Yesterday evening I had the pleasure of enjoying Portuguese-style food at Mozambik, a restaurant in the Waterfront which opened about a year ago to great acclaim by locals. Its website describes its cuisine as ‘Afro-Porto’, reflecting the Portuguese origin of Mozambique, a country discover by Vasco de Gama in 1748, and which sits to the east of South Africa, renowned for its seafood, and peri-peri hot sauces served with its chicken dishes in particular. We had a fabulous evening and loved the hospitality, the good food, and excellent value for money which Mozambik offers.
A number of writers and Social Media posters were invited by Celebrity Chef Jenny Morris to try Mozambik, it being one of only three restaurants operating in the Waterfront currently. Our Group took over the whole restaurant, with tables well distanced from each other in the large restaurant space, and all Covid compliance regulations were followed, in that our temperature was taken, we signed the guest register in which our details had already been entered, and our hands were sanitised. At each seat we received a gift of a handbag-sized sanitizer for extra protection. All the staff wore masks, as did Mozambik owner and franchisee  Christa Deacon (left). We removed our masks whilst we were in the restaurant.

Chef Jenny led me to the table which I was to share with presenter Pippa Hudson  of Cape Talk, who had brought her friend Tracy, and Linda, owner of Mai Thai Spa in De Waterkant, who had brought her friend Chris of the Deepest Darkest Gallery in De Waterkant. The cutlery for the table was presented in a box, and each place setting had a rolled tube of peanuts for us to nibble on. In the centre of the table was a huge branded cooler of non-alcoholic Savanna Cider, given the current Lockdown Level 3 alcohol ban, which the other table members enjoyed. I love water, so I stuck to that for the evening.

Mozambik was established in 2005 in Ballito in KZN, and has grown into a 15-store franchise operation around the country. Its positioning is the ‘taste of escape’, its website informs, ‘visiting Mozambik is like a mini holidays a break, a taste of escape’. Pippa and Chris had been to Mozambique before, and reminisced about wonderful holidays spent there.

Jenny introduced the menu of the evening to us, three starter dishes to share, a choice of two main courses, and a dessert off the Mozambik dessert menu. Given the Corona Lockdown regulations, timing was important, as we all had to be home by 22h00.

The starter dishes arrived quickly, warm chicken livers in a garlic and lemon sauce (R58), warm calamari in a  lemon sauce (R59), and cashew-stuffed green olives marinated in a chili-lime infused olive oil (R57). I loved both the sauces, and the calamari in particular, but even had an extra helping of the chicken livers, which I would not normally order. The starters were served with lovely soft Portuguese rolls, with which we could mop up the sauces on our plates. Other starters offered include fish cakes, giblets, chourico, snails, squid heads, and rump, chicken and fillet trinchado.

The main course choices were chicken peri-peri or Hake (R115), and our table was unanimous in ordering the fish, I requesting lemon butter sauce, and some of my other table friends ordering it with a peri-peri sauce or a garlic lemon butter sauce. Everyone raved about the butter-soft fish and the yummy crispy chips, which we all finished. One can also order steaks, espetadas, Combos, platters, and salads. Three vegetarian dishes are offered: vegetable curry, potato cakes, and Jack fruit espetada.

When the colourful dessert menu arrived, we all groaned at the thought of eating another bite, but the photographs in the Dessert menu were so enticing, that Pippa, Tracy and I shared a Double Decker (R57) dessert, made of layers of white and dark chocolate mousse, on a Sacher Torte chocolate cake, finished with a sweet chocolate glaze, topped with chocolate shavings. Chris had ice cream and chocolate sauce, giving me a taste of his. Other dessert options are Passion fruit lemon cheesecake, chocolate soufflé, Malva pudding, creme caramel, and Boston Brownies.

A break in a heavy downpour was the sign for us to head home, after a lovely time spent at Mozambik. We need not have worried about getting wet, being shown a passage way taking us all the way to the parking garage. It was the first time since Lockdown started more than four months ago that I saw and chatted to my fellow writers and influencers. In writing this story, I looked at the Mozambik menu, and was impressed with the value for money it offers. Mozambik restaurants offer a Food Delivery and Collection Service during Lockdown too.

 

Mozambik, V & A Waterfront, Tel 021 023-0345. www.mozambik.co.za Twitter: @TheMozambik  Instagram: @mozambikrestaurants

 

About Chris von Ulmenstein

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein