GREATNESS ON A PLATE
The Grillhouse in Rosebank offers more than just good steak. It has the best bartender in SA, a wonderful wine cellar, and fantastic people
Every so often, even I need a friend. No, not the deep well of a whisky tumbler — a real friend; someone I can talk to. Whenever I feel like that know exactly what our dear old friend Jacob Zuma feels like right now.
Now that’s a man in need of a friend who knows how to nod and make sympathetic sounds. The state capture commission of inquiry has started. For years every citizen of this fine republic will be regaled with tales of how Zuma handed the crown jewels to the Gupta family. Again and again and again.
When I think about the past 13 years of writing this column (yes, that’s 676 articles, or a meal every day for nearly two years), it is not the many restaurants that I had to visit to serve you, dear reader. It’s the times when I decided I wanted to go out and meet a friend and kvetch about the state of the nation. To have a proper vent like that you need a good friend, a fine meal, a satisfying drink and a convivial atmosphere.
There is no place that I have found as satisfying in fulfilling this need as The Grillhouse in Rosebank. Whatever your problem may be (for my friend Mondli Makhanya, it’s when Orlando Pirates lose, which happens very often), there is always someone at The Grillhouse who is willing to lend an ear. If one of your friends isn’t there to listen, go to the bar and tell Shepherd, the best bartender in SA, what your problem is. He will listen.
Most people think The Grillhouse is about steaks. They are wrong. The I Grillhouse is a place where deals are made while foreign diplomats and fund managers and all sorts have discreet meetings while tucking into some of the best steaks on the southern tip of Africa. And a fine bottle of wine or a whisky.
I have had numerous meals at The Grillhouse. I like lunch, which is a quiet time at this usually busy restaurant. Sometimes you see a famous politician.
This is what I order: first up, a little sharpener. Maybe a gin and tonic. Sometimes Shepherd hits me with a negroni. Then a starter: the snails lathered in garlic sauce — the best in Joburg. To go with this, maybe a glass of chenin blanc or a good sauvignon blanc (The Grillhouse has a wonderful wine cellar — take your pick). Location is everything, so I like sitting in one of the booths looking out into the mall,
The Firs.
For my main I have the fillet on the bone, medium rare. This is a fantastic bit of succulent, melt-in-your-mouth meat and it’s a nice big portion, not the measly 300g portions some prefer. You must have it pepper-coated. The knife glides effortlessly through it, and music bursts from your tongue as you make contact. This is a joyful thing. This is why we live. The creamed spinach completes the experience.
I generally finish it all off with a whisky, though if my guest insists I will go for a dessert. I like the crème brûlée if I am dining there in the evening. The crust is always hard, as it should be.
I go to The Grillhouse to meet my friends and have a jaw-jaw about politics. Yet the real success of the restaurant lies in its managers (friendly, helpful, present, solutionist), its staff (professional, unflappable, memories like elephants) and, of course, the fantastic steaks and fabulous bar.
There may be better restaurants than The Grillhouse. But this is where I go when I want to have fun and a great meal. It’s the best steakhouse in SA, but it’s also just a great restaurant with great people.
The Grillhouse (Rosebank) ★★★★★
1 The Firs, Hyatt Centre Corner Oxford Road and Biermann Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg Tel: 011-880-3945
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