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A long time ago, Christmas was special because of the food, if nothing else. If you could get new clothes and some presents those were extras. But it was the food that made the day.
So what better season than now to review one of the restaurants that seems to have stood the test of time in face of Harare’s faddish crowd? It looks like a certain crowd in the city all discover a new place, flock there for a while, then at some invisible signal desert it for yet a new find.
Some of the places end up getting closed. So the restaurants that manage to keep enough custom coming in through the front door really need a round of applause. One such place is Da Eros along East Road in Avondale. As with most of our eateries in the city, it is a converted house that has capitalised on the colonial architecture of huge verandahs to create three sitting options; you can be on the patio, in the tent or inside.
On a sultry Wednesday afternoon the welcome was really that. The greeting was genuinely warm and we were offered a table with a heart-warming smile. None of that snotty attitude like in some other places where the maître makes you feel that you should be grateful that they have allowed you onto the premises!
My companion and I chose a corner table in the verandah as the best of all worlds, outside but nicely sheltered. Soon enough a cheerful fellow by the name of Jeff came to take care of us. Being the festive season I thought I would try a glass of the red house wine.
At two dollars a glass, it certainly confirmed the adage that if you want cheap, you get cheap, but it was drinkable. Thankfully they have other options for wine lovers. Crusty slices of home-made bread with butter and a salad served with honey and mustard dressing kept us going nicely while we awaited our food.
We had both decided to go without starters and I opted for a grilled baby chicken flavoured with mild peri-peri served with chips. It came with butternuts and green beans. With the crushed garlic and a house onion and tomato paste to add to the peri-peri, it was a great meal indeed.
My companion went for a mixed sea food platter and I must say that the prawns really took the cup. We both agreed that they are probably the best that one can get in Harare.
A tempting array of desserts is available but I generally avoid that so we resisted. But Jeff had other thoughts and brought us potent snifters of vodka mixed with lemon and honey. My companion is strictly temperate so I had two!
Jeff then brought us some delicious apples – perhaps to keep in the theme of the garden of Eros to go in line with the huge picture of Cupid on the front wall. If there was a fault, it was that the food was just too much and we both needed doggy bags. So if you would like to observe the Christmas spirit of eating plenty, then make your way to Da Eros and get some Italian love.
Expect to spend upwards of US$17 per head for a three-course meal and drinks.
Online Reporter