Joburg used to be a fine dining destination deluxe

• Jo’burg has a history of the finest of fine dining.

• In the 1970s the luxury hotels of the Johannesburg CBD produced dishes of extraordinary opulence - The Three Ships at the Carlton Hotel had on its menu ‘Saddle of Venison Openheimer Square’ (named for its meticulous butter-sculpture replica of the fountain’s jumping springboks).

What is fine dining?
Restaurants that create an all round special occasion (elegant location, fine cutlery and stem-ware, dress code, classically trained service, consistent food and wine list excellence).

The key issue is not the posh style of the restaurant but the high level of skill required in such kitchens – so when we loose these restaurants we loose those skills and by extension those tastes.

It is not the kind of food one wants or needs every day but we need to respect it, understand that it is hard to do well and that we all need it sometimes. If we disregard it when we need it, it won’t be there.

• The political turbulence of the 1980s and crime wave of the 1990s saw a laager mentality in which many South African diners stayed at home.

• The Johannesburg CBD was gutted as corporate head offices fled north. Many of the grand restaurants didn’t survive the flight. Lots of them tried to move to Sandton but most were so badly wounded by the move that they never recovered.

• Our lives have changed and we do more everyday dining and less dress up special occasion eating. The way we use restaurants has changed – we treat them as an extension of our living rooms (I take my computer and work in restaurants).

• Entertainment expense accounts have largely gone so when we eat posh we pay for it ourselves.

• We need to know where are our great remaining posh restaurants because these restaurants were the site perfect engagement dinners, romantic anniversaries and life changing business deals (sometimes not so savoury).

• The fine dining restaurants and their chefs are the keepers of the city’s secrets. They are the keepers of our perfect moments.

So who is still out there fighting for fine dining?

Linger Longer – Walter Ulz

1. Chef Walter Ulz has been the chef at Linger Longer since 1976 – over 30 years.
2. The restaurant moved from Braamfontein to Sandton and survived the move!
3. Not only is Linger Longer going strong but it is also reveling in its own nostalgia value. In April they are having a whole month of Nostalgia Menu (R145 for 2 courses and R175 for 3 courses) – fabulously retro chic.

• Avocado Ritz
• Sole St Germain
• Fillet Bordelaise (bone marrow, wild mushrooms)
• Crepe Suzette

Tel: 011 884 0465

Bistro 277 – Marc Guebert

1. Marc Guebert – In SA since 1973and a chef for 50 years.
2. He ran the legendary Ile de France and then converted into Bistro 277 when society changed.
3. Marc has handed control of Bistro 277 to his Sous Chef Matthew Smith but says “I have trained him well and he knows the right way”.
4. Bistro 277 still has on the menu:

• Duck confit
• Cassoulet
• Braised tripe in calvados

THE BOY HAS BEEN TRAINED BY THE BEST AND CAN SERIOUSLY COOK

1. Marc Guebert himself is reopening in the Fourways area in early May as Soufflé
2. Chef Guebert is the king of soufflés having “sold more than 400 000 since I arrived in this country.”

NB: Grand Marnier Souffle is the stuff of Johannesburg culinary legend.

1. Soufflé is to be a patisserie/ deli providing much needed day time francophone glamour.

Bistro 277 – 011 7062837

Le Canard - Frieda Appelbaum

1. In a world of café culture it is fun to sometimes go places where you need to put on lipstick and turn your cell phone off.
2. Frieda Appelbaum serves dishes such as:

• Duck liver parfait interleaved with quince puree,
• truffled pomme Anna,
• flambéed fruit at the table.

She is also seriously cool – the Queen of cool fierce girls in Jo’burg.

Le Canard: 011 884 4597