Intrigued to discover just what this entailed, we set off on a chilly evening when Mondiall was so fully booked they actually had to turn hungry people away at the door. As a result we were thrilled to be met with warm welcomes and impeccable service, as well as a complimentary glass of hot in-house gluhwein – our first of the season – which soon had our insides humming and ready for a comforting meal.
Despite side-eyeing the a la carte menu as the tables on either side of us ordered amazing sounding tacos, burgers and steaks, we resolutely stuck to the July Winter menu and were glad we did. Our comforting meal began with that global touch of class - a complimentary bread basket and disc of ‘M’-embossed butter. This did well to soak up the gluhwein still lining in our systems and we were soon ready for the listed starter of braised pork neck in Asian broth with edamame beans, broccoli and the skinniest homemade noodles.
It was pleasingly meaty-salty and just the right amount of slurpy, thanks to those noodles, with the crispy vegetables providing a surprising amount of crunch. Best soup ever.
Mains then was a choice between option A) The slow-roasted lamb shank with creamed potato and cauliflower, root vegetables, basil aioli and classic red wine jus or option B) The homemade tagliatelle with Gorgonzola, walnut, spinach and crisp onion. In the spirit of fairness we went for a plate of each and sampled each other's meals throughout. The lamb shank was out-of-this-world, falling off the bone and perfectly complemented by the generous bed of mash and bright veggies and a glass of the red house wine. It was so good that my husband called it one of the best meals of his life. The tagliatelle portion was just as good for those not feeding with a carnivorous personality. A simply enormous portion, we recommend you go hungry as each twirled forkful is perfectly creamy and sharp in all the right places, enhanced by a glass of the house white. Despite the loveliness and seasonal perfection of the pasta dish, I'd recommend the lamb shank. It's the ultimate plate of classy winter comfort food.
Plates clean, by then we were quite literally full to the brim but one doesn’t simply turn down dessert – especially when it's a surprise, and when you have a mouthful of sweet teeth. Listed as “Chef's choice of home baked dessert and accompaniments”, on the night we were treated to white fondant with seasonal berries and a generous serving of berry sorbet. It took a while to arrive (little wonder as the restaurant was fully seated by then), but was definitely worth the wait.
The gooseberries were pleasant balls of tartness, the raspberry rose was delightfully jammy,while the white fondant was fresh out the oven and steamy, with a soft, custardy innard that broke through the cakiness. Just the right way to end the night.
In and out in just under two hours, we could have easily spent the night there… especially as a complimentary salsa dancing class kicked off at 9pm, with all and sundry laughing with gusto and swaying back and forth. All in all a wonderful meal that definitely chased away the seasonal blues.
I can’t wait to see what the August menu looks like!
*Leigh Andrews was a guest of Mondiall. Note that the Mondiall winter special menu is only available for dinner. It goes for R195 per person for two of the above courses and R250 for all three, including a glass of red or white house wine. Mondiall will also offer a special ‘Christmas in July’ menu from 25 to 31 July, where head chef Stephen Mandes will put a fresh spin on the traditional meal, just perfect for a wintry meal at the water's edge in view of a twinkling Christmas tree. For more information and to book the July winter menu, visit www.mondiall.co.za/.
