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22 Victoria Drive
Highlands
Harare
776429

Victoria Twenty Two – For that Special Celebration! 2012
It’s Monday evening, there is no ZESA and memories of the Christmas and New Year Festivities have long faded but joy of joys I am off to dine at Victoria Twenty Two, one of Harare’s longest established fine dining restaurants!  Situated in the leafy suburb of  Newlands in an old colonial house with beautifully manicured gardens it is reassuring to be greeted by the gate guard with his clipboard list of diners.  A short walk through the garden brings us into the open plan restaurant which is candle lit elegance personified – a well stocked gleaming bar and beautifully set tables with the most impressive wine glasses I have ever seen!

We declined a drink at the bar and chose instead to go straight to our table and recline in the deep comfortable chairs.  The menu and a welcome plate of snacks (dip, crisps and crudities) were brought to our table without delay setting the standard of faultless service for the whole evening.  My fancy for a dry sherry as a pre-dinner drink was alas not satisfied, only the medium variety was available as is inevitably and unexplainably the case here in both restaurants and shops.  But a Campari was a good second choice and got our evening off to a promising start.

Both the Menu and Wine List are elegant in their listing of a limited number of well chosen dishes and wines. In fact there seemed to be as many “special” dishes as regular ones on the menu which prompts me to suggest that these should be written down, even if that would deprive our charming and entertaining maître d’ of his party piece.  As well as aiding those of use with a narrow attention span the prices could also be given for each dish which, annoyingly at the verbal recitation, they were not!  Each section in the Menu - Starters, Pasta (can be ordered as starter or main course), Main Course and Sweets - has about half a dozen dishes all mouth-wateringly described, that is providing you are not a strict non fish eating vegetarian!  From the wine list we indulged in a bottle of Vergelegen 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($35) and even I for once did not grumble at the over 100% mark up as I loved the wine glasses and the wine was perfectly chilled and poured.  For those on a more limited budget, bottles of wine start at $20 and needless to add, continue well past the $35 mark “for the other half”!

And so to our meal, preceded by a selection of home baked breads.  My deep fried lightly crumbed porcini mushrooms ($13) were delightfully meaty and having tasted my companion’s spinach and ricotta ravioli; with a mild blue cheese and walnut sauce ($15), I fully agreed with her pronouncement that this was a fantastic dish. Not surprising of course, given the Italian origins of the wife of our chief/patron! This was a meal to linger over and the ambience of the restaurant and the excellent placing of the tables invites just that.

Bearing in mind the Italian connection referred to in the previous paragraph and my love of lamb dishes, I chose the “special” Lamb Pasta ($23) for my main course and my companion who can never resist prawns the Tempura Prawns ($24).  Both dishes arrived on piping hot plates which was a relief as our starters had been served on unacceptable cold ones.  Seven large butterflied prawns with exquisitely light tempura batter with a soya dipping sauce were accompanied by…..chips, carrots and beans, more of a homage to English fish and chips than the dish’s Japanese origins!  As well as being disappointingly mundane, the vegetables were undercooked and could not be cut with the fish knife provided and so my companion abandoned the struggle. Meanwhile I was enjoying my enormous plate of Penne Pasta (tubes with ridges) with a delicious creamy sauce with miniscule pieces of lamb.  I am sure Tagliatelle (pasta ribbons) which was offered as the alternative would have been a better, less heavy choice and I would have gladly settled for much less pasta and more lamb.  But then maybe I misunderstood the dish?

Continuing the “linger longer” theme we allowed enough time for our digestion to prepare itself for Desserts ($8) – wonderfully light dark chocolate mousse and whipped cream and divine homemade ice cream with praline sprinkles.  And finally coffee, as usual mine was an Espresso which had the required kick and was accompanied by miniature chocolate bon-bons.

A wonderful end to a meal which truly was a food experience and an evening spent in delightful surroundings with service guaranteed to induce a feeling of somnolence in even the most stressed.

As you will have gathered from my price guides, the restaurant’s prices match its position at the luxury end of the market. However it is possible to have a reasonably priced lunch by choosing wisely, for example a starter and salad. In the evening time throwing restraint to the wind, this is a restaurant for “that special celebration” and I for one would much prefer to eat out less frequently and do so in style and elegance.  Both of which are in abundance at Victoria Twenty Two. 

Deluxe Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend between $50 and $85 per head
22 Victoria Drive, Newlands, Harare

 

 

A great dining experience at Victoria 22 - 2011
There really is no chance of pitching up at Victoria 22 and grabbing a spare table for dinner. If you manage to get past the friendly and efficient security guards, who have all the reservations on a clipboard, you still have to get past the main door where another staff member checks your reservation.  This may sound onerous, but it actually gives a good impression of efficiency and professionalism!  Its popularity was obvious from the moment we walked into the full, but not over-crowded, restaurant in Newlands.  This converted old home is beautifully decorated, and was warm and inviting.  The bar was really most impressive, all gleaming glass and silverware.  With a plate a snacks instantly delivered, menus offered, and smart looking staff efficiently buzzing around, we sat down at the bar to decide what to order.

Our conversation turned to the topic of why eat out at all.  It seems a relatively strange concept that we should work hard to create beautiful, welcoming homes, with a variety of foods for our families, only to pack up and go somewhere else to eat food that would cost a fraction if we prepared it at home.  Various reasons were offered, but for me the answer is reward.  Going out for dinner is an indulgence, but I find it a welcome treat from the routine of everyday life. However, the one rule I always try to keep for myself is to try and order food that I wouldn’t normally eat or prepare at home.

I always like to test the barmen at good restaurants by asking how they prepare their martinis. I am happy to report that even though they didn’t have vermouth, Victoria 22 is the first place in Zimbabwe where I have heard it offered properly.  I had the next best thing, a beer.  The ebullient Maîtred’ then proceeded to explain and list a host of specials.  I don’t know how he remembers it all, but all I got was oysters and bouillabaisse. Added to the amazing descriptions and variety on the menu, we were totally bewildered as what to choose. Our first consensus was the admission that we couldn’t order it all.

I ordered a carpaccio, which, served on rocket, was excellent.  For mains we ordered bouillabaisse, tempura battered prawns, and pork medallions.  Bouillabaisse, elevated from French peasant cuisine, is a perfect winter dish.  This rich, creamy fish broth, infused with flavour from fish heads was delicious.  Our other dish of tempura battered prawns was served with a ginger dipping sauce and chips.  Though relatively plain, it was very good.  I had the pork medallions, served on a beautiful flavoured mash, with chilli and red wine jus - very good.  All mains ranged from $18 to $ 24.

Throughout the evening, the service was unobtrusively efficient.  After a suitable break from the end of our mains, we ordered a homemade fudge ice-cream, with berry sauce and crushed praline.  It was delicious.  We were timeously offered Irish Coffees, which rounded off our meal perfectly.  The food is very good at Victoria 22, but on its own, not in my mind, the most memorable aspect of the evening.   But this is not to criticise - it is a good strategy, as Deluxe Restaurants really must by definition offer an excellent, complete dining experience, not just rely on the food alone.  Victoria 22 does this very well.  I came away feeling very satisfied, and content that we had experienced a wonderful night out.  It was one of the best dining experiences I have had for a long time, and places Victoria 22 in my mind as one of the best restaurants in the country!
Deluxe Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend between $30 and $50 per head

Victoria 22 – Pleasant dining, relaxing, lovely restaurant 2010
Until I was handed the menu, languishing at the well-appointed bar awaiting the imminent arrival of Violetta, tardy and gone astray, I had no idea Victoria 22 was an Italian-styled restaurant.  Not the classical trattoria fare, or even your typical ristorante, but with a nod to the expected, with the pastas and otherwise, and with quite a lot of what you might find on the main course in any fine-dining establishment.

Eventually Violetta arrived, having whizzed past number 22 – like me – and then back-tracked from the Newlands shops.  What’s more, she had arrived remarkably fresh and barely frazzled from ‘the office’, where great patience and tact was exercised to sort out a few problems and smooth ruffled feathers! 

For such forbearance by one given to pleasure, I could hardly deny a little pampering, and on the day’s specials, amongst other things, was Scottish salmon – tempting and irresistible.  But to start she had chosen the beef carpaccio; I’ve decided on prawns and marinated mushrooms followed by pork fillet wrapped in bacon.  Not too tricky a selection, since both of us are daunted and dithery over extensive menus!  Victoria’s menu is fairly select with five or six starters, a similar number of pasta dishes and main courses.  The latter include a prawn dish, hake, fillet of beef medallions, pork fillet and chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta.

And here I must fail you and confess I can’t remember the all-important details of all the choices as I write, in fact, from the eastern highlands, having practically eaten and flown – a peripatetic pimpernel indeed, with a decidedly hazy memory!  In the interim we’ve tramped through vleis and swamps, hiked a good few vertical kilometres down and up the declivitous slopes of Bvumba and the Honde Valley – scenery as stunning and tiring as Le Cinque Terre perhaps. 

We bypassed a few striking snakes (and no doubt thundered past many unseen others), butterflies and scenery have been ‘snapped’ and the quest – finding many of our unique and wondrous birds, stunningly coloured or elegantly plain – were ‘twitched’, for that was the objective of this whistle-stop tour.  Soaked by rain, lacerated by saw-edged swamp grasses, toes were stumped and ticks judiciously removed. 

Violetta would have said ‘here friendship joins with pleasure’ for we had a fantastic time but under no circumstances would she have walked more than 10 metres and neither friendship nor pleasure include these sorts of excursions!  No, she stayed at home and the ‘we’ were myself and some South African visitors (wives likewise at home) who marvelled at the towering montane forest giants and tangling lianas, miombo woodlands, stunning views, golf courses and tea plantations and the tropical downpours that thundered down like the Victoria Falls (fortunately at night!). 

But our objective was achieved bar a few tricky birds (always something to return for) and the splendour of the bush-shrikes is something to see when they oblige and hop out into the full sun and even a Grey Cuckooshrike, though plain, is a beautiful grey on such a well-proportioned and smart bird.  In a deep shadow of the montane forests, White-starred and Swynnerton’s robins can be hard to see, even at 5 metres, but are pure delights.  The canopies ring with loud calls and tantalise with flitting, darting movement and every now and then it all comes together – like ‘that tree’ – forever memorable, when a whole suite of usually difficult birds fly about in the open hawking termites.  When you are a visitor you can garner an impressive number of ‘lifers’, I was quite satisfied to find – at last! – the rare and oft elusive Anchieta’s Tchagra!  Hotels and lodges were quite full, nice to see these days and good food was had; our schedule was tight and with a wistful sigh and much regret we passed Tony’s Coffee Shop… and the road back to Harare.

Violetta really enjoyed her carpaccio, which looked very attractive and appetising, and the succulent salmon was coated with a green herb crust, mild enough not to adumbrate the flavour of the fish – in fact neither of us could quite make out what herbs were used.  Although very few if any restaurants cook up rice from scratch she did comment that the accompanying rice was obviously heated up…  My funghi and prawns were pleasantly offset with a subtle lemon sauce.  The tasty pork fillet medallions wrapped in bacon was likewise flavoursome with some strength from the blend of ginger, chilli and garlic in a port wine reduction and accompanied by mashed potato with parsley. 

The potato was supposed to be on a bed of parmesan, a concession to the Italian, but the chef forgot to add that component!  With all these sauces, not exactly the traditional robust cuisine, the vera cucina italiana, of Italy but nonetheless haute cuisine. 

Violetta finished with a cheesecake drizzled with a berry sauce and well, what could I do but have the fine chocolate mousse, made in the traditional French way I use at home.  All-in-all a very pleasant dining experience, in a relaxing and lovely restaurant!
Deluxe Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend between $35 and $55 per head

Victoria 22 – Seduced by a Tantalising Food Experience 2009

December – and there was a positive charge in the air as it built up towards the Christmas festivities in Harare. Compared with the horrendous 2008 period, the shops are fuller and decorated in an air of pregnant change around the country… and having decided to make a booking at Victoria 22 and their already excellent reputation, we were fully anticipating a delightful experience… We did not know just how wonderful it would be!

Getting hold of Victoria 22 on the phone to make a booking actually turned out to be rather difficult… but this was no fault of their own.  Unfortunately their mobile numbers are not listed nor advertised and a tree had apparently fallen across their land lines… Tel One had become the hiccup by not attending to the problem expeditiously.  After sending a messenger to do the booking, we received their mobile numbers and our dinner booking for two was confirmed swiftly and efficiently.

And so on a beautiful summer’s evening after glorious afternoon summer showers, we drove into the dark, leafy suburb of Newlands and, being greeted politely by the gate security, who also checked our booking, were directed into an orderly secure parking area.

Now, not having dined at Victoria 22 before, arriving at the front door of the beautiful thatched building nestled in stunningly beautiful gardens, we felt a slight confusion not finding a reception desk where expected, but fortunately a passing waiter directed us quickly through to the elegant bar area where we were met by the Maitre d’.  Being at the delightfully appointed and soft lit bar already, we were unhesitatingly seated where the barman since opening day one, fourteen years ago, quickly served us with very welcome pre-dinner drinks, together with a delightful tray of snacks and dips.  A comfortable five minutes into our drinks and we were presented with our menu, printed beautifully, well laid out and seductively descriptive of what we could expect to order.  A comfortable and uncomplicated choice of six starters, four pastas, five main courses and four deserts. Of course there was also the usual choice of “specials”, recited verbally, which I must say, having a low concentration level together with the existing selection on the main menu, I would much prefer printed, even just as a loose insert to the main menu. Thankfully none of us were vegetarian as the menu did not cater for this, except for the “Spaghetti alla Rustica” pasta dish where one could order with or with-out bacon.

After having ordered our starters and main course, we had time to comfortably absorb our surroundings with dining areas tastefully decorated and situated near the open-plan to the bar. The tables were mostly booked and simply laid with festive decorations.  We also noted the option of receiving pre-dinner drinks outside on the garden terrace, which would have been wonderful on such a beautiful summer’s evening.  All in all, with understated and beautiful décor, the chatter of dinner guests, soft gentle back-ground music and smooth, controlled hustle of dashing, smartly uniformed waiters, the mood was set for a wonderful evening.

A very comfortable thirty minutes later, we were shown to our candle-lit table where the Maitre d’ and our waiter had us seated with a view onto the terrace.  Whilst being served with delightful olive bread slices on the side, we were presented with the wine list comprising an impressive selection of champagne, rosé, whites and reds, ranging from $11.00 to $60.00.  We settled on a lovely bottle of Hartenberg Merlot 2007 which, having been poured into impressive ample glasses, complimented our evening delightfully.

My partner had ordered the “Calamari alla Griglia” (grilled calamari rings with garlic, chilli and lemon in a sweet and sour sauce with red peppers and turmeric rice) as starter and “Nasallo Gratinato” (hake fillet coated with Mediterranean flavours… capers, sun dried tomato and home-made pesto gratinated with Parmesan cheese) as main.  I had ordered “Salmone Affumicato” (Norwegian smoked salmon with a honey, mustard, lemon and dill sauce) starter and “Filetto di Maiale alla Senape and Mele” (scrumptious pork fillet filled with a tantalising blend of apples, raisons, cinnamon served with a delicate mustard sauce) as main.  To put the cherry on top of a heavenly meal we rounded off with a “Macedonia” (vanilla ice-cream with a selection of seasonal fruits, drizzled with a passion fruit mint lemon sauce) and a “Malva Torte" (deliciously comforting sticky baked pudding covered in a butterscotch sauce and served with whipped cream).

Wonderfully satisfied and without space to nibble another morsel, what more could I say about the meal than:  It was deliciously creative, evocatively seductive and devoured with total pleasure.

Then, to slowly and luxuriously close off a meal so near perfectly presented, we chose to relax into a comfortably cushioned corner on the terrace overlooking a magically lit garden where we were served a filter and espresso coffee, freshly ground, flavoursome and hot.

The verdict:  A most enchanted evening which, except for feeling a bit lost upon arrival in order to find the reception desk, really was hard to fault.  The bar, the drinks, the service, the ambience and of course most importantly, the meal, were outstanding.  In our view, expensive, but certainly worth it, for the magic of great food.
Deluxe Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend $40 - $60 per head

ELEGANT DINING AT VICTORIA 22 2008
We decided to treat ourselves to an evening at Victoria 22 – the Restaurant is an old time favourite of mine when it comes to Elegant Dining in Harare.  I love the ambience, the elegantly laid tables with the white table cloths, large white serviettes and finely polished silver with the lights glinting off the wine glasses.  This restaurant has been around for a number of years now and if you have not been to Victoria 22 then I would definitely recommend a visit just for the experience.

When booking, I have always found the staff to be extremely professional in their approach to their patrons, call backs to confirm the bookings are a pleasure. Our arrival was greeted by a Security Guard at the gate and I am assuming that he had a guest list as he asked for our name.  Once confirmed, we were allowed entry.  The parking area is secure and is surrounded by well lit flowerbeds.  A path leads directly to the glass front door. This opens into a small hallway with a lovely lounge to the right decorated in rich earthy tones.. I will however point out that upon our arrival to the entrance of the restaurant there was no one on hand to greet us.  A bit of a disappointment, and we were well on our way into the Restaurant before a waiter appeared to greet us. He was quite obviously not too well versed in the art of greeting guests and tried to usher us to our table without offering us a welcome drink in the bar. 

We decided to have a drink at the bar just to peruse the décor, the menu and of course the other diners – which were sadly lacking – six in all.  The Barman was efficient and courteous with full knowledge of his stocks. That certainly made a pleasant change, and fortunately they seemed to have a reasonable selection.  The wine list was interesting – the wines were grouped either by estate or supplier.  The selection consisted of many of the wines that are found within our local market today and the prices fairly reasonable
(at today’s prices of course!).  We chose a wine to complement our dinner, an Australian Bullers Shiraz.  What a delicious wine, full of rich jammy flavors with hints of spiciness  that linger on the tongue.

We were finally led to our table  in a quiet corner opposite a lovely fire that was blazing away in the fireplace. Once again the Maitre d’ was conspicuous by his absence.  It was only when we were finally seated that he appeared with the menus.  The menu was very clearly laid out, however I am not too sure if they are Vegetarian friendly as I saw no reference to Vegetarians.

The first course consisted of a Starter Platter.  This was very nicely presented with Prawns in Tempura Flavoured Batter ???? (the batter however was definitely not Tempura).  This was served with a Chili Garlic Coriander and Ginger Soya Sauce for Dipping, unfortunately I failed to taste the Coriander.  The prawns were just right, with a crunchiness to the bite.  There was also a small Salad with Mushrooms (raw), Rocket, Parmesan Shavings and topped with a Pesto as well as a Chicken Liver Paté with fresh herbs and orange and apple flavours served on a small slice of toasted bread.  The Paté was excellent, full of flavour and very creamy.  Our next course was Homemade Ravioli stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta served with Bacon, Broccoli in a Garlic Creamy Sauce – delicious. The flavours were well-matched and the Ravioli perfectly cooked.  Quite a rich dish.

The main dishes consisted of a Fillet with a Béarnaise Sauce – I am always wary of ordering this dish as most restaurants just plant a lump of butter on top of the steak.  They do not seem to realize that this sauce is egg based with tarragon, butter and white wine vinegar.  I decided not to take a chance (wish I had now).  The other two main courses were the Petto di Pollo ai Fungai, which I had (my apologies to Victoria 22 if I do not get it quite right, it is rather difficult to make notes with all and sundry watching) this was a Chicken Breast wrapped in Bacon and served with a very rich Creamy Mushroom Sauce and the third was a Maiale al Pepe Nero, this consisted of Pork Fillets layered with Apple again in a very rich sauce.  I must stress that the flavours were good, however I just felt that after the richness of the Ravioli, it would probably have been better for the main courses to have simpler sauces.  My one complaint concerned the vegetables which I felt were slightly on the overcooked side and the potatoes which were obviously sautéed but were very heavy with oil and did not complement the sauces in each of the dishes.  The presentation could also have been improved upon.  The plates were covered in very finely chopped parsley and looked very untidy.  Plain, simple and elegant is the new way to go.. The desserts came next and I must say these are always quite delicious at Victoria 22.  I had the Meringata ai Frutti di Bosco, this consisted of cream, crushed Meringues, Mulberries and Strawberries from what I can remember, all very decadent and delicious and my husband had the Crème Brulée which had the right amount of crunchiness on top and the delicious creaminess below.  Excellent!  A very nice finish to our dinner. We were offered coffees and these came with some homemade truffles on a small silver salver.

A question I always ask myself when leaving a restaurant is, would I go back. Well I have very mixed feelings about Victoria 22.  I would probably use it for Special Occasions, and I will always find it a delightfully classy restaurant,  but I do think that they need to push the boat out just that little bit further when it comes to presentation and food matching if they wish to remain one of Harare’s top class De Luxe Restaurants.
Deluxe Restaurant
4 Plates