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Meikles Hotel
Cnr Jason Moyo Ave and 3rd St
Harare 707721, 2511705

La Fontaine, Standards Maintain! 2011
La Fontaine is a deluxe restaurant situated on the first floor of Meikles Hotel.  This restaurant has historically had excellent ratings, and I am very pleased to report that we were truly impressed!   Upon arrival, we were greeted by the Maitre D’, who introduced us to our waiter who then ushered us to our table for four.  My brother was recently engaged which was an occasion to celebrate at the La Fontaine. 
Drinks were offered to us immediately, and we were presented with the wine list which is very extensive with all  the wines being very well described, ranging from very highly rated champagne to sparkling wines, rosé’s, white’s, and red’s.  We chose a Diemersfontaine Pinotage which was delicious, with a hint of chocolate on the nose and palate.  There was a live in-house band playing very tasteful dinner music.  They are certainly very talented and offer to play music requested by diners.  This is done by completing a song request card which is available on the tables.  

Our very enthusiastic and efficient waiter took our food orders, and my husband started with a steak tartare, which was prepared at our table by the Maitre D’.  This was utterly fascinating, as well as entertaining. Firstly a combination of egg yolk, chopped capers, chopped onions, a very generous slurp of hot English mustard, diced parsley, homemade tartar sauce, black pepper, Tabasco, garlic, and a few other ingredients which have skipped my mind.  These were skilfully blended in a glass bowl and finally raw minced steak is added and moulded into the mixture.  This was served onto a platter with melba toast on the side.  After such a commotion, of course I had to sample this unusual dish and as strange as it may sound, it was truly delicious!  For my appetiser I ordered Chicken Terrine, my brother had Choux pastry stuffed with chicken livers served with curry sauce, and his fiancée had prawn fish cakes.  The starter were all delicious, and left us eagerly looking forward to our mains!

Our mains arrived in good time after the starters.  My husband had crouton crusted Scottish salmon served on a bed of chive mash.  The salmon was moist and cooked to perfection.  My brother's fiancée and I had duck breast with ginger and orange sauce, served with seasonal vegetables, which was totally scrumptious, although perhaps a little over cooked because in my opinion duck should be rare.  My brother had roast pork fillet stuffed with apricot and almond, served with sweet potato and butternut mash which too was extremely tasty, however the pork a little dry.

By this stage, we were positively nearing exploding point; however this did not stop us from ordering dessert!  There are four desserts on the menu, so we decided to each order one of them so that we could all sample them all.  The desserts were lemon cheesecake topped with strawberries and strawberry sauce, served with ice-cream presented in a delicious brandy snap basket.  Another was a chocolate platter which comprised a dark Belgian chocolate mousse, white chocolate cardamom tart and a caramelised chocolate pot.  Next was Pavlova with seasonal fruit being melons, and whipped cream, and the fourth dessert was vanilla ice-cream with a berry coulli served in a brandy snap case.  Somehow we managed to conquer the desserts, and to our waiter’s utter amazement, we asked to sample their cheese platter even though we were wondering how on earth we could fit in another morsel!  We all had a small taste of the cheeses which were fresh and good selection, however a blue cheese was noticeably absent.

Finally, the cocktail cart was wheeled to our table.  How could we resist liqueurs which we do not come across very often; Frangelico, Dom Benedictine, Sambuca, etc?  We all had a liqueur and two of us accepted a very fine cup of filter coffee which rounded off the meal perfectly. We were now totally defeated.  This was a fine dining experience to say the least and we look forward to our next visit.
Deluxe Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend $40 to $60 per head
Meikles Hotel, Harare

La Fontaine back to five plates with good value enjoyable dining experience (2010)

I have to admit that initially my heart sank a bit when I was asked to review La Fontaine, mainly because it is in the city centre, and normally I avoid driving into town, most especially at night-time!  However, I tried to cheer myself up by remembering that Meikles does have a very safe guarded parking area and I did have a very impressive high tea there some time ago, for a friend’s birthday.  

A charming and helpful lady answered the phone, and I was given the choice of smoking or non smoking areas, told that the set menu was twenty dollars and also given various methods to pay. 

Since my last batch of reviews I have become a bit spoilt after sampling quite a few outstanding restaurants on my South African holiday, where eating out is so often an absolute feast for the senses.  Personally, when I go out for a meal I am looking for something better than I can make at home, so I was hoping that La Fontaine would be able to come up with something enticing.

Since the New Year, I have been on a keep fit campaign.  I have joined a fantastic new Ladies Gym and started cycling.  So I am also looking for food that is not ‘obesogenic,’ a wonderful word coined by the Readers Digest in this  February’s issue; “ Western culture with its access to cheap, fattening food, and the decline in exercise and manual work, is increasingly ‘ obesogenic.’”  I am aiming towards a more ‘leptogenic’ future, which apparently means ‘leading to weight loss’!  However, this will no doubt be a fairly slow process as I am still quite a hedonist when it comes to food, but I will be looking for the healthier choices when it comes to eating in restaurants and certainly not sampling any of the deep fried options! 

We arrived to the soothing sounds of the piano which gave a sublime and mellow ambience to the whole evening.  The choice of music was delightful, nothing jarring or irritating, and one had to admire the piano player for his nonstop repertoire throughout the whole evening.  The silverware was set out magnificently, beautiful candle holders and perfect pink roses in their vase reflected by the mirror underneath.  The immaculate white tablecloths and the very attractive dinner service all lent an elegant old world atmosphere.  

We perused the menu and decided to opt for the a la carte menu, although the set menu did look very adequate.  My husband opted for a starter of Traditional Smoked Salmon which came resplendent with delicately grated egg, capers and a perky salad.  I had a homemade and totally delicious mushroom soup, and for once I left the bread roll, a major step forward in my sought for leptogenic lifestyle, I felt!  My husband, a manic mountain biker with a voracious appetite, snatched it up eagerly to eat with his salmon.  Both starters fell into the exquisite category, and certainly filled my criteria of being healthy but also something I would not have cooked at home.  There were some interesting choices of starters, such as seafood pancakes, Escargots Parisienne, and marrowbones on crostini.

There was a huge function in the room next to ours and it was exciting to see that Meikles was definitely alive and buzzing.  La Fontaine had many foreign visitors and was quite full considering it was a Tuesday, often rather a quiet night.  The function could have accounted for the rather slow service from the wine waiter, perhaps they were rather overstretched that night.  As it was a week night we decided to just have a glass of wine each, and my husband’s red wine was very acceptable but my rose was a little uninspiring.  I would probably choose a full bottle next time, but some restaurants in Harare have exceptionally good house wines which one can be enjoy by the glass without feeling too much of a cheapskate. 

Generally it was noted that many of the waiters seemed elderly, and my husband ventured that the young waiters must have all scarpered off to South Africa!  Our waiter was cheerful but I would have appreciated better descriptions of the food on offer, he seemed very vague when asked to explain various items on the menu.  Perhaps the menu itself could contain more imaginative and amusing descriptions so that diners are able to anticipate the treats in store.  Also the vegetarian options were slightly pedestrian seeing as this is a top restaurant, omelette or pasta with tomato sauce were unlikely to lure some of my vegetarian foodie friends.  Surely one could make use of the abundant aubergines in season at the moment, even though they are quite a mission to cook? 

My husband devoured his main course of Organic Zimbabwean steak in mushroom sauce, which he pronounced tasty but tough.  However he did give his chips a special mention, saying that they were perfect, which is a compliment indeed, as he is usually ultra critical.  My poached Scottish salmon with a delicate hollandaise sauce, proved to be a superb choice and I really appreciated the healthy cooking method.  However, I felt that the unadulterated vegetables could have done with a parsley or mint garnish.

It was slightly annoying that both baked Alaska and the chocolate mousse in a golden tulip basket were not available that night despite being on the menu.  However, the sherry trifle topped with fresh cream and in season granadilla, was an excellent consolation, worth an extra few sessions up the gym!  My husband rather piously opted for the fruit salad which was served on its own with no offer of cream or ice-cream.  It made me feel slightly guilty until he decided to plunge into a full cheeseboard, sampling the many cheeses on offer, including Camembert, a rare treat in Zimbabwe.  Unfortunately, the store bought biscuits were a little on the stale side and it was felt that savoury homemade crackers perhaps with sesame seeds or peppercorns could have enhanced the experience.

All in all, most of the food certainly compared very well with standards in South African restaurants, and I felt quite pleased that I had managed to avoid most ‘obesogenic’ choices!  When we totted up the score, we found that La Fontaine had just made it, back into the five plate rating band, in spite of the few constructive criticisms offered above.  This they succeeded in doing, really for giving an all-round enjoyable and elegant dining experience.  We felt that it was very reasonably priced, both a la carte, and especially, with the option of a less expensive meal if choosing the set menu.  This makes it possible for the more thrifty to enjoy fine dining in a lovely ambience, and without smashing their budget! 
Deluxe Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend $25 to $50 per head

THE FOUNT OF FINE DINING – La Fontaine 2009
Fountains come in many guises – ranging from those that spectacularly shoot ebullient sprays of water high into the air to those that gently trickle.  Water in motion is always good for the soul, so too is fine dining.  La Fontaine at Meikles Hotel is named for the fountains that once graced Africa Unity Square which the restaurant overlooks and I wondered whether the evening out would emulate the hotel’s five star rating.

Entering the restaurant at night, one is immediately transported to another world, a less frenetic world full of grace and charm.  Soft lighting and the flickering candles are reflected in the glass and silverware, in the huge glass windows and in the mirroring which is used to good effect in the décor. The welcoming was warm and we were shown to our table adjacent to the windows.  The restaurant is handsomely appointed and epitomises old world elegance.  Tables, each with a bowl of roses and lighted candles, are widely spaced allowing a degree of privacy in conversation.  Throughout the evening the pianist entertained with a wide repertoire of popular melodies, both old and new. 

Drinks orders were taken, serviettes were unfolded and placed on our laps with a flourish, and fresh bread rolls served to stay our hunger whilst we perused the menus.  Both table d’hôte and à la carte options were available.  The choice of starters, light meals and main courses is comprehensive and vegetarians are well catered for.  The table d’hôte deserves special mention, offering excellent value at $18 per head with a choice of three starters, three main courses, plus a vegetarian option and dessert or cheese from the trolley.  Also noteworthy was their accommodation in allowing me to mix and match, opting for the table d’hôte, but substituting one of the starters from the à la carte menu. Decision time was upon us and the waiter took our orders.  The wine list is well balanced with both local and imported wines on offer and many of them available by the glass which scores extra points in my book.  Bon Courage Sauvignon Blanc was our choice and it perfectly complemented our meal.

My starter of Thai chicken soup with coconut was delicious, full of chicken and wonderfully flavoured.  My companion’s choice of smoked salmon was served with brown bread and butter and garnished with grated hard boiled egg, chopped pickles and lemon.  I sampled it and it was all that it should be.

For my main course I had chosen the chicken breast coated in coriander and served on a bed of mashed potatoes with mustard and garlic sauce.  The chicken was moist, the coriander was subtly evident (although I could have done with more) and the sauce flavoursome.  The mashed potatoes however could have been lighter and creamier.  My companion’s grilled tilapia was a generous portion, cooked to perfection and greatly enjoyed.  Chips brought in error instead of the mashed potatoes ordered were swiftly replaced.

Vegetables comprised al dente baby marrows and cauliflower and a ratatouille.  One complaint is that the aubergine in the ratatouille was undercooked and the skin therefore somewhat chewy.  The very nature of a ratatouille is that like any other stew it benefits from long, slow cooking.

Wine glasses having been replenished more than once and now being comfortably replete, it was time for dessert.  Unfortunately the chef’s dessert menu wasn’t available that evening, as it has some tempting options.  However, the towering dessert trolley was wheeled to the table for us to make our choices.  My companion chose a crème caramel and a chocolate éclair – both of which were pronounced as acceptable. I opted for the cheese and was served a plate with three large slices of cheddar, gouda and Cheshire, the only three on offer, with water biscuits, nuts and a good helping of Meikles’ delectable fruit compote.  I was disappointed with the selection which would be greatly improved if a soft cheese such as brie or camembert and a blue cheese were to be included and would happily pay more for that.

And so ended our evening.  The last of the wine was drunk and a cup of coffee enjoyed whilst digesting the meal, enjoying the music and watching the comings and goings of fellow diners.  What sort of fountain would one liken La Fontaine to?  One with a number of jets of water, some reaching higher than others. The jets representing ambience, occasion and overall dining experience reach highest.  The jets representing the food and the service are somewhat lower.  Regrettably a certain lack of attention in service and some disappointing aspects of the meal cost this restaurant a five plate rating, but only just.

I’ll be back though, and next time I am having the steak au poivre – the theatricality of having one’s meal flambéed at the table is a hard to resist experience, and not one on offer at many establishments these days.
Deluxe Restaurant
4 Plates
Expect to spend $25 - $40 per head

 

La Fontaine maintains its elegance, faultless service 2008
The Meikles.  At once evocative of hazy memories of childhood.  I can blink alternate eyes and the scene shifts back and forth.  With the left up jumps today’s tower block, fresh in actuality.  With the right the grand old hotel appears – iron railings, lawn and roses, elegant architecture, the dome, the lions, dark wooden floored corridors (stop that you kids, behave, don’t stomp!), high ceilings and chandeliers, high tea and cream cakes and scones, white tablecloths and heavy silverware, laughing grownups – now all scattered or dead – as disappeared as the times.  Left, right… present, past… paradigm and paradox.  How much is true, how much mnemonic reconstruction; nature and memory abhor a vacuum!
In the here and now we ease into the tranquil ambience of La Fontaine restaurant.  I haven’t been here for simply ages but it doesn’t seem to have changed at all, elegant in an understated way, high ceilings, big bright windows overlooking the square, traditionally neutral and unexciting, there isn’t that feeling of the empire strikes back.  Clean, uncluttered traditional settings, white starched tablecloths and silver grace the tables... and in the background a pianist tinkling out a continuous melody of soft pop tunes – where do you ever get that anymore?  It all goes with the scene.  Having perhaps lost its original charm the hotel suggests tradition revamped.
For the diner there are two menus.  From the table d’hote you can choose one of three dishes from most courses, the starters – basically a salad, cheese croquettes or soup; main course – fish, beef of chicken but with a vegetarian option; a dessert, cheeseboard and teas and coffee.  We thought we would try the main menu.  Eat your way through soups, salads, hot appetisers, a vegetarian entrée, other entrées and grills, the day’s special, chef’s combos and grills, desserts from the menu or the dessert trolley, and if there is any room left in your straining stomach finish with the cheeseboard.  Decisions, decisions – these expansive menus take me ages but having a definite aversion to onion allows me at least to skip the dangerous ones.  There was a citrus fish terrine, a terrine with marinated prawns and a citrus and apple garnish.  But what really piques my appetite is the smoked chicken salad with caramelised citrus pecan nuts, garden greens and with a balsamic and olive oil dressing; it sounds intriguing and delicious.  From the main the coq au vin, chicken breast crumbed with a coriander crust with lemon grass and a white wine reduction departs from the expected (and should probably be called something else) but nevertheless draws my eye.  But too much chicken I think and I simply have to try the salad, so in the end opt for the rather conventional, a fillet steak.  Other alternatives included pork schnitzel, Asian stir-fry, fish of the day, seafood kebabs or beef stroganoff, the day’s special.
We settle in with a lovely Shiraz and nibble on our bread rolls.  My companion has ordered seafood bisque with aïoli and there are no complaints from her side.  My chicken salad is a generous portion of diced breast mounded in a nest of tomato quarters – but wait, where is this salad’s raison d'être?  The caramelised citrus pecan nuts aren’t there..!  and the chicken pieces are just plain old chicken pieces not, unfortunately, smoked at all.  Basically, a disappointing bog-standard chicken salad.
We had coincidentally both selected the prime fillet steak, one with mushroom sauce and mine to be flambéed at the table, with peppercorns, cream and brandy – medium to well-done, but more towards the latter if you please...  But another disappointment was that we both got mushroom sauce.  I don’t at all like live meat and should have specified well-done.  I thought, as I adventurously decided to live dangerously that it was probably a mistake; it was a little too rare whilst my companion’s had some chewy gristly bits quite unanticipated in that cut.  Apart from this I will say it was flavourful and tender and the vegetables – a choice of cauliflower, broccoli and carrots – were crunchy, with potato as you like ’em.
For dessert we chose from the trolley, a selection ranging from fruit salad, profiteroles, trifle, and crème caramel to cakes and a few others besides that slip my mind.  Actually, I should have tried the chocolate box from the menu; this filled with orange panacotta laced with fresh fruits coulis.
And then to complete our lunch we relaxed with coffee with cognac and Frangelico, a delicious liqueur.  There was a reasonable range of the latter to choose from and it’s again been a long time since I ate in a restaurant that served them, must do it more often.
I must say we were superbly waitered and the service and attention we received was faultless and unobtrusive.  Despite minor culinary setbacks it was a most leisurely and thoroughly enjoyable lunch (nearly 3 hours – positively Mediterranean!).  The wine, a perfect accompaniment to our meal but was startlingly expensive at $20.  The lunch as a whole turned out rather traditional but that was purely the fault of our own selection - and plenty more international and interesting dishes were on offer – something to try next time!
Deluxe Restaurant
5 Plates