Back to the future at Borrowdale Country Club

A VISIT to Borrowdale Country Club is all about having fun, especially on a Sunday, when the world, his wife and all their kids want to relax and enjoy a traditional Sunday roast lunch. There are tennis courts, pool tables and an immaculate bowling green, and BCC hosts quiz nights and darts competitions, but last Sunday the sparkling swimming pool was the place to be for hordes of little swimmers and their parents.

Roast pork with all the trimmings.

My guests and I arrived promptly at 1 pm, by which time the dining room was pumping, and every outside table under the palm trees was taken. Luckily I had made a booking, and we found ourselves perched on tall, armless chairs at a table adjacent to the bar – convenient for ordering drinks. Leigh and Pete from High Voltage sent us back to the future as they belted out 70s favourites, so instead of conversing we sang along to ‘sha la la’ and ‘Show me the way to Amarillo’. After trying out a few chair dancing moves, we bought lunch tickets from the bar tender and approached the buffet.

Roast pork with ‘all the trimmings’ (ZWL200) was the dish of the day. A chef carved slices of perfectly cooked roast pork as we stood in line, and a server dished out rice, creamed spinach, butternut squash, roast potatoes, and a piece of pork crackling. Extras included copious amounts of fried onions, apple sauce and a tureen of dark, rich gravy. Although the roast potatoes lacked crunch, it was a great plate of food, and we ate in silence, as High Voltage continued to pump up the volume.

After lunch a helpful waiter set up a table for us on the green lawns overlooking the bowling green. We ordered apple crumble and ice cream for an extra ZWL35, and moved outside. Among a sea of largely unknown diners, I recognised well known artist and sculptor @WStutchbury. Exhibiting regularly in Zimbabwe and abroad, Wayne is best known for his extraordinary sculptures made from scrap metal, wood offcuts and pieces of wooden dhows retrieved from beaches along the coastline of Mozambique.

Although much of the woodland surrounding Borrowdale Country Club has been built up, the view across the bowling green towards the rolling hills of Helensvale and Greystone Park is stupendous. There are glimpses between the trees of large mansions built on the slopes, and the tall relics of an unfinished project are visible against the skyline, but the surroundings remain a green and pleasant land.

Sunday lunch under the palms at Borrowdale Country Club.

For anyone living in the hood, such as retirees or members of the landed gentry with time on their hands, Borrowdale Country Club is a great resource for entertainment and relaxation. On Wednesday nights, show off your skills in pool, snooker and darts, and test your academic prowess on Quiz Nite, every Friday evening. Play tennis or bowls on Saturday, so get your gear together in time for an early start.

Valentine’s Day this year was celebrated with a dinner dance, with live music from Mande and Alex Fairlie. The club can also be reserved for private functions, so if you have a milestone birthday or anniversary to celebrate, give the manager a ring and make a booking.

There’s something for every age group at Borrowdale Country Club. Whether you’re a senior citizen looking for congenial company and a well-cooked meal, middle-aged with children dotted around the diaspora, in your 30s with a young family, a toddler or a teenager,
BCC is a place to socialise and enjoy yourself.   A Matter of Taste with Charlotte Malakoff

Comments to: cmalakoff@gmail.com