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10 Forest Row
Arundel Village
Mount Pleasant
Harare
369198/369257

Alo Alo for that intimate dinner 2011
Welcome to The Dolls’ House!   On a chilly evening, it was as if we were welcomed into a friend’s home, and into the past; the wall adorned with pretty, patterned china plates of yesteryear, elegant bric-a-brac, wooden dressers and side tables covered with happy framed photographs, families, weddings, portraits, all jostling for position.  Pride of place went to the row of beautifully dressed china dolls overlooking the manager’s desk.  It was personal, intimate – and looking at the other hand-holding couples at neighbouring tables, decidedly romantic. The 50’s music added to the feeling that we had taken a step back into a better time and the rose-tint was still intact once we had entered the warmer inner main room and been ushered to our seats.  Perhaps it had something to do with the tasteful setting of our table, the warm candle-light reflected in sparkling wine glasses, gleaming cutlery and smiling faces.

Once those wine glasses had been filled, the feeling continued to be mellow.  The menu on the other hand, was far more stimulating and a pleasant surprise.  I liked the fact that there was a wide choice, ranging from beef to smoked salmon, lamb to hake, pork, chicken, vegetarian; curry, braised, stuffed, roast.  Even better, unusual variations on well-known themes with interesting sauces and accompaniments to well-liked favourite dishes.    We started with a Mixed Platter, a starter for two which proved to be a mighty plate covered with delightfully wicked little Devils on Horseback, melting deep fried halumi cheese, crumbed fish and a choice of sauces.  Main course–wise I had been tempted by the stuffed Hake, but succumbed to Lamb & Apricot Tagine, my curiosity and taste buds aroused.  My partner opted for the beef curry, and when that arrived, oh la la, quelle surprise!  Not quite Carmen Miranda, but Carmen Michael perhaps, a heap not of fruit but of vegetables piled atop a head of rice, its companion a bowl of the beef curry to add at your own pace.  Flavourful, tasty, but not hot was the verdict.  My own Carmen Tagine had two large ears of naan bread, and the sweet, tangy apricot and fresh coriander set off the rich lamb to perfection. A pause to savour the flavours, sip one’s drink, listen to the music and tap the toes and we then embarked on dessert.  Chocolate mousse, cheesecake or that perennial favourite, crème caramel?  Having chosen the mousse, my partner described it in one word - “stunning”.  Need one say more?  The cheesecake was generous, fresh and once again fruity.   To follow, excellent coffees of various kinds.  We were so comfortably well fed it was easy to resist the temptation to join hands and take a twirl around the floor.  Much harder was actually to pay the most acceptable bill, and depart to face the invigorating night air outside.

For that intimate dinner with someone special, or for that pleasant evening you want to share with a small group of friends, with well-presented, interesting food in a homely yet classy setting, and for something just that little bit different, walk through the door into this House of Eating and be made welcome.  Bon Appétit!
4 Plates
Expect to spend $30 to $40
Alliance Française complex, near corner of Herbert Chitepo Ave and Enterprise Road

Alo, Alo – Seriously Good Food!(2010 reviews)
Being in the grounds of Alliance Française, the name “Alo, Alo” alluding as it does to the French comedy programme seemed apposite even if, as I assumed,  “Allo” was incorrectly spelt!!  However research revealed that “Alo” is in fact the initials of the owners – Adrian and Leslie (executive chef) Orford – and I quickly appreciated that this is an establishment that takes its food very seriously indeed!  

Longer ago than most of us care to remember Alliance Française took the inspired initiative of hosting Harare’s first French Café in its premises.  Several incarnations later its present incumbent “Alo Alo”, whose predecessor was Le Tam Tam, has been justly acknowledged as a centre of gourmet excellence by several awards and favourable reviews.  Diners can enjoy the inside cottagey décor complete with family (both human and animal) photographs on the dresser, the verandah looking over the courtyard or the courtyard itself with big Zimbrellas to ensure shade.  First impressions are of meticulous attention to detail – lovely flower arrangements (by Perfect Flowers) on the tables,  Ros Byrne table mats and waiters sporting appropriate French livery! The daily specials (when we visited these were  a selection of burgers - Bacon Wrapped, Mushroom, Pepper, Chicken Schnitzel - all served with chips and costing $12) are displayed on a board and a very substantial menu with both house specials and regular items and a comprehensive wine list are offered.

Although we were initially the only lunchtime diners we were joined by several other parties and were told that they were fully booked for the evening.  We chose to sit on the cool verandah and decided that a pre-lunch drink should be given priority.  Although freshly squeezed juice wasn’t available for my companion we comforted ourselves by studying the informative wine list and, though tempted by some of the more expensive bottles ($25 - $40), chose the very reasonably priced Du Toitskloof Sauvignon Blanc at $10.  This was served ideally chilled in luxuriously large wine glasses with ice bucket and extra ice on the side.  I observed that those diners who (fashionably!) brought their own wine appeared to be equally well served.

After much debate as there were so many dishes which appealed (Crumbed Mushrooms,  Beef Carpaccio, Mixed Hors d’Oeuvres to list a few) we chose as our starters Thai Fish Cakes with Chilli Sauce ($6) and Carrot and Ginger Soup with Cheese and Sesame Seed Biscuits ($6).  We were temporarily and most pleasantly distracted from choosing our main course by being offered the most wonderful selection of breads – Courgette, Beer and Butternut – beautifully displayed on a large tray.  Returning to the task at hand we both chose from the specials menu – Filo Parcels of Bream and Spinach ($16) for my companion and Pork Medallions ($16) with a choice of Rice, Baked Potato with Sour Cream, Mash or Chips for me.

Had we known the huge size and richness of even the starter dishes we might well have opted for just one course!  Each dish comes superbly presented and decorated and the fish cakes were accompanied by a substantial salad.  The soup, unusually served in a square plate, was rich in chopped fresh ginger and the chilli sauce with my fish cakes was, correctly, for Thai cuisine, mild.  Our main courses arrived accompanied by a side order of aubergines, tomatoes and cabbage in batter, and were exactly as described on the menu and cooked to perfection. Neither of us could finish our gigantic portions and when requested, doggy bags were willingly produced!

The dessert selection was limited to Crème Caramel, Chocolate Mousse or Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce and although we watched enviously as some of the diners scraped the bottom of their dessert dishes neither of us had the capacity to indulge – not even in a shared dish!

Coffee was served in traditionally crafted cups accompanied by matching milk jug and sugar bowl and the craft theme was continued by presenting the bill in a wire basket. Such attention to presentation is a defining feature of “Alo Alo” and together with the quality and range of its dishes makes it an outstanding restaurant.

On asking the waiter if “ladies portions” were available I understood that this was so with the fillet steak but am not sure about the rest of the dishes.  I certainly would welcome smaller portions and appropriately reduced prices!  Perhaps “Alo Alo” might introduce a special lunch menu for those with smaller appetites and purses as many other restaurants have done.  “Alo. Alo” opens everyday at 9.30am and closes at 10pm except for Monday when it closes at 5pm and Sunday at 2.30pm. It is also an Internet Chilli spot and I am pleased to report an absence of nerds tapping away at their keyboards! I am already looking forward to my next visit and will now know to forgo any sustenance beforehand!

Deluxe Family Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend $15 to $30 per head

 

Most satisfying dining experience at Alo Alo
2009 Review
I have seldom had such a satisfying dining experience! We happened to be passing by after a great morning at the Verandah Gallery and were lucky to get the last table available.  The place is really buzzing and busy, and deserves to be so.  One of the other guests was the proprietor of Leonardo’s – a great restaurant in its own right.  Where do restaurateurs go on their day off?  To ‘Alo Alo’ of course.

We managed to get a table outside which was lovely in the winter sun.  The inside is really cosy with flowers on the table and a feeling of being warm and comfortable. Small touches make a big difference – water was served in a bottle decorated with beads and wire. We were lucky to get our fantastic lunch as they are about to close for their annual holiday.

Despite the fact that it is located at Alliance Française, this is not a particularly French restaurant.  The menu is quite broad with a big selection of meat, chicken and fish dishes, as well as a few vegetarian dishes.  For the strictly vegan there are some soups, salads and pastas.  The menu caters for all tastes without being too fancy and dauntingly complicated.  It is very much child- friendly and lots of kids were running around and playing in the big open courtyard in front of the restaurant.  We were offered a choice of two kinds of bread – a white bread made with courgettes and a brown bread made with butternut and yoghurt.  Both were delicious and served with real butter, not margarine.

Service was excellent, efficient and friendly without being too pushy or pressurised.  A waiter was always available but not intrusive.

We were a party of three – the third being a Zimbabwean living and working in America – and even he with his fussy tastes was impressed by the service and presentation.  We ordered a starter plate for two which was more than enough for three of us – in fact a whole meal in itself.  It had fried cheese, chicken, fish and liver as well as a fantastic salad.

Onto the food – we ordered grilled fish, chicken schnitzel and lamb curry.  The fish was a little bland but I guess grilled tilapia should be bland, although the lemon butter sauce was really good. The chicken was very tender and tasty and was accompanied with a mushroom sauce which was very scrumptious.  The lamb curry needs extra mention as it was truly delightful – not too hot but very spicy and delectable.  All three meals were beautifully presented and looked like works of art, which in fact they were.  We had a huge bottle of salad dressing to accompany our meal.

The wine list was extensive – mostly South African wines – reds, whites and sparkling wines, also house wine by the glass.  There was also a list of wines NOT available which I think is a great idea as I hate ordering something only to be told that it is ‘off’.

The choice of desserts was a bit disappointing although our earlier portions were so filling we couldn’t actually eat any more!  There was only the ubiquitous ice cream and chocolate sauce.  Looking at the other tables, it appeared beautifully presented.  However, we decided on Cappuccinos, which were deliciously creamy and rich.

Overall I would recommend ‘Alo Alo’ as a fine dining experience with great food, excellent service and a good ambience.  As a final comment I feel that the waiters deserve a special mention for attention without being intrusive.  Well done to the servers and the managers for giving us such a delightful experience.  I salute your passion and devotion!
Family Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend $15 - $25 per head

Alo Alo - Delightful Dining
2008 Review
My husband and I have just returned from a delightful ‘feasting and wining’ holiday second to none in Europe and have consequently been very spoilt with choice restaurants.  We have since eaten out locally and have found very little to compare with our holiday eateries.  However upon saying that  – we have been delightfully surprised by none other than this small restaurant run by a husband and wife team in the avenues of Harare - Leslie and Charles ????

Booking by phone was efficiently handled and upon our arrival parking with security was readily available. One small glitch in our evening was our actual arrival in the restaurant. The staff seem to be slightly uncertain with regards to seating procedures.  However we were eventually led to our table which was outside on the veranda in the open – fortunately it was a mild evening. I would imagine that come the middle of winter that they will drop the blinds on the veranda to shelter guests from the chill of the evening. Once seated our waiter failed to reappear to take a drinks order. We eventually caught the eye of a veteran waiter, who proceeded to bring us menus and to take a drinks order.  I must admit that I did say to my husband ‘I hope that this is not a sign of a disastrous dining experience’.  Fortunately for us that was the only glitch in the evening.  Our new waiter was very efficient.

The restaurant is very pleasing on the eye, small quaint and homely.  Nicely laid tables with lovely fresh flowers, all in all very pleasing on the eye.  Charles A runs the front of house and Leslie is the Head Chef in the kitchen. The menu is very extensive – I was quite surprised at the largeness of it.  There is however something for everyone, including vegetarians.  They also have their specials written out on a couple of blackboards, this obviously gives Leslie the opportunity to be adventurous as well as seasonal.  The wine list consists of both local and imported wines.  A very nice selection to choose from..

We had a bottle of Nederberg Shiraz 2004 to compliment our meal – it had been correctly looked after - and therefore had improved with age – not like some of us. Our waiter brought us a bread selection on a tray  to choose from – this consisted of freshly baked rolls, bread straws and some lovely crunchy pasta type chips and most importantly,  served with ‘ butter’.- an essential factor – I cannot abide margarine served in a Restaurant.

My husband and I order the Assorted Platter for a starter.  This consisted of Chicken and Bacon Livers in their own jus – perfectly cooked, fish goujons in a wonderful crispy and light beer batter with tartar sauce, haloumi, onion rings, crumbed mushrooms, a sweet chilli sauce etc.  Very well presented with lovely fresh garnish, a meal in itself.

Our main course consisted of a Chicken Schnitzel, cooked to perfection, still moist and tender with a Homemade Tomato sauce, this was served with a choice of starch on the plate and vegetables that were served in a separate bowl. Very nice touch. Our other choice was the Braised Lamb – the sauce was not too rich and therefore complimented the richness of the lamb itself. Very tender and again very well presented in a separate bowl and with a choice of starch etc. The vegetables were Gem squash halves stuffed with butternut and I think sprinkled with Paprika ??? and a wonderful type of cabbage and pepper spring roll. It was delicious.  I can also assure you that the portions were more than adequate.  Again the presentation was very well executed. Such a small thing, but such an important factor. Unfortunately we were both too full to even contemplate dessert – I did however have a frothy cappuccino to end our evening.

My thanks to Alo Alo for a delightful meal – continue foraging. We shall be back!
5 Plates
Family Restaurant