Lunch with Australian touch at Seasons

His favourite TV viewing centres around the food channel, he’s a natural host and he truly, madly and deeply loves good food. After a lengthy stint in Australia, where every second person you meet is a food fanatic, Rowan is back in Zimbabwe for good, and eager to share the many cooking skills he acquired in Brisbane’s top restaurants.
It was my first visit to Seasons Restaurant, and George and I came upon it by chance last Sunday, as we meandered around Newlands looking for somewhere to have lunch. Blue Banana and Mama Mia were both closed, and we were heading for Gecko Gardens out on the Enterprise Road, when we noticed a sign for Seasons.
We made a sharp right turn into a brick driveway, after giving way to a number of dusty, lumbering buses, making their way from Nyamapanda and Shamva to the city centre. The car park looked full, and we entered with trepidation, as it was already 1.30pm.
Management were bustling hither and thither and things looked busy when we entered the restaurant, but a pleasant young lady directed us towards the bar, to wait a few minutes while our table was being prepared.
The ceilings are high at Seasons and the klinker brick interior and muted lighting made me feel as though I was visiting the great mead hall of Heorot in Scandinavia, at a gathering of Danish and Swedish kings.
At any moment the warrior Beowulf might arrive for a drink, before preparing to slay the monster Grendel.
I was relieved when our smiling and courteous waiter soon directed us to the dining area, towards a table near the window, overlooking a sunny garden of mature trees, flowering shrubs and cycads.
As it was Sunday, and the whole afternoon stretched ahead, we decided to indulge in three courses.
My baby marrow soup (US$3,50) was full of flavour and piping hot. I thought George’s order of crumbed mushrooms (US$6) less exciting.
They seemed slightly undercooked, and the crumb verging on damp rather than crisp.
Yearning for the roast beef of Olde Englande, I ordered the Season’s Sunday special of roast beef (US$12). Prepared in the Italian style rather than with Yorkshire pudding and horseradish sauce, it was nevertheless delicious.
Served medium rare as requested, it was accompanied by crisp potato wedges and a type of ratatouille of zucchini, carrot and aubergine.
A spoonful of Dijon mustard completed the taste experience.
Chef Rowan Edgar prides himself on the beef served at Seasons — it is obtained from a master butcher who hangs the beef for twenty one days before it reaches the customer, ensuring tenderness and flavour. George ordered thick cut lamb chops (US$12), served with yoghurt and mint sauce, a delicious combination.
We decided to have coffee and pudding in the garden, and our waiter showed us to a table beneath a thatched gazebo, close to a fishpond and surrounded by cycads. Pecan pie with ice cream (US$5) was toothsome, and filter coffee (US$1) was nothing special, but good enough.
Hungry patrons were still arriving for lunch, well after 3pm, and all eventually departed looking happy and replete.
Chef Rowan informed us that a roast leg and a shoulder of lamb had sold out by 1pm and a run on goat’s cheese had reduced the starter options.
So if you plan to eat out at Seasons, book a table and arrive in good time.
 
Seasons
Enterprise Road
Tel: 443468/9
Cell: 0912 352 228

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