Greek feast awaits on the hill
RICHMOND Hill is still a favourite foraging spot for many a Bay diner, and even though some will take to Facebook to whine about everything from the service and the prices, to the parking, the odd arrogant chef or owner, and who knows what else, the next day/week/month they will all be back wanting more.
It's a curious place, really, where some restaurants are able to go the distance while others invariably fold.
Then there are the personalities, some of whom have literally been in the restaurant trade for decades.
Richmond Hill is also a place of refreshing reinvention, where people and premises interchange with great regularity.
Pop into Zorba's, for instance, and you will find that George Ioannides, the man whom many still associate with the iconic restaurant that started in Central, then moved to the beachfront only to resurface in Stanley Street last year, has moved on.
Zorba's is still doing its thing, only without George, and in its kitchen you'll now find another familiar face – that of Alan Fryer, ex-Marilyn's in Walmer and, before, that, Charlie's Bistro in Richmond Hill.
George, on the other hand, is now running George's Greek Taverna at Fernando Bras's former Solmar premises, which the well-known Portuguese family never really seemed to have made a go of.
It's not on "The Strip", as Stanley Street has become known, but a few streets away in Raleigh Street and two doors down from Vovo Telo, the cafe that many might credit with having started the Richmond Hill regeneration and restaurant revolution.
And George's is precisely where my husband, Salvelio, and I found ourselves last week – much to our delight, I might add.
That is because hubby, being of Spanish descent, will (despite his appetite for culinary adventures) more often than not be drawn to honest Mediterranean flavours. This is how we mostly cook at home and this will be his first choice every time .
And George's did not disappoint. All the old faithfuls are on the menu, from Cyprus-style moussaka and mezze platters heaped with delights like hummus, tsatsiki and vine-leaf wrapped dolmades, to those crispy-curly squid heads that you either love or hate. There's also a solid selection of steaks, chicken, seafood, pastas, pizzas and salads, with a few choice vegetarian options thrown in.
We got there early but in no time the cheery Greek island-blue interior and even the little verandah out front were packed.
My best night out is one where there is so much on the menu that you are tempted to try that it takes you ages to decide on your order. This was the case at George's and as a result a return visit looms large in my immediate future! And the best part is the prices as, like at Zorba's, the menu offers excellent value.
We started with Grecian chicken livers for Salvelio (R35) which were delectable though on the fiery side, as they should be, and a seafood pancake crammed with the good stuff for me. At R50 it was the most expensive starter on the menu but it was so liberally packed with fish, calamari and prawns, all in a rich and creamy white wine sauce, that I would order it again.
Mains were fantastic – two generous, herby Greek lamb skewers or souvlaki (R90) for him and decadently creamy Kingklip Asparagus (R105) for me. The latter was a princely dish even though made with tinned asparagus which our charming waitress had pointed out to me before. Both dishes came with excellent chips and two types of veggies (I'll be back for the spinach alone!)
To wrap up our night we shared the Jamaican banana dessert (R40) which the manager, Seugne Das, who had waited on our table, recommended.
This dish was our only disappointment as it was nothing more than sliced, half-raw banana with not a trace of the ginger liqueur it was supposedly made with.
The sauce was really just sweet caramel while the shop ice cream on the side did not improve matters. If you only have three dessert choices on your menu then make them good!
George's is at 26 Raleigh Street, Richmond Hill and bookings are on (041) 582-1555 or 083-297-2444. The restaurant is open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. This review visit was unannounced, anonymous and the meal paid for in full. - Louise Liebenberg
