Mojo’s Churrascaria a rare experience

Three minutes from the city centre the expensive sound of crunchy gravel under the tyres of my car suggested I had come to the right place.
A circle of brightly coloured petunias surrounded the base of an ancient palm and behind them a pretty fountain and endless green lawns. Tables were set outside but it was windy and only one was taken. So we went inside the black and red awning that cocooned the verandah and gave into a warm restaurant. A welcome respite from another cold day.
The tables were covered with snow-white tablecloths and contrasting black overlays and elegantly laid; cutlery gleamed and tall wine glasses twinkled against tastefully grey walls.
An elegant young woman welcomed us and showed us to our table, where she suggested we enjoy a drink while she explained that there’s no menu (so you don’t need to rummage around for reading glasses.)
A platter of assorted tapas arrived and we tucked into sweet potato soup, curried wild mushroom pate, tostadas, beef koftas, pan fried mozzarella wrapped in bacon with chutney, pan fried scallops and chorizos, Portuguese chicken livers and garlic marinated olives served with palo de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread).
I was watching a large table of business people being served an assortment of drinks by an unflustered gaucho waiter when a liquidizer behind the bar shattered the atmosphere and drowned out the slightly too loud music.
Our waiter, dressed in black and red flashed a winning smile and served us some lamb off a skewer. It was tender and juicy and we savoured every mouthful and became so absorbed in our feast that we forgot we’d been told to flip over the discs on our table to red when we needed a break. When we were ready for more, it came in a dazzling array. Chicken pieces lightly basted in a tangy marinade, beef sausages, pork fillet coated with parmesan cheese and sirloin.
Farai doesn’t eat pork so she helped herself to spicy rice and the delicious but rather neglected crisp green salad that had been placed on our table. We were so pleased to learn that we’d only feasted on the succulent selection for this week and that the variety on offer changes every week for four weeks. We look forward to going back to try their grilled prawns, grilled ostrich fillet, pork ribs, fillet mignon wrapped in bacon and juicy chicken breast wrapped in bacon.
Farai couldn’t manage a dessert and I had a tough time choosing from cheesecake, crème brulee, coffee semifreddo, chocolate cream cheese parfait with Grand Marnier and passion fruit mousse but settled for the Apple and Chocolate meringue and ice cream Sundae. It was divine.
The last time I was in a Churrascaria was in Brazil in the 1970’s. I remember thinking then that I’d never tasted such deliciously cooked meat before. Mojo’s is every bit as good and this proudly carnivorous restaurant offers the most exciting food I’ve had in Harare for a long time.
It is also a lovely wedding venue that caters for up to 300 people and there are conference facilities with plenty of space for breakaway groups. But best of all, as I live around the corner, a coffee bar is opening shortly and you can also drop your dishes off there en route to work and collect them for your lunch or dinner party.
l 10 East Road (opposite the Diagnostic Imaging Centre)
Avondale
Phone 705993, 761639
email: mojos@zol.co.zw

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