Everybody’s talking about The Foundry Kitchen, Roastworks and Craft Bar in Jozi. And once you read this review, so will you. We sent Hennie Fisher to check out the hottest new restaurant in Parktown North.

Food
The lunch menu is essentially an extension of the dinner menu, with the addition of a section of ‘royales’, which are sandwiches served on artisan bread with tobacco onions and root vegetable crisps. The Lamb Kofta Royale with roasted garlic tzatziki, lemon hummus and avocado salsa sounds particularly delicious. Both menus include charcuterie and cheese planks for two or four people served with wood-fired sourdough flatbread. Le Carne Curado boasts local, Spanish and Italian cured meats with pickles and mustard, which could also serve nicely as a starter. As homely as pumpkin fritters may sound, you should definitely try the Van Hunks Pumpkin Ale sweet fritters in a simple cinnamon-sugar dusting – they are heavenly. The main course section is where the real gems are to be found, however: these range from a trio of sausages (lamb, pork and beef) served with house-made potato gnocchi and onion gravy, to roast pumpkin and prawn risotto with lemongrass, coriander and chilli.

Drinks
The craft beers come bottled or on tap, and there are no fewer than nine craft brews from which to choose, including Van Hunks Pumpkin Ale, Naked Mexican and Jack Black Pale Ale. A range of whiskeys, cocktails and even a Swedish pear cider round out an interesting selection of other alcoholic beverages. The wine list is somewhat limited, featuring South African wines such as Black Oystercatcher White Pearl and Edgebaston The Pepper Pot. I get the impression that the wine list did not enjoy the same level of attention that other aspects of this lovely Parktown corner spot did.

Service
Well-trained and professional, the service staff are attentive, polite and very competent, making you feel as if they’re genuinely pleased to contribute to the success of your evening out. The restaurant is generally jam-packed, meaning that the noise levels rise as the night progresses, but the waiting staff appear to be unfazed and on top of their game throughout.

Ambience
This corner of Parktown has proved to be a real culinary hotspot over the years, and The Foundry Kitchen’s addition to the neighbourhood does not disappoint. A large dining area overlooks the kitchen with a separate bar area to the side, and is simply appointed with wooden ceilings, large black cottage pane windows, and the most elegant hand-blown glass light fittings with low-burning filament bulbs. In the entrance, a large coffee roaster takes pride of place. This is a feel-good restaurant where young and old hang out in large groups, having fun and eating good food.

And…
If you must have pineapple on your pizza, this is the place to do so. The Empire butter chicken sourdough pizza with masala pineapple, cracked poppadum, raita and fresh coriander is simply delicious. The hand-made field mushroom ravioli with burnt sage butter, pine nuts and rocket is positively perfect: elegant and fresh but also wholesome and filling. The linguine with crab, herbs, lemon zest, chilli and roasted pepper is a delight for both the eye and the palate; the crab pieces are opened with so much care and attention that you can get to the meat with your fork and spoon. This is a sign that the chef and owners are true hospitality-driven professionals who think about how their customers will approach their meals.

By Hennie Fisher

Have you been to The Foundry? Let us know what you thought.