Review: moyo Zoo Lake - a reason to go out this Winter!
Comfort food and winter are synonymous... and why not? The feeling I get after biting into a decadent chocolate brownie can leave me elated for quite some time. Who wouldn't want to be around a happy person, especially in this chilly season?!
moyo's winter menu, available only until the end of August, is one of the reasons why we ventured out of our home this winter and into moyo Zoo Lake.
The thought of freshly made food prepared by someone else while you get to enjoy quality time with your family next to warm gas heaters and listening to a live band play some good tunes... oh! If only I could do this everyday!
African charm exudes in every manner at moyo Zoo Lake. From the moment we parked our car, we were greeted with warm hospitality, and this continued throughout the evening with everyone whom we came into contact with. The ambience in its entirety, made us feel as if we've stepped foot into a place deep in the heart of a peaceful Africa.
We admired the talents of our beautiful people as we ventured through the African curio store which then led to a lovely walkway under the starlit sky towards the restaurant.
Sibonokuhle, our waitress, showed us to our table and graciously took care of us for the entire evening, whilst Zee, the manager checked on us from time to time. The bread basket that we're usually accustomed to in most restaurants, was not laden with your usual plain bread. These were inspired by the other countries in the African continent. A light and thin Moroccan flatbread drizzled slightly with olive oil and a more darker Tunisian flatbread with sesame seeds accompanied with some hummus - a mashed chickpea dip. I took a liking to the Tunisian flatbread as it had a softer texture and was more flavourful, especially with the hummus dip. We quenched our thirst with contrasting drinks such as a hot chocolate and a cool caramel gourmet popcorn shake.
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Our starters consisted of mussels in curried coconut broth which was creamy and had a fresh lemon zing. My palate chose this over Chef Ru's red pepper soup, which was equally delicious but had a strong kick to it - that would be perfect if you feel the flu coming on! The sunflower seed-topped bruschetta that accompanied the red pepper soup aided in calming the fiery taste, but I would definitely recommend it to those who prefer spicier foods.
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If by the sound of this, you don't already feel hungry, let me divulge into our main course meals! Line fish with jollof rice and curried butternut lasagne. Jollof rice is a dish popular in most West African countries, which includes onions and tomatoes and in this case, carrots and red pepper. The fish was well prepared and it was topped with a fresh and creamy lemon sauce, which partnered with the jollof rice in an appetizing manner. The curried butternut lasagne with garlic rubbed pumpkin bruschetta was mouth-watering and cheesy, and despite us usually being meat and chicken eaters often wondering about the vegetarian meals' ability to sustain us, we felt it rather filling and healthy. By this time, our stomachs were filled to capacity but as always, there is always room for dessert.
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Before dessert though, we had our face painted by a guy named Gift, who certainly had a gift in finding the art that best suits our features. If you do get your face painted, please tip him as well, as he also requires utensils and products to purchase and takes his time to best provide an African essence, enhancing your experience.
moyo Zoo Lake has ample space on offer and we used this opportunity to create an appetite... as well as do a photo shoot before heading back to stuff our beautifully painted faces with some much needed desserts!
As a chocolate lover, I did not pass up the opportunity for a decadent chocolate brownie with some ice cream which was absolutely heavenly! The rich chocolate flavour with the nutty taste, had my head in the clouds and I did not want that feeling to end! The other dessert on our table was the aptly named, mama's sago crumble, which along with the warm custard, gave one the nostalgic feeling of one 'that mama used to make'.
moyo Zoo Lake, with its warm atmosphere, friendly service, great music and delicious food that is good value for money, will get you out of hibernation this winter.
Related article: Experience true African warmth at moyo this winter
