Zim on a Plate, Zim in a Glass
Restaurant Reviews Sponsored by the Cheeseman
with Press Partner The Standard
©All Zimbabwe On A Plate Reviews and Ratings are
copyright to The Cheeseman and may not be
reproduced without permission.

The Victoria Safari Lodge
Victoria Falls
013 44488/44594/43201

Finest of dining in The Livingstone Room at the Falls 2011
Victoria Falls, as befits an increasingly busy international tourist mecca, boasts a large range of eateries, catering to a wide variety of tastes and pockets.  In the deluxe category there are no less than four from which to choose.  But on a recent trip to the Falls, and as an early birthday celebration for one of our party, it was to the grande dame of the town, The Victoria Falls Hotel, and more particularly to its signature restaurant, The Livingstone Room, that we went.

From the moment one mounts the steps at the Hotel’s entrance the five star ambience is evident and the service one experiences throughout is of commensurate quality.  Pre-dinner cocktails were partaken on the terrace on a sultry spring evening surrounded by a babble of languages and accents which we enjoyed trying to identify.

Making our way to the restaurant was a protracted affair as first one and then another was waylaid studying the paintings and the historic prints and photographs which adorn the walls.  Entering the restaurant one is transported back to a bygone era, a more leisurely one of elegance and grace.  Crisp linen provides the foil for the table setting of gleaming silverware, sparkling glasses and fresh flowers, all enhanced by the warm glow of candlelight.  The maitre d’, Phillip James, who has been with the hotel for over 40 years, was a solicitous host and was an integral part of the enjoyment of our dining experience.  He took great care of all of us from arrival to departure, and made a special fuss of the children throughout the evening, learning their names on arrival – and they enjoyed the extra attention.

The menu itself is a work of art comprising a sensibly limited choice of mouthwateringly described creations offering something for all tastes and palates. There is also a menu degustation offering a six course option, which is only available should all diners at the table order it.  Each dish has two recommended wines, one available by the glass and another by the bottle.  Each pairing is carefully chosen to complement and enhance the dish and underscores the chef’s efforts to perfect his art.  The wine list itself is extensive and worthy of protracted perusal and a review all of its own.  On this occasion I was happy to be guided by the chef’s choices.

An amuse bouche of a sushi roll of avocado in sticky rice wrapped in seaweed and served with a soy sauce was an unexpected start to the meal.  Each dish is a creation, and I mean exactly that, and the accompaniments are as important as the main constituent.  No choice of starches here or vegetables de jour!  Contrasting flavours and textures complement each other adding greatly to the culinary journey.  My starter of scallops is an example.  The richness of the scallops was offset by the softness of the puréeed peas, the crunchiness of the fried kapenta, the crispness of the herb salad and the bitter-sweet red onion and lime dressing!    Every bite was savoured and the sparkling Moreson Blanc de Blanc was the perfect partner. I also sampled the pork, crocodile and black pudding terrine – an interesting meld of three very distinct flavours and textures brought together with an apple based homemade ‘chutney’.

My main course was Roast Peking Duck breast served with boulangère potatoes, creamed Dijon leeks, broccoli puree and a caramelised onion jus.  Beyerskloof Pinotage was the chosen wine and its softness on the palate countered the richness of the duck.  The duck was somewhat disappointing being slightly overdone but was wonderfully crisp on the outside.  The vegetables were simply outstanding.  However the main course that shone for me was the steamed Zambezi bream with smoked mussels and a warm sweet potato salad.  The clarity and intensity of the flavours were fantastic and the fish was cooked to perfection.

The vegetarian in our midst was not disappointed.  Her starter was a grilled cow’s milk crotin with avocado, apple and cashew nut salad with charred red pepper dressing and the main course was a char-grilled asparagus and green pea risotto with oyster mushroom, pesto, beetroot and parmesan shavings.  Each dish was a delight to behold, vibrant with colour and texture and evidently, given the clean plates, thoroughly relished.

This is not a venue for a quick bite to eat.  The food is prepared with care and great attention to detail and its consumption should be treated likewise.  I savoured each mouthful, sampled as many of the dishes as I could, quaffed the wine, and drank in the atmosphere.

We were comfortably replete but I had espied crêpes suzettes on the menu and it was many years since I had last had them.  They were flambéed at the table and the drama of their preparation, the whoosh of flames, the aromas of the citrus and burning alcohol all added to their enjoyment - as did the wonderfully flavoured Grand Marnier ice cream with which they were served.  A fitting end to a wonderful evening.

This restaurant with all its old world charm offers superb new world cuisine to the discerning diner.  It offers an experience that is a great deal more than just the sum of the food and the wine.  I could not but help ponder what Dr Livingstone, after the excitement of encountering the Falls, did to celebrate?  For me the Livingstone Room is an ideal location in which to celebrate a special occasion or simply treat oneself to a fine dining experience and a memorable evening out.
5 Plates
Expect to spend $50 to $75 per head
The Victoria Falls Hotel

 

The gastronomic delights of The Livingstone Room 2010
We settled into the lovely wicker chairs in the Stanleys Bar and prepared ourselves with a tall Gin and Tonic. We contemplated having another but were too excited to go for dinner, so drank up and made our way down the impressive corridor to the Livingstone Room.  The first impression makes you catch your breath. The dining hall is an enormous room, in the grandest colonial style.  Each candlelit table gleams  in starched white tablecloths, polished silver, glistening crystal glasses and fresh flowers.  The staff in their white tuxedos were waiting in line and the Maître’D welcomed us in and to our table.  You just know this is one place you don’t want your cell phone going off during dinner.

The wine waiter carefully guided us to choose something to drink.  The wine list is very impressive, and is a winner of the Diners Club 2010 Wine List award.  We decided to have by the glass, and chose a Cape white.

The dinner menu consisted of à la carte or a set menu called a Degustation menu.  If asked what I thought that meant, I would have described the word as the cleaning of the bilges of a ship, but apparently it means a tasting menu that allows you to sample a bit of everything the chef has to offer. We had to go for that. One can also have a recommended glass of wine served with each course.
First up was a little taster of sushi, and then the most amazing starter of seared Scallops with puréed peas, balsamic onions, fresh lettuce and crispy bacon.  It was incredible.  Next was a cauliflower soup served in a beautiful cup with a chunk of blue cheese slowly melting its magic into the dish.

The pianist arrived and started plinking away.  And by now more guests had arrived and we felt a little less self conscious being the only diners. However it was amazing to just soak up the atmosphere of the place. I could almost imagine myself saying ‘”Oh look dear, there’s Grace Kelly, wonder how her film’s coming on?”  or “ Good evening Your Majesty ,… that dress is just smashing … is that a new brooch?...Marvelous… see you later”.  My wife almost had to slap me to bring me back to earth and tell me that my Fillet was getting cold. Which was delicious, and served on mushrooms and greens.

After a top up of wine, we received our next dish, which was an individual cheese platter.  This was a lovely little selection served with crackers and fresh pieces of fruit.  By now I was starting to think about untying my buttons, but we still had to go through dessert.  This was an amazingly rich pistachio chocolate brownie topped with avocado ice-cream.  Sounds I bit odd, but it was incredible.  While we were wading through this, the coffee waiter  there seemed to be a different waiter for everything) brought us a delicious cup each, and offered us liqueurs and Brandies.  It almost seemed a shame that political correctness, and modern medical knowledge, prevented the waiter from offering me a selection of cigars.  I’m sure in days gone past the room would have been filled with after dinner cigar smoke that would have caused havoc with the smoke alarms.

By now we were glowing with gastronomic contentment, and sitting in comfortable silence.  It was time to go. The experience is not cheap, but without a doubt one of the finest meals I have ever had.  Dinner here is not to be missed if you are visiting Victoria Falls.  After winking at the Queen, and avoiding Grace Kelly’s come-hither looks, we quietly slipped out and went home.
5 Plates
Expect to spend $35 to $60 per head
Victoria Falls Hotel