A view from The Terrace

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, elegant in a lilac designer coat, will have turned a few heads as she sashayed through the teeming celebrities; Senator Dianne Feinstein, with her 60s bob and brown pant suit, resembling a character from Jane Eyre, spoke with such sweetness and eloquence in her welcoming remarks, that I soon forgave her appearance and clung to her every word.
Readers of last week’s column will recall my comments on the inaugural lunch of duck breast, sour cherries and glazed sweet potatoes.
This may have proved too rich and heavy for Senator Ted Kennedy, who suffered a seizure and was whisked away from the lunch by secret service officers. If he left after the first course, the pastry crust on the seafood stew could have been responsible. After a night of junketing, we hear that the following day president Obama ‘hit the ground running’. I will leave him for the time being, sitting at his work desk with his shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbows, setting the world to rights.
Here in Zimbabwe people who once spoke eagerly about ‘change’ have run out of topics of conversation.  Everything moves in slow motion, and my adrenalin rush of the day is provided when an on-coming Merc swerves in my direction to avoid a pothole, accelerating to the left in the nick of time. In contrast to the many comatose people I encounter daily on the streets are the urban  maize-fields and the rampant green grass on the roadsides. Following heavy rains, maize and grass are growing apace. As I drove down the Borrowdale road at mid-day early this week, gangs of workers were slashing the grass with bembas. Closer to town, Greenwood Park and Harare Gardens were overgrown and jungle-like. I was on my way to The Terrace at Meikles Hotel, to sample the new a la carte menu.The once popular Pavilion buffet has been temporarily suspended, although it can be re-instated at short notice for a conference or similar special event. Instead, lunchtime visitors can sit at comfortable tables on The Terrace, and look out at the flourishing roof garden and beyond to the beautiful skyline of the city of Harare.
Service at Meikles is always efficient and courteous.
An impeccably dressed and mannerly maitre d’hôtel welcomed me and indicated the table where I would be joining other food writers and publicists. A waiter brought me a pink soda, served in an attractive glass, and offered ice cubes and drinking straws as options. Soup of the day was vegetable soup, well-seasoned and flavoured, with minute florets of fresh broccoli and chiffonades of carrot providing texture. I was tempted to order a Submarine Roll with horseradish, mustard and crème fraiche, but opted instead for the chef’s fish of the day, served with French fries and seasonal vegetables.
Fish of the day was tilapia, usually a favourite of mine. On this occasion the tilapia fillets looked floppy and world-weary. Draped over a mound of over-steamed vegetables, the entire dish had been bathed in Sauce Tartare, creating a soggy mass. Most of the French fries were OK, but one or two were only half done.
I asked for extra tomato ketchup to make the dish more palatable. Had the Sauce Tartare been served separately, things may have tasted very different. I chose a waffle served with vanilla ice cream and Maple syrup for dessert. Other options were chocolate gateau, apple pie and fresh fruit salad. My waffle was large and crispy, and almost the size of my plate. Meikles Hotel has recently exchanged its patterned tableware for all white plates and bowls. This looks very attractive, but staff will need to take extra care in keeping it spotless. I did my best to ignore a large thumbprint on the rim of my dessert plate.There were only a handful of patrons at The Terrace, but with a little more attention to detail from the cooks and serving staff, this could become a popular venue for those who value good service and pleasant surroundings.
The Terrace, Meikles Hotel. Open daily from 12:00 – 14:30
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