THE RESTAURANT
Matching food to this season is easier than matching one’s clothes, as Andre and Bryan van Niekerk discover
Autumn is like an agnostic — a fence-sitting, neither-here-nor -there, wishy-washy quarter of noncommitment. The fickle flirtation between summer and winter is absolute hell, on our wardrobe in particular. Near-tundra mornings give way to sweltering afternoons during which you melt into the long johns that seemed like a genius idea only hours before. And sometimes it doesn’t work like that. So until we feel comfortable wearing zip-off pant-shorts, we’re just going to have to grin and bear this fashion inconvenience.
On the positive side, there is some pretty delicious deciduous produce that comes into season round about now, and so to escape the elements we holed up in Parkmore upstart, Eatery JHB, and ate ourselves autumnal.
Shayne Holt and Matt Alcock’s bistro-café has a New York feel with a distinct focus on sustainable, locally sourced seasonal produce. Their wine cellar is one of most diverse in Johannesburg and the guys are more than happy to show you around their cellar or recommend a bottle beyond the same-oldsame-old that persistent reps seem to have forced into every other restaurant in the city. A good selection of craft beer on tap is also available, perfect for afternoon sundowners on the west-facing upstairs deck. The décor is industrial-chic. Face brick with exposed ceilings and a wrought-iron feature staircase, which leads upstairs where a concrete bar (Holt and Alcock made it by hand) and leafy view await.
What makes Eatery JHB unique is the small menu, curated quarterly to reflect the seasons and the owners’ whims. Five options are offered per course and one is encouraged to plan for the long haul, a leisurely threecourse meal paired with excellent local and international wines. The menu is deliberately kept short and seasonal, first to ensure that only fresh produce is sourced and secondly, so the
THE SHARPNESS OF THE CABBAGE A PERFECT FOIL FOR THE SWEETNESS OF THE APPLES
owners say, to reduce the time spent making selections from the menu; which in our family is always a source of irritation and resentment.
The starters included a plate of roasted beetroot, sliced serrano ham and cabécou goat’s cheese, served with microgreens — autumn on a plate, or rather, on the slate tile that passes for crockery these days.
The confit of duck leg was served on a bed of red cabbage, with caramelised apple slices. The duck was superbly cooked; falloff-the-bone tender with a crispy skin, the sharpness of the cabbage a perfect foil for the sweetness of the apples.
The grass-fed sirloin with horseradish and chive butter was pronounced one of the better steaks consumed in a while.
The spiced poached pear was served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce; again, a perfect harmony of autumnal flavours. The vanilla panna cotta with autumn fruit and Grand Marnier was light and subtle.
The only disappointment of the night was the fillet of hake, served with Brussels sprouts, fresh mussels and salsa verde. The presentation was reminiscent of the restricted-diet fare that might be served to diabetic patients in a private hospital.
Hake is pretty bland, but that’s no excuse not to pimp up the presentation. The supporting combination of mussels and beautifully cooked sprouts easily eclipsed the main act.
The wine list is extensive, and reasonably priced. We enjoyed a bottle of the 2007 Bilton Cabernet at R215 and a bottle of the 2009 Le Signal d’Agly, which was delicious.
The service at Eatery JHB was superlative, attentive and knowledgeable, an easy-going hospitality that never felt forced or overwhelming.
Stepping out into Parkmore, our stomachs lined with the season’s better offerings, we reflected on autumn’s vibrant colours, which may look horrible on us but were quite lovely littered across the street. Autumn, we decided, is like our wives. She may be a little temperamental, but she’s easy on the eye and makes us feel nice inside.