Adelle Horler

Food
The menu at Henri’s is so comprehensive and diverse that you can invite your pickiest collection of friends (and their children) and they’re all sure to find something they like. It’s also why it’s perfect for repeat visits by locals who come for something different each time.

There’s a hearty light meals menu featuring steak, egg and chips, chicken a la king, burgers, Prego rolls and a Caesar salad. The main menu covers the usual suspects, often with a twist – pizzas from the wood-fired oven, all sorts of steaks and sides, or family fare like lamb shank, Chinese braised oxtail and sticky ginger pork fillet. The more adventurous can sample the ‘something different’ menu, with options such as duck liver parfait or braised rabbit pappardelle.

The children’s menu is also more interesting than the norm, offering more sophisticated but still child-friendly dishes like a fillet steak kebab, tomato pasta or a barbecue chicken burger.

The pan-seared Norwegian salmon is extremely generous and cooked perfectly. Tender and rare in the middle with deliciously crispy skin, it comes served with leek and spring onion mash. The slow-roasted deboned lamb neck is juicy and rich, the fat nice and crisp, served with tempura beans and minted mash that cut through the richness. The superb roast duck and mango salad has a Vietnamese influence, while the marinated Moroccan chicken and couscous dish is creamy and lightly spiced. Both are substantial and well-priced.

Desserts are standard – crème brûlée, chocolate fondant and waffles – but well done.

Drinks
There’s a very broad selection of wines from the area, including Elgin and the Swartland, with a good range – from easy-drinking and affordable to something special for an occasion. Most wines are available by the glass thanks to a special wine preservation system. There’s also a selection of cocktails and craft beers, some on tap.

Service
Our waiter was friendly and attentive; she’s clearly been at Henri’s for a long time and helped us with very informed suggestions on what to choose.

Ambience
It’s surprisingly quiet inside Henri’s, given that it’s on a busy street corner on Somerset West’s Main Road. Once a home, it’s comfy but elegant, with three downstairs dining areas, one with a large pizza oven and bar that’s slightly more informal. An upstairs area can be used for private functions. Tables outside on the shaded terrace would be great for long summer evenings.

Best for…
Hearty family fare or summer lunches on the patio.

(September 2019)

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