A night of opulence and an air of sophistication! This is what D1 and I experienced when we visited the Fishmonger, ideally located in the Illovo Thrupps Centre. We took our chances and headed out this way on a Wednesday evening without a booking. Whilst we waited to be seated, we ordered a bottle of Haut Cabriere and sat at one of the outside “smokers” tables. Within 20-minutes, we were ushered to our table, passing by the already-seated patrons who seemed to be eyeing the new “members of the club”.
A warm bread basket is always a welcome pre-dinner nibbler and tonight we were grateful to receive two large Portuguese rolls, fresh from the oven, which tided us over whilst we came to grips with the vast items streaming down the never-ending menu. A restaurant not to be understated with its simplistic decor - beiges and browns are offset against crisp white tablecloths and terracotta-coloured chairs. Pendant lighting softens the overall look. The noise levels are high but this is what creates that one-of-a-kind bustling atmosphere.
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A little bit of this............
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Our waiter, Thulani, was attentive and sensitive to our needs and gave us his full attention when questions were thrown at him. Time for starters: D1 ordered salmon California rolls and I went with vegetarian California rolls. The resident sushi chef prepared the dish with precision and since I know how hard it is to master the art of sushi-making, I have a newfound respect for those who pull it off with perfection. Bravo!
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And a little bit of that............
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I can honestly and unabashedly say that D1 and I don’t hold back when it’s dinnertime and we went full steam ahead with our mains: seared Scottish salmon and steamed vegetables for D1, a vegetarian platter (minus the mushrooms) for myself.
We didn’t have to wait long before we were presented with two colourful plates filled with healthy grub and accompanied by crunchy vegetables. The salmon was faultless and done to its medium request. Many would say the vegetarian platter is a lacklustre choice, but I beg to differ – besides the colour explosion, the variety in textures is what makes the dish exciting. Silky and tangy mayonnaise dipping sauce for the potatoes, speckled yellow rice and halloumi fingers (fondly known as squeaky cheese) are only some of the tantalising combinations to expect.
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Colour and texture explosion
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Room for more? Of course! A scoop of chocolate and lemon sorbet for D1 and a scoop of chocolate and pistachio for myself to top us off. These were presented in white UFO-looking oversized dessert bowls. The dessert prices are something that I do begrudge as they seem pricey with most coming in around the R50.00 mark.
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Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!
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The key to this very successful, long-standing eatery is simplicity – decor, ingredients and presentation. And it is this factor, combined with exceptional service, that draws in high-end consumers.
