Wombles has long been synonyms with a grand evening out: delicious food, great service and elegant surroundings. Definitely THE place to go especially if one was hankering after a juicy piece of steak or looking for a venue to mark a special occasion.
I have spent many an evening at Wombles when it was still based in Parktown North, making happy memories, enjoying the food, the wine and the company. After a satisfying meal, my dinner companions and I, often retreated to the open log fire in the front garden. The amber glow from the fire, created the perfect ambience for post dinner chatter and star gazing, while sipping on a whisky and puffing on a cigar. With these vivid memories, I was both curious and cautious about visiting Wombles at its new location at the Hobart Grove Shopping Centre in Bryanston.
My sister’s birthday provided the ideal opportunity for us to throw on some fancy threads and go checkout the place. I am happy to report, despite the new address, there remains some striking similarities to the Wombles of Parktown North: the warm welcome, the staff, the menu and the décor. There is something very comforting about knowing that a place has undergone a change, yet there remains some familiarity, it’s not entirely unrecognisable. I felt like I was returning to a family home, which had been given an upgrade. I think much of this can be attributed to the restaurant’s owners Duncan and Yvette Barker.
For starters, I shared the escargots with my sister. Snails, hidden in their shells, drenched in a garlic, lemon and parsley butter. It’s one of my all-time Wombles favourites. My third dinner companion, who is also the love of my life, is unable to go to Wombles and not order the springbok carpaccio. Sliced thin, served with rocket, shavings of parmigiano and a touch of fresh horse radish. He declares this dish as “one of the best carpaccio’s he’s ever eaten!”
For mains, the birthday girl and I opted for the 260 gram fillet served with roasted rosemary potatoes wedges and a black pepper sauce on the side. I would have killed for a baked potato, but that wasn’t an option. The fillet was soft and succulent, almost melt in your mouth good. The complimentary vegetables of pumpkin, peas and onions added to the flavour sensation. Subtle tastes that didn’t over power the star on the plate: the fillet.
My partner’s main was the fillet on the bone, served with a rich, creamy mushroom sauce. I am a firm believer that certain cuts of meat should be cooked on bone as this intensifies the flavour. This is certainly one of them. The result is a delicious, soft piece of meat, which kept all its natural juicy goodness.
For once we weren’t complete sloth. With already filled bellies, we skipped dessert and opted for Don Pedros. And just like in the past Wombles had once again given us another memorable evening. Service throughout the evening was friendly, polite and highly professional.
Wombles can rightly claim to be a steak house of distinction. It has and continues to consistently deliver excellent food and service. Executive Chef Nesberth Nhambura, take a bow. I look forward to returning and this time lingering long after my meal, to sit at the fire, counting my blessings and the stars.
Contact Details:
Address: G 9 & 10 Hobart Grove Shopping Centre
Bryanston
Tele: +27 11 880 2470 or 11 463 8558