Zim on a Plate, Zim in a Glass
Restaurant Reviews
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Ilala Lodge
Victoria Falls 44737/9

 

 

Fine Dining at The Palm 2011
The Palm Restaurant at Ilala Lodge in Victoria Falls was rated very highly in the Deluxe Category for 2010, setting it amongst the best restaurants in the country.  With this in mind, it was with delicious anticipation that we arrived for dinner and were shown our reserved table.  This was outside, and as it was a bit chilly, we asked to move inside.  All the other tables indoors showed ‘reserved’ signs, so we asked for the table itself to be moved, noting as the evening wore on that nobody did take the reserved ones.

We studied the interesting and imaginative menu, our mouths beginning to water, and decided to start with soup, a delicious thick vegetable variety, and the pepper crusted ostrich carpaccio, both very good.  For mains we ordered the chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta and the braised lamb shoulder with sundried tomatoes.  The chicken, my partner declared absolutely delicious.  My lamb, served with ratatouille, was excellent.  The meal was wonderfully flavoured, rich, hearty, and full blooded.  On a slightly chilly night, it left a warm glow!  We also noted on the menu, the delicious and interesting options for the vegetarians.  In particular, the sweet potato gnocchi with homemade tomato sauce, feta, olives and rocket, sounded divine.

For drinks we ordered a glass of red wine and a vodka, lime and soda.  At $5 for the wine and $7 for the vodka, we thought them a bit pricey, but this is an unfortunate trend in hotels, generally, and especially those at the Falls, and not unique to The Palm.  The wine list offered a very good selection of interesting wines, some with which we weren’t familiar, making a pleasant change from those that are beginning to seem rather ‘ubiquitous’ in this country.  Again, fairly pricey, but on a par with other Falls establishments.

To finish, fancying something savoury, we ordered the cheese platter to share, which comes with a glass of complimentary port for each diner.  This was a bit disappointing, comprising not much choice, with some mature cheddar, halloumi, biscuits, and dried fruit.  The dessert menu, however, did offer some mouth-watering options, such as ‘Grenadine poached pears with vanilla crepes, served with honey comb and caramel sauce’, and are reputedly excellent.

Restaurants in Victoria Falls are mostly found in hotels, rather than being standalone.  The food at The Palm was indeed very good and the menu enticing and definitely what one expects from fine dining in a great hotel (cheeseboard on this occasion excepted).  The ambience however was a little lacking in pizzazz.  The Palm has a lot going for it - the setting is amazing and the food very well prepared.  The Ilala lodge is a quality establishment that I would recommend to anyone.  However, on this particular night at The Palm, there seemed not to be a personable, professional maître’d around, to set the tone and orchestrate the evening, and some soft cheese on the cheeseboard would have been welcome.  The dining room could do with being somehow ‘lifted’ or temporarily transformed of an evening, with a view to creating a bit more atmosphere for that truly ‘fine dining experience’, so that the diners feel they really are having a special night out at one of the country’s top restaurants.  The Palm has, regardless of the small points made, kept its Five Plates, in keeping with its generally excellent cuisine, and in line with its current comparability with other Five Plate Rated establishments across the country.  

I hope that by the time we next visit, they will have had the opportunity to address the small constructive criticisms offered here, especially in regard to décor and ambience perhaps more fitting for that luxury evening dining experience.  There is a need here to take some steps if possible, to create a bit more ‘atmosphere’ for the evening meal, more in line with the luxurious experience that has for the past couple of years been associated with The Palm’s cuisine.
Deluxe Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend $30 to $40 per head
Ilala Lodge Hotel, Victoria Falls

 

 

An excellent dining experience at Ilala Lodge’s Palm Restaurant, Vic Falls 2010
It was a baking October day, when we decided on lunch at Ilala Lodge.  We were seated on the gracious veranda of the well positioned and beautifully maintained hotel.  A wonderful breeze came straight into the veranda, cooling us down comfortably.

We were afforded a very hospitable welcome by all staff members, who were quick to serve and bring us welcome cold refreshments.  The Ilala Palm Restaurant serves meals only on the terrace for lunch and in the restaurant and on the terrace for dinner.  Guests enjoy the view of the graciously landscaped gardens in the immediate surrounds and onto the bush leading to the Victoria Falls further on.

The restaurant serves a good variety of light meals for lunch, if not possibly a little reliant on bread as a basis. There is a seasonal soup and a variety of salads, as well as a good selection of meat, poultry and fish dishes.

We chose crumbed crocodile tail to start, which was generously served and accompanied by chips and a small salad, as well as a garlic sauce.  The plate was very well presented, the crocodile tail possibly a little dry - which can happen with croquette styled cooking.  We enjoyed it nonetheless.  We studied the wine list and chose the Spice Route Sauvignon Blanc.  We really enjoyed this delightful bottle, which was served well chilled and in an ice bucket.  The wine was well rounded with a wonderful flavour, and light enough to enjoy on a hot summer’s day.

For our main courses we selected the Moroccan Beef Kebab and the Warthog.  On request, the kitchen kindly agreed to serve the warthog off the roll as is customary, and instead to serve it with chips and salad.  The beef kebab was possibly a little bit under seasoned, but the beef was very tender and the meal satisfying nevertheless. The warthog was also incredibly tender, and altogether our main courses were well enjoyed.  We were served efficiently and politely at all times.

We were actually too full to consider dessert, despite the array of lovely light desserts on offer!  They looked good and were well priced but we were by now completely satisfied.  We settled instead on coffee, which was well brewed and served in a large pot to share.

Ilala Lodge’s Palm Restaurant is most definitely a venue to be highly recommended in Victoria Falls.  The staff are all friendly, attentive and efficient, the setting is magnificent and the food very interesting, well served and presented.  The wine list is probably the most tasteful and comprehensive in the town.  Prices are reasonable and the menu selection appropriate, diverse and current.  I very much look forward to my next dining experience there. On totting up their excellent scores, I noted that with 91% they had pipped an impressive 5 Plate rating. They are a new entrant in the competition, and it’s good to see another Vic Falls establishment doing so well. Warm congratulations!
Family Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend around $35 per head