Zim on a Plate, Zim in a Glass
Restaurant Reviews
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54 Carrick Creagh Road
Helensvale
Harare
860758/9 091 203 260

Pangolin Lodge now offers more than breakfast, needs to work on service 2011
We were feeling quite overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle of life and decided it was time to treat ourselves to a night of fine dining.  Rumour had it that Pangolin Lodge was now offering a fine dining experience, so we decided to try it for ourselves.  Formerly, this Lodge only offered breakfasts to casual diners, other meals being served to residents only, but it had always done very well in this contest, gaining consistent five plate ratings for its breakfasts.   So it would be interesting to see what they could offer for dinner.  Arriving at 6.30, it was a fair trek to the dining room from the parking area indicated, but we soon realised the dining area is historically centrally located to accommodate guests in the lodges, the extension of the casual diner option being a recent innovation.

No one was around to greet us or show us to our table, so we stood around feeling a tad out of place.  A waiter eventually came out and directed us to one of 5 set tables, one of them appearing set instead for breakfast, with teacups and saucers.  The waiter then disappeared, so we sat and waited a while, discussing the décor.  The restaurant is thatched, with a huge chandelier and constantly flickering lights – these need attention.  Wooden masks adorn the walls, the tables are wooden, with a variety of comfortable chairs in different styles.  On one side of the room was a large table ready to be set for a buffet, decorated with ostrich eggs and hoshos.  Above this were two mounted impala heads.  The other side of the room had a fireplace with a mantelpiece decorated with vases filled with African grasses, above which was a mounted eland head. Perhaps the time might have come to remove such relics of a past and rather different view of African wildlife, especially at a Lodge which welcomes tourists from abroad, to many of whom, killing such lovely animals for its own sake might seem anathema?  A few of the lodges in this country still display such trophies as part of their décor and it is at odds with the purpose of most visits by tourists here – to view and enjoy our game, not shoot it!

Our waiter finally returned and offered us soft drinks.  When asked if they had alcohol he listed various local beers, so we specified that we wanted wine, and he wandered off again to find us a bottle.  Returning, he placed a well-chilled bottle of rosé on our table, went to the kitchen and returned yet again, this time with wine glasses, which he placed on the table, and left.  I figured this meant our wine would be self service, and was pleased the bottle was a screw top!  We proceeded to open and pour some. 

Our waiter now returned with a menu and diligently informed us of which dishes were unavailable that night.  He hovered at the table as if uncertain what to do next, so I asked him to give us some time to discuss our choices and he left us to it.  The menu was simple; we could order a three course meal from various options.  When our waiter returned I ordered the Pangolin Salad for my starter and the Chicken Suprema for main course, my partner the Forest Fritters and the Grilled T-bone Steak.  I asked for rice and vegetables with my chicken, my partner for fries with her steak.

The starters were a long time coming, but were worth the wait.  The Forest Fritters consisted of batter dipped mushrooms and a garnish of tomatoes and cucumbers. The mushrooms were well cooked and would have been perfect with a little more seasoning.  The Pangolin Salad consisted of lettuce, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, tuna and a tangy, vinaigrette dressing.  It was delicious.

My Suprema was described as 2 chicken breasts, crumbed, deep fried and served with cheese and mushroom au gratin.  My partner had ordered T-bone steak, so imagine our surprise when the waiter shows up with neither, and instead, with beef medallions.  He then delivered a T-bone steak served with rice and vegetables – but we had ordered fries.  I decided to eat the beef medallions, in the end, as the order had taken a while, in view of which, we also discussed the practicality of ordering dessert.  The medallions were in fact very tender and well cooked and I enjoyed them, though the vegetables were less impressive.  My partner’s T-bone was delicious. 

We decided to share a dessert.  They had two on the menu and one was unavailable, so we were expecting to share a Lemon Surprise, comprising pancakes, ice-cream and chocolate sauce.  What we actually received were three scoops of vanilla ice-cream each, with a sprig of mint!  We could but laugh!  We asked for the bill and it was promptly produced. 

Pangolin evidently has some work ahead of it, if it is to continue offering restaurant meals to the general public as well as providing these for guests staying at the Lodge.  Its breakfasts were always legendary, so let’s hope they can pull off the same standard of service and efficiency for which those were so famous, at other meal sittings next year.  The potential is certainly there, the setting itself is pleasant and they are clearly able to produce decent food.  But much training is needed on the service side.
Family Restaurant
2 Plates
Expect to spend $30-45 per head
54 Carrick Creagh Road, Helensvale, Harare

 

Divine breakfast experience at Pangolin Lodge (2010)
They say that necessity is the mother of invention; we certainly found this to be true when it came time to choose somewhere to celebrate my daughter’s birthday.  Both children are of an age where they love to go out for meals, enjoying the ambience of a restaurant as well as becoming discerning diners.  However, evening meals tend to run on too late for them and driving at night in Harare is not for the faint-hearted.  Potholes loom up at you out of nowhere and it’s extremely difficult to see and avoid them on the dark streets.  So we decided on a delightful alternative; breakfast, or more correctly, in our case, brunch.

Described by many as “the most wonderful breakfast in town”, Pangolin Lodge seemed an ideal choice.  The Lodge does not offer lunch or dinner, unless by special arrangement.  Their speciality meal is breakfast.  It is necessary to make a reservation for breakfast, but this adds to the excitement and anticipation of a really good meal.  Sunday morning dawned, promising gorgeous weather which we normally take for granted.  We made the ‘trek’ over to Borrowdale; road fully visible and the whole family on “Pothole Alert”!  The efficient security guard ushered us into the grounds after establishing that we, indeed, had a reservation.

The grounds are beautiful, transporting visitors into another world where you don’t have to worry about water or electricity and other mundane facts of Zimbabwean life.  In their brochure, Pangolin Lodge describes the pangolin: “Seldom seen, the pangolin….. likes seclusion, avoids noise and hustle and bustle”.  The Lodge is the pangolin personified.  On our amble from the parking area to the pavilion we enjoyed the well-kept gardens and saw several species of birds.  There was no ugly noise and we felt far removed from any “hustle and bustle”. By the time we reached the pavilion, we were ravenous and ready to make the most of our breakfast. At $20.00 per head, we expected a substantial and special meal.  We were not disappointed.  Warmly welcomed by Manageress, Marijke Alcock-Legerstee, we chose to sit inside the thatched pavilion.  The dining area is tastefully decorated and the lovely old-world wooden tables and chairs enhance the mellow atmosphere. My daughter was delighted with the buttercup-yellow roses on our table.  There is a large fire place in the dining area which I’m sure will come into use as the Winter months approach.

The breakfast buffet table was a sight for hungry eyes, and we gratefully accepted the invitation to “tuck in” before we placed our order for a cooked breakfast. Cornucopia and abundance are words which spring to mind as I describe the Continental-style buffet.  Different cereals could be partnered with milk or yoghurt.  My personal favourites beckoned me; plump, juicy stewed dried fruit is a must for breakfast.  Danish pastries, croissants, scones and muffins nestled in a wicker basket.  Raspberry, Strawberry and Peach jam, marmalade and marmite vied for attention.  Caraway Gouda, Cheddar and other varieties of cheese teamed with savoury crackers and biscuits.  The smoked and cold meats were tastefully displayed, offering a distinctly Continental choice.  Hot beverages including tea, coffee, herbal tea and Milo were available and fruit juices provided a cold alternative.

Our waiter took our individual choices for cooked English-style breakfast.  It was just as well that it was a long, languid Sunday morning, because this was a meal to be savoured and enjoyed at leisure. Firm, fat mushrooms, plenty of bacon, hash-brown potatoes, succulent sausages, baked beans, fried tomatoes and egg of your choice ensured that hunger was banished – for the rest of the day!  The meal was served with a flourish; hot and heavenly.  Toast was readily available to enjoy with the main meal or with the choice of preserves and spreads. It was a magnificent meal.

Perhaps my best part of a leisurely breakfast is to sit awhile, have another cup of coffee and put the world right (at least my little section of the world!). “Family” conversation flowed until the kids got bored and were sent on a reconnaissance mission with the friendly Jack Russell dog.  One more cup of coffee and the plans for extensions to our house were sorted.  We felt relaxed and replete.  As we sat in companionable silence, we listened to the different accents in the pavilion.  Pangolin Lodge is obviously a popular place for visitors to our country to stay, and we can understand their choice.  So if you are looking for an alternative to dining out at night, it has to be breakfast at Pangolin Lodge.
Family Restaurant
5 Plates
Expect to spend $20-25

Pangolin Lodge – Breakfast in the Bundu 2009
Our first encounter at Pangolin Lodge was when we were the guests at a breakfast garden wedding.  What a magnificent setting for such an auspicious occasion.  One forgets that one is actually situated in the middle of a Harare suburb, as the view is spectacular, being typical Zim bushveld and hills as far as the eye can see!  No sounds of traffic screeching, just the sights, sounds and smells of nature.

Upon our arrival on our recent visit to Pangolin Lodge, we were ushered to our table inside a quaint and beautifully decorated breakfast pagoda.  Being such a splendid day as it was we requested an outside table, under a huge shade umbrella.  Our request was indeed granted by friendly staff who happily prepared our table, and our brood of children contentedly played under the trees on a blanket.  How totally relaxing; “only in Zimbabwe”!  The gardens of Pangolin are neatly kept and modest, alas lacking that very rare commodity in Zimbabwe these days – water!   However, the dryness does somehow seem to blend in with the tall bushveld grass on the other side of the peripheral fence.  We were viewed by the occasional herd of cattle on the other side of the fence which delighted the children, who all made loud moo-ing sounds. Then suddenly the Pangolin Lodge Jack Russell sped towards the mombies and they scooted away at the pace of race horses. Again this provided much mirth for the kiddies!

Pangolin certainly prides itself with its fantastic breakfast spread.  We were invited initially to help ourselves to an appetising and imaginative buffet “continental” breakfast, which consisted of various yoghurts, fresh and stewed fruits, numerous cereals, croissants, breads, cheeses, cold meats, and fresh fruit juices.   This was all artistically spread out on multi-tiered levels, and served in tasteful hand made Zimbabwean crockery.  The buffet was enjoyed by all, including the children who were back for seconds, and thirds! 

We had a breather and enjoyed hot tea and coffee while our already bursting bellies attempted to make space for the next course ahead.  This we delayed as long as possible, knowing how much more we had to endure!  Finally our humorous, friendly and enthusiastic waiter managed to get us to order, although he was perfectly happy for us to take as long as we liked.  Full house breakfasts were ordered, which consisted of eggs done in the manner of your choice, bacon, chipolata sausages, tomato, baked beans, hash browns, and mushrooms.  This is all served with brown or white toasted bread with butter.  The food all arrived cooked to perfection. 

Our breakfast/brunch was definitely good value for money, being $20 per head per adult.  Children under 12 are charged at half price or less depending on the quantity eaten.  We all felt like stuffed Pangolins once we had finally finished our extended meal and if we could have, we would have curled up into keratin scaled balls and snoozed away the day if we had the chance to!  Pangolin Lodge is most certainly a great spot to go and have a leisurely brekko with family and friends, we will return soon.

Family Restaurant
5 Plates
$20 per head for adult full breakfast, half price or less for kids

 

Pangolin Lodge 2008
The pangolin : “seldom seen, a scaly ant-eater which likes seclusion , avoids noise and hustle and bustle.” Such are the attributes of this delightful “endroit de plaisir” that one can not but agree with the appropriateness of it’s name.

Succinctly and scenically located in the wilds of Borrowdale on Carrick Creagh Road, Pangolin lodge is set on 8.5 acres of land and has everything you would be looking for. It is close to Borrowdale Village shops, Borrowdale Brook Shops and once you are inside the gates you would not think that you are only fifteen minutes drive to the city centre.

The Lodge comprises of  five thatched chalets which are semi-detached into ten rooms. They are all en-suite, including bar fridges, telephone, tea and coffee making facilities as well as DSTV. Each room has a very comfortable veranda where one can relax and enjoy the flora and fauna of the beautiful gardens. There is also a pool where one can unwind and cool off from the heat of our summer days. The Lodge can also cater for conferences of up to 30 people, and catering can be offered too.

The place of eating is known as the pavilion This is also a thatched structure furnished aptly with tasteful antiques, a pleasant contrast to the modern flooring design and light fittings. Several genres of carved pangolins keep their beedy eyes on the diners as they make their more than singular trips to the breakfast buffet table.

We were seated out on the veranda with a stunning view of the open fields where the resident horses were too enjoying their breakfast platter of grass and more grass whilst we had a somewhat more elaborate and continental selection. Our tea and coffee pots arrived timeously at our table, giving us sufficient time to peruse the fresh fruit, cereals, cheeses, breads and brescetta; and to make our appropriate cooked fare selection.

My companion and I both opted for a cereal hors d’oeuvre, topped with fruit salad and yoghurt, twinned with a glass of chilled orange juice. As inviting as the muffins and breads looked, we decided to save our appetites for the entrée which was certainly full-house by nature and name. One of us chose fries eggs, the other scrambled : both of which were prepared with culinary precision. These were accompanied by bacon, chipolatas, boerewors, fried potatoes and tomatoes not to forget a basket of fresh toast.

The waiters were all very cheerful and when I popped my head around the corner of the kitchen, there was much joviality and earnest work going on within : as they say a happy work place is a good work place!

If you have not been to visit the Lodge, do yourself a favour and take a couple of hours to enjoy the best start you will get to your day, any day of the week; especially a Sunday when you could enjoy a lie-in and still be there in time for the spoilings of the day.

Family Restaurant
5 Plates.