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Harare Sports Club
Cnr Josiah Chinamano & 5th Street
702669/700037

The Maiden – Good Value Pub Fare! 2012

“Location, location, location” – and that The Maiden Public House situated on the edge of the Harare Sports Club playing fields certainly has.  In addition, this delightful setting comes with ample and easy parking.  The pub’s ambience could best be described as “comfortably homely” or at worst “slightly worn” and although a large area, clever use of room dividers and different levels give it a cosy feel!  Originally part of the South African Keg Franchise it now ploughs an independent furrow.  Although when we visited at lunch time the pub was quiet, I assume that on match days it is frenetic.

The simple but sufficient laminated menu unusually for a pub, includes breakfasts.  On offer are the usual Zimbabwean style starters (crumbed mushrooms, samoosas) and main courses (steak, peri-peri chicken, ribs, burgers, eisbein) with the addition of traditional pub fare like liver and onions, sausage and mash, fish and chips and of course for “afters” ice-cream and chocolate sauce!   

For starters we chose to share an order of samoosas – 6 wonderfully thin and crisp pastry cases filled with beef and accompanied by a seriously piquant chilli sauce.  We followed this with the biggest peri-peri half chicken I have seen, with veg and chips for my companion and the pub standard of fillet steak, fried egg, onions and chips for me and finally, the ubiquitous ice-cream and chocolate sauce.  Honest, freshly prepared, homely food, crisp chips and steak cooked as ordered – what more could one ask of pub food.

Service was excellent; our Savannas were served very well chilled with a slice of lemon. House wine was Ravenswood at a reasonable $2 a glass or a limited choice of bottles – we enjoyed a bottle which I had never encountered before – Black Rock – a very acceptable white blend, at the bargain price of $6.  Mugs of filter coffee were charmingly served with mini biscuits.

A variety of seating is available, outside bench type seats on the edge of the playing fields, bar stools in one section and standard dining tables and chairs in another.  A unique feature is a full size billiard table to entertain those not interested in the sports being shown on the large screen televisions.  This is as near as one gets to an English style pub in Harare!

This is a refreshingly non-pretentious comfortable pub, offering value for money in a uniquely lovely setting.  I would not hesitate to recommend it as a meeting place or a relaxed venue for an after work drink and a pub meal to line the stomach!    

Pub Restaurant
Plates 5
Expect to spend $15 - $30 for a pub meal
Harare Sports Club,  Cnr Josiah Chinamano Ave & 5th Street, Harare

     

 

Paying a pleasant visit to The Maiden 2011
Once in a while when reviewing restaurants you have an unexpected experience and so it was with a visit to the Maiden Public House at Harare Sports Club.  Formerly a Keg Franchisee I expected a dated and aging version of The Keg décor and a pared down version of the Keg menu.  Not so!

On a cold Saturday the whole family traipsed through to the verandah overlooking the cricket pitch and ordered drinks.  We watched cricketers in training and children playing whilst we shivered in the breeze.  On enquiring we discovered that children were more than welcome in the dining area as so we rapidly moved inside.

Basically the interior comprises three key areas, the bar itself, the restaurant area and the billiard room.  These demarcations are achieved through partial screening and differing floor elevations, without detracting from the easy flow between rooms.  The décor is contemporary Pub with much sporting memorabilia in keeping with its location.  I was mightily impressed with the innovative lighting which contrives to, and does in fact achieve, the dual purpose of lowering the height of the dining area as well as illuminating it.

An international rugby match was in progress on TV and provided a convivial atmosphere with much banter between the rival groups of supporters.

The menu is well thought out and sensibly arranged and offers far more than the anticipated pub fare, although that’s also on offer.   For starters we shared a serving of garlic bread and a plate of samoosas.   Both passed muster and were consumed in fairly short order as the rugby game came to an exciting finale.

Our choice of main courses included Eisbein, chicken wrap, ribs, hamburger and a vegetarian pie.  A good cross section and there was nothing left for the doggy bag except some of the Eisbein.  The menu also includes salads, steaks and traditional pub grub like liver and onions and fish and chips.  I had the Chicken Torres, a chicken filled tortilla served with sweet chillie sauce and a salad.  The tortilla was unrelated to any crêpe or pancake but was in fact a shortcrust pastry parcel filled with the chicken – somewhat unexpected but actually rather good and the accompanying salad was crisp and fresh.  The eisbein came with mash and fresh vegetables and I stole a few mouthfuls – very good it was too.

One generous portion of ice cream and chocolate sauce was ordered and circumnavigated the table, everyone helping themselves to a spoon or two. Coffees were partaken as a winter warmer before braving the outdoors once again for the trip home.

All in all a pleasant and reasonably priced meal in a friendly and vibrant environment.  Any complaints?  They did seem somewhat overstretched on the service front that day but perhaps they were not expecting to be as busy as they were with the rugby.  However, the manager gamely came to the rescue and we received his personal attention. A commendable hands on approach worthy of mention. 
Pub Restaurant
4 Plates
Expect to spend $10 - $20 for a pub meal