Last week I had the pleasure of taking a ride on the Gautrain – in 15 minutes I was transported from OR Tambo International to the middle of Sandton. And in another five minutes, I was at Linger Longer restaurant. This trip would normally take me an hour at least, that’s if I don’t find myself stopping off at North’s Food in Cyrildene’s Derrick Avenue for steamed dumplings, or at the Fisherman’s Plate to munch on fiery crab curry, or stocking up on pungent dried mushrooms, bitter melons and liquorice powder at one of the large Chinese supermarkets.

But this time it was a one-stop trip to Linger Longer, which is about to celebrate its 50^th birthday. I lunched in the sunny conservatory among flowering broad beans and lemon trees drenched in sweet blossom. On the menu was moist dorado fillet smothered in tarragon butter sauce, and the most divine portion of brains, lightly crumbed and melt-in-the-mouth soft. I ended with a really delicious crêpe stuffed with cream cheese and plump raisins, caramelised in an orange-liqueur sauce – yum!

I was planning on having an Ethiopian dinner at Abyssinia in Kensington but I was just too full to do Asmal’s? food any justice. I missed out on oversized injera bread, a spicy beef stew, and tej, lovely homemade honey wine. The incense and coffee ritual will soon lure me back – but by car this time.

Happy eating!
Abigail