Enjoy majestic Byo splendour

OUT AND ABOUT

Last Sunday found me in the City of Kings lucky enough to be staying at the fairly famous and rather fabulous Nesbit Castle — an eccentric gothic folly nestled in Bulawayo suburbia.Arriving around 3pm we quickly settled into the old-fashioned boutique hotel and headed for a late light lunch set up for us at the swimming pool. Unfortunately the weather, even in late September, was cold with a bitter wind so we moved into the dining room which fits the theme of the hotel to a tee.

Light lunch options included a good selection of soups and salads, toasted sandwiches and tasty sounding pasta dishes for those needing more than a snack. We chose honey, cinnamon and butternut soup (US$6) served with croutons and a basket of toast and a chicken mayo toasted sandwich (US$5 with a small garden salad).  Butternut soup was so good we chose it again as a  starter at dinner where it was just different enough in colour and flavour to show that it is always freshly made.

Dinner at the Castle Coach House is an elegant affair with silver service and serviette swans transporting you back in time. Evening lighting is exquisite with lights shining in the trees outside, contrasting with the warm burgundy glow of the restaurant.

Dinner is US$20 for two courses or US$25 including dessert. Starter choices were the famous butternut soup, butterfly king prawns or sesame chicken. Sesame chicken, prettily presented on a bed of lettuce was delicious.
Mains covered all bases, with flame grilled medallions of beef fillet served with bearnaise sauce for the meat eater, chicken Kiev, poached hake or vegetable paella for those not so keen on the famous Bulawayo beef. Presentation is excellent and the silver service comes into its own with the selection of vegetables being served at the table to your liking.

We couldn’t resist the beef and were not disappointed.
Three fair size medallions and a good serving of roast potatoes and vegetables made for a generous portion. The medallions were cooked excellently and melted in the mouth!  Chicken Kiev was not as good, being a little overcooked for me, but still tasty.

Desserts included a luscious brandy pudding served with fresh cream and the must-try Nesbit Castle mocha chocolate cheesecake served with seasonal fruit coulis, if anything, a little big for one person.
Fresh fruit salad and ice-cream finished off the sweets menu.

The only disappointment was the cheesboard featuring both local and imported cheese but with rather a poor selection, offering only a couple of small pieces of cheddar and Gouda, two small pieces of Brie and some tastes of feta. Gherkins, olives and pickled vegetables finished off the presentation. This could do with more attention.
Total for drinks and three-course dinner was  US$71.  Bar was a  bit pricey at US$21 for three glasses of wine, a soft drink and water, although the wine was very good.
All in all it was a great night out in the windy city of Bulawayo, and was certainly very good value compared to prices for similarly high-end restaurants in Harare — where you can easily pay US$20 to US$25 for a main course.

The Nesbit Castle has unfortunately succumbed to the wedding venue craze gripping Zimbabwe and this does take some of the atmosphere away from the hotel and restaurant. It would be good to have permanent ablutions and a separate bar set up for wedding visitors. This could keep the hotel and restaurant more private and intimate for hotel guests and anyone coming to the coach house for a quiet romantic dinner. (Visit www.nesbitcastle.co.zw)
– g.jeke@yahoo.com