Johannesburg - Hotel food is not what it used to be. And that’s an excellent thing.
Thankfully, we’ve moved on from the days when food was merely an add-on service, to hotels investing money and thought in their kitchens and bars. I scouted out a few hotel restaurants to see how far we’ve come. My investigation continues next week…
Bernoulli's
Southern Sun OR Tambo International Airport
Kempton Park
Tel: 011 977 3600
Not as glitzy as the neighbouring Intercontinental Hotel’s Quills restaurant, which is operated by the Tsogo hotel group, Bernoulli’s Mediterranean restaurant is geared for the business traveller, who requires variety, an international menu, and not much fuss. Still, service is genuinely friendly and capable.
Grab a table near the large glass doors to soak up the winter sun and enjoy the locally inspired seasonal set menu offering, or the à la carte, which boasts items such as nasi goring (the scented Indonesian rice-based dish of prawns and chicken), steaks, burgers and pasta. For variety, there’s a carvery and a salad bar, but my recommendation for comfort food is the grill menu, which we sampled.
There are two starter and two main options and, for afters, a cheese and dessert table. The bobotie stack, presented in a stack of fried wonton wrappers, is piled atop a mild tomato salsa, as a modern reading of this classic Malay dish.
Springbok is sliced into medallions, presented on mashed potato, topped with a chocolate sauce, and served with crunchy, bright vegetables. The lamb shank, the other option, is beautifully slow-cooked and luscious.
The set menu is a limited offering, ending tomorrow, and costs R250. If you’re in the area, make Bernoulli’s – rather than one of the bland airport eateries – your lunch destination.
oneNINEone
The Hyatt Regency Johannesburg
191 Oxford Road
Rosebank
Tel: 011 280 1234
An enormous investment in a hotel restaurant proves that, if you throw enough money at a problem (a tired restaurant, an underused terrace and a lobby lounge that was a dead space) and invest in staff (by employing talent such as consultant chef Andrew Atkinson, who’s proof there is life after MasterChef, and executive chef Shaniel Dinna), you can get an excellent return on that investment.
The rooms at the Hyatt Regency Johannesburg are due for a revamp, but the restaurant, oneNINEone, lobby and terrace have been renamed and repositioned.
In the comfortable lobby and bar area, tapas and a light lunch menu are served, while drinks are best enjoyed on the pretty terrace with sculpted water features and magical lighting. There’s also a sociable cigar bar.
This business hotel recognises that guests are pressed for time, which is why it is serving a business lunch during the week.
The menu changes weekly, but there are three dishes to choose from, you’ll be done in under an hour, and it costs R100.
And if you’re stressed (who isn’t in this city?), I suggest the spa, where the seriously incredible therapists, modern amenities and luxurious products are a godsend.
Saturday Star