For those who love to go out in the morning

While many restaurateurs remain closed on Sundays, spending the day resting at home, playing golf, going to church or socialising, the Cocoa Tree is open for business, serving meals and snacks throughout the day.
Although Harare’s supermarkets are loaded to the gunnels with delicious breakfast foodstuffs such as smoked kippers, different types of bacon and cold meats, a variety of flours to make scones and pancakes and shelves of jams, honey and maple syrup, there is a hard core of Zimbos who love to go out for breakfast on a Sunday morning. These food loving and sociable types are typical of the clientele that came and went at the Cocoa Tree last Sunday, keeping the waiter staff constantly on their toes.
George and I were in search of a late breakfast when we arrived at the Cocoa Tree at about 10 am last Sunday. It was busy, but we found a pleasant table with a view of the beautiful surrounding garden of palm trees, cycads, lavender and Iceberg roses.
Most of the tables are round, with tabletops hand painted in the Weya women style. Table and chair legs are wrought iron and look charming, although neither feel quite stable on the slightly uneven cement floor of the verandah.
Most people order slices of delicious gateaux and chocolate croissants when they go to the Cocoa Tree, but I asked for scrambled egg on ciabatta and George chose a toasted ham, cheese and tomato sandwich. Hot chocolate, made from either dark, milk or white Belgian chocolate, comes in three sizes – small, medium and large.
The toasted sandwich was quite delicious, with generous portions of ham, cheese and tomato. Unscrupulous sandwich makers will sometimes use very small slices of ham, strategically arranged at the edge of the sandwich, with nothing in the middle.
My scrambled egg was nice enough, but the ciabatta was hard and tasteless. The flavour of the chocolate drinks was delightful, in spite of being served lukewarm.
There was a steady stream of customers buying hand-made Belgian chocolates to take home. Others came for a slice of chocolate or almond gateau, to enjoy with a cup of one of the many speciality teas on offer.
Most tables overlook a beautiful Koi pond with a gushing waterfall, surrounded by Mondo grass and Leopard trees.
If you were looking for a charming location for a first date, or a Valentine’s chocolate treat, the Cocoa Tree would fit the bill.
The tables are not placed so close to each other that your conversation is audible to everyone else, and the background splash of the waterfall is quite conducive to the murmuring of terms of endearment.
Knowing that one can relax in such pleasant surroundings on any day of the week and drink a cup of Belgian chocolate or eat a slice of delicious cake, makes the Cocoa Tree a popular destination.

The Cocoa Tree
Village Walk
Borrowdale
– cmalakoff@gmail.com