The National
The National
What 6 people say about The National
Food | |
Service | |
Atmosphere |
We had the lunch menu at The National during Restaurant Week. It really was a lovely meal. The service was very attentive - probably not difficult as there were only about three tables being used - and we had a visit from the chef, as well as several from the day manager. I'm not sure how this might change if the...
Read full reviewWe had the lunch menu at The National during Restaurant Week. It really was a lovely meal. The service was very attentive - probably not difficult as there were only about three tables being used - and we had a visit from the chef, as well as several from the day manager. I'm not sure how this might change if the restaurant were busier. I'm not actually a fan of being over-attended, and this was almost but not quite the case.
The food was creative and well presented. I wasn't a huge fan of the spinach dust - it seemed more about being interesting than about enhancing that particular dish. But otherwise the food was absolutely delicious,
nicely thought out, and the portion sizes just right for a two course meal.
It's not the most exciting interior visually, but everything was pleasant both to look at and use. The glasses were impeccably sparkly, some interesting art, and - most importantly for a good meal - the chairs were very comfortable!
I'd love to go back. We had a look at the regular menu and there certainly is something to tempt everyone. There are also several price-ranges, which makes for a nice amount of choice.
Definitely recommend.
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About The National
We are an organic farm to table restaurant. The Diack Family Farm, Brightside, is based in the foothills of the ancient Magaliesberg Mountain Range. Blessed with rich, fertile soil,
the farm produces virtually all in-season vegeatables used by both Coobs, the National & now the Federal kitchens.
Only organic methods - no poisons or inorganic fertislisers- are used to grow our vegetables.
We are working toward using our own seed, leaving a
small portion of each crop to go to seed.
The farm also provides both restaurants with free-range chickens,ducks, and eggs, acorn fed pigs andwild boar as well as grass
fed Suffolk Lamb and Dexter Beef. The plates of delicious food in the restaurant are decorated with beautiful flowers harvested in the garden.
The farm is a perfect circle in as much as all the manure from the animals is used on the garden as well as the
composted cuttings. The restaurant egg shells which we put in the soil as well as all the edible waste
that the pigs love! Even empty milk bottles adorn the soft fruit trees, filled with natural bug lure,to safeguard our fruit.
The farm kitchens produce chutneys and jellies, some cheeses and charcuterie products.
Brightside is a magical, happy place with all manner of livestock foraging all over the place, staff working with
a song on their lips and , of course, the remarkable gardens.