Piccolo Mondo, Mandela Square, Sandton

The rooms at the Michelangelo Hotel are popular, as is the lounge where stylishly tanned and toned internationals gather for cocktails. The classically decorated Piccolo Mondo restaurant overlooks Mandela Square – which resembles Grand Central Station on a go-slow. Surrounding restaurants, from the not-so-cheap and cheerful to the upmarket ones are filled to the brim most days.

Says new Executive Chef Bob Knuckey, “It’s a challenge to get people off the square and into the restaurant.”

With their new menu they’ve already increased by about fifty percent. In his own words, Knuckey isn’t the seriously traditional chef and is broadening both the menu and food style. In other words, “not just classic French or Italian fine dining, but I’m bringing in more fusion food, with accents from across the board.

What took me there was this new Executive Chef at Piccolo Mondo, who brought with him from his claim-to-fame restaurant in Melville, Pomegranate, a reputation for a unique take on food: uncomplicated, yet enormously creative, and always the freshest of ingredients.

I visited twice in preparation for this review. The first time, for dinner, the food played second fiddle to the other elements that make for a memorable experience. Not that the menu wasn’t interesting – clearly well thought through, international.

The smoked salmon amuse bouche was dense with flavour, as was my starter, prawn bisque. However, it lacked that edge that separates good cooking from great cooking.

I asked for my very tasty Scottish Salmon (layered with papino and basil, tied up with smoked pancetta, pan-seared and served with a lime butter sauce and risotto cake) to be medium rare. It arrived rare – and while I accept that rare means not much heat is applied to the item – it was cold. And I did request medium rare. I did, however, enjoy the accompanying smoked pancetta and lime butter sauce. The same applies to my husband’s order, rack of lamb encrusted with mustard, on rosemary jus. “As lamb should taste”, was the verdict, but rare (the request was for medium rare).

We were welcomed by maitre‘d hotel Dominic Quata - elegant, experienced, gallant in every sense of the word – an extraordinary treasure in a world of instant fixes.

Service throughout dinner was spot-on. In direct contrast, when I arrived for lunch there was no front-of-house person and I had to approach one of the waiters to ask for a table. Throughout the meal, too, it appeared that there wasn’t a specific waiter dedicated to our table and consequently I had to beckon for service a number of times.

Good but not noteworthy were our two pasta dishes (chorizo and spinach penne served with garlic and rosemary for me, and pumpkin panzorati (sic) for my friend, noted food writer Anna Trapido).

The wine list befits a place of the style – extensive, with a focus on local stars.

Finally, the place is old-world elegantly textured, absorbing sound – in stark juxtaposition to many modern concept restaurants that are specifically designed to enhance sound. Overall, the place is as elegant as Dominic Quata is. Perhaps Bob Knuckey’s creative approach needs time to infuse this menu.

I liked the fact that there were notes in the menu pointing out dishes that contained alcohol or pork. What niggled though was the spelling through the menu, as well as the patchy service at lunch.

Surely professionalism should infuse the entire meal? With an overall smooth experience, I see no challenge to “getting people off the square” and I’d welcome this place to a centre that is parched for a decent restaurant such as this one to visit.

Average three course meal: R150 – R250

Rating:
Food: Classic tastes
Winelist: Broad
Ambience: Textured
Service: Blue-chip at dinner
Value: Worth it

Piccolo Mondo at the Michelangelo Hotel, Nelson Mandela Square, West Street, Sandton. Phone (011) 282-7067. Open daily.