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By its name, Restaurant Week can be a little confusing as it runs from 25 September to 1 November this year, but foodies are not complaining. With more than 200 restaurants across Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to choose from, lunch this summer is going to be a filling affair.
What is Restaurant Week?
Restaurant Week is a global culinary initiative where members of the general public who wouldn’t always have access to high-end and fine-dining restaurants are invited into these spaces at reduced prices.
For the duration of their participation, these fine-dining establishments curate a pre-fixed two- or three-course menu outside their normal à la carte offering, and guests are required to book in advance.
Conceived in New York City, USA, in 1992, it would take two decades for Restaurant Week to finally make it to Mzansi’s shores in 2012.
Since launching with between 50 and 100 restaurants in this country 14 years ago, Restaurant Week now has more than 200 participating South African eateries.
In the City of Gold, participating restaurants this year include Thai Table in Rosebank, The 11th Floor in Bedfordview, Nook by Solo in Sandton, Che Argentine Grill in Parkwood and many more, with prices starting from less than R400 per person for lunch or dinner.
What’s on offer at The 11th Floor, Bedfordview
The Bedfordview restaurant gives Johannesburg foodies access to its award-winning delicacies for just R700 per person.
Diners get to enjoy their meals against the backdrop of the Johannesburg skyline, on the rooftop overlooking the stars.
Executive Chef Kyle Marshall is sticking to The 11th Floor’s flavours, techniques and ingredients that have given its Mediterranean-inspired cuisine great reviews from eaters and critical acclaim from food reviewers.
“Restaurant Week should still feel unmistakably like The 11th Floor. We wanted to create a menu that gives guests real choice and reflects the full experience of the restaurant. Whichever dishes they choose, lunch should feel like an occasion,” said the chef.
For appetisers, diners can choose from the grilled or fried Patagonian squid served with garlic aioli, charred lemon and coarse olive salt, or opt for the crisp-fried pork belly coated in a sweet and sticky barbecue glaze and balanced with pickled carrot ribbons and fermented red chilli.
Alternatively, there is also the vegetarian option of house-made tortellini filled with sun-dried tomato and olive, grilled artichoke, sweet peas and charred baby onions, finished with crispy spinach and fermented pepper emulsion.
For its main course, the restaurant is offering its fire-grilled 250g beef fillet, accompanied by oyster mushrooms, mushroom crème, yuzu gel, mushroom arancini, edamame and The 11th Floor’s signature jus.
If beef doesn’t make you salivate, then you can dig into the Mediterranean lamb rack, served on red pepper hummus with potato pavé, caper mayonnaise, fire-roasted peppers and signature jus.
If seafood tickles your taste buds, then the crisp-skinned sea bass with crushed new potatoes, warm puttanesca and sugar snap peas might be your best option.
Reservations are limited and must be made through the official Restaurant Week platform starting from today, 18 September.
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