Restaurant Review: The Hussar Grill

it’s a Sher thing was recently invited to visit Hussar Grill at Monte Casino, in Fourways Johannesburg. Nestled in the outside arena of Monte Casino, a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike. The Hussar Grill is a high-end steak house that offers traditional starters like mussels and carpaccio and an accomplished wine list.

The service was phenomenal from this restaurant from the start. They were expecting us, they knew who we were, our waitress Joy was always close by and the food came quickly once we ordered. Rambo the manager made some delicious and honest meal recommendations based on what we were feeling like eating that evening. This is a restaurant filled with staff who care about their clients and the brands reputation.

We started off the evening with a bottle of ice cold still water and a bottle of GH Mumm. Accompanied with slices of lemon and strawberries for aesthetic purposes, which just added to the luxe environment. This was the perfect way to start a scorching summers evening, as it cooled us down instantly.

We enjoyed a wide selection of dishes including mussels, marrow bones, steaks, ribs, crème brulee and their signature ice cream dessert. This restaurant is for traditionalists, people who want to go out and enjoy a great steak. While they do flambe steaks at your table, they’re not following all the latest trends with designer dishes, gastronomy etc. Which is a welcomed break from the clutter.

 The ambiance:

Hussar Grill welcomed a mix of people, while at the restaurant we saw couples enjoying date night, what appeared to be a business meeting, a year end function and a celebratory birthday table. There was a mixture of young and old which was a surprise as I expected to see an older crowd. It was quiet, so you could have a conversation and the staff were well trained and on-point which helped a lot. We saw a couple come in at 22h00 after a show and although the kitchen was closed or closing, the waitress still offered the couple some quick meals that the chef could whip up for them which the couple was so grateful for. I was really impressed by this, again this showed that the staff value their clientele. We’ve all been to a restaurant and heard those famous lines ‘sorry, but the kitchen is closed’.

Pricing:

I found the restaurant to be high end, yet not over-priced, the portion sizes were also generous.

Starters range from R50 – R90

Steaks range from R130 – R230

Sides were all around R30

Desserts were all around the R50 mark

What we had:

Starters:

Dyllan had the marrow bones (R70) A hearty, oven-roasted delicacy served with pesto and croûtes.

He described his meal as filling, packed full of flavour, well complimented with the croutes and fulling.

I had the Mussel Pot (R90) Mussels in a cream, green herb, garlic and white wine reduction. There were loads of mussels in this pot, it was served with warm bread and there was a delicious balsamic reduction which added an element of sweetness to the dish. I could eat this as a light main on a warm summers’ eve, as the portion size was generous.

Mains:

Dyllan had the 800g spare ribs (R250) the ribs were delicious, full of flavour, the basting was beautiful, and the meat literally fell off the bone. Dyl ordered a side of onion rings which were giant, and tasty.

I ordered the 400g ribeye (R230) when I went to cut the steak, it was like slicing through butter. I cannot explain how delicious and flavoursome the steak was, please go and try it for yourself. I had a side of mushroom sauce (R33) and creamed spinach with cinnamon-infused butternut (R35) I ate the sauce with the butternut, it didn’t touch the steak.

At this point we were both full, but we really wanted to report back on the desserts too, so we asked for a takeaway and moved on to the dessert. I’d also like to mention that the way they do take-aways was impressive. Your food is almost in a plastic lunch box with a clear lid, its then put inside a cardboard box and then inside a paper bag. You can guarantee this meal will not make a mess in your car on the way home.

Dessert:

Crème Brûlée (R55) The secret to their Crème Brûlée lies in the perfect contrast between the crunchy caramelised sugar topping and the silky-smooth custard encased underneath. The night we went to the restaurant was scorching hot, we found when we cracked the brulee it appeared to be almost melting slightly underneath, but the flavours were there, and we ate the whole thing. You cannot go wrong with this classic dessert.

I opted for the Hussar Grill Ice Cream Dessert (R55) This extravagant dessert is a beguiling combination of vanilla ice cream, peanut brittle, marshmallow, nougat, honeycomb and sprinkled nuts. Drizzled with our signature dark chocolate sauce. Sometimes more is better. This was the absolute most perfect way to end the evening. It was so hot that evening that this was the perfect way to end it off. You could taste every ingredient mentioned and it wasn’t over powering, each mouthful was a surprise as to what we were going to get, a marshmallow, a piece of nougat, it was superb.

The bill is accompanied by a chocolate, vodka, martini, so if you don’t have dessert, this is a sweet little treat to end off the evening. A chocoholics day-dream! It tasted like liquid Lindt.

Critique:

The only critique I would give is that the restaurant was warm inside, that evening and the outside area was fully booked. An aircon, fan or mister would’ve helped a bit with that. Other than that, I don’t have a complaint. This is a great night out if you’re looking for good food and want a well-prepared steak. This is a restaurant I would go back to.

About the Hussar Grill:

The original Hussar Grill in Rondebosch first opened its legendary doors in 1964 and today, after 54 years of excellence, it is regarded as one of South Africa’s premier grill rooms. Our subsequently opened grill rooms across the country, as well as in Zambia and Saudi Arabia, have all become exceptionally well established and firm favourites within the communities and neighbourhoods that they serve. We go to endless lengths every day to maintain our multiple award-winning reputation by ensuring that we purchase the finest and best quality produce available. Our butchers and game farmers source only South African Class-A grain-fed beef and wild cuts for our menu. Our extensive wine selection ensures there is a superb wine in perfect complement for our steaks and grills.

Guests are also welcoming to bring their own wines at no corkage. We personally attend to the maturation of all beef which is hung on the carcass for up to seven days, before being wet aged in our cold rooms for varying periods of up to thirty-five days. To those friends and guests that have frequented our grill rooms for five decades, our genuine and most sincere thanks for your continued patronage and loyal support. To our new guests – it is our sincerest wish that your entire experience with us will be an absolute delight and we look forward to the privilege of welcoming you often in the future.

For more information and to find your closest Hussar Grill please visit the website