period. My guest had a lemon chiffon cake with what she described as “the lightest and fluffiest” of icing, while I had a magnificent white chocolate cake, oozing flavour and satisfaction. I had been disappointed to find no red velvet cheesecake on the menu that day, this being my rather unadventurous choice most times I go to Organikks… but was delighted to have experimented elsewhere and found the alternative equally exciting.

The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch every day, and opens for dinner from Wednesday to Saturday. A recent innovation is Sunday opening, offering breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea. More and more, it is being used for private functions, due in large part to the reputation it has gained for good cuisine and exceptional décor at events.

The menu highlights breakfast offerings from $3 to $14, toasted sandwiches at $5 and $6 and salads from $8 to $15 (the prawns salad is exceptionally good). The sushi section is large and runs from $9 to $16, but there are 32-piece platters for $65, which would suit a large party gathered for a meal. Pastas, with either Arabiata or Napolitana sauces, run from $12 to $18; there’s an option, at $4 extra, of using car-free noodles. The lunch menu features salmon, tilapia, prawns, curries, lamb chops, lasagne and beef or chicken paninis. The dinner menu has a series of wonderful-sounding starters, including sushi, dim sum, sautéed scallops, warm brie (either a mini or full offering), soups and pasta, as well as a Barcelona platter, which features a tapas-style range of mostly meat treats. Mains at dinner include sole mornay, pork ribs, braised oxtail, a seafood platter, curries, lamb chops, lasagne, kingklip, salmon and prawns.

A special board advises on recommended dishes or discounted offerings and these change daily. Despite my enthusiasm for the cakes, there’s quite an emphasis on “healthier eating” and this is reflected in a range of fruit juices that really are very enjoyable. The beverages section offers coffees, teas, milkshakes, layered crushes, frappes and carbonated soft drinks. Special for me is the sparkling water – an expensive Pelligrino, but always expressing a wow factor. I wish more restaurants in Harare would offer sparkling water!

Organikks is a fine dining venue that is both welcoming and relaxing and just grows and grows in stature, as I have commented on previous occasions. It is a must-do venue for everyone in search of innovation, excitement and class. It’s open from 8am to 5pm on Monday and Tuesday, from 8am to 9pm from Wednesday to Saturday and from 9am to 3pm on Sunday. It’s not especially “cheap” but in terms of value for money, it is very hard to beat. Call (04) 497541 or 0779 718314 for reservations (recommended for the evenings and weekend lunchtimes). Visit www.organikks.com or Facebook/Organikks.

The Epicurean is very keen to know which restaurants readers like the best, not only in Harare but right around Zimbabwe. Send in your thoughts about what tops the bill for you — and why. Write in to [email protected].

Coming soon will be a summary of Christmas and new year offerings at restaurants; venues are welcome to send in information about this, using the same e-mail address.