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The National is a fairly new restaurant in Parktown North and, Darlings, let me tell you, I’m oh-so-glad I’ve discovered it. In fact, I had heard such good things about this place that I decided to go there for dinner on my birthday.
We were seated outside on a boiling hot summer’s evening (the hottest recorded day in Joburg, in fact) and were given ice-cold serviettes to help us try and cool down … I thought this was a great touch and it helped immensely.
Scanning the menu (while clutching to the cold serviettes for dear life), I noticed that all the meat is free-range and the pork, acorn-fed. They also have organic items on the menu, which I am such a fan of – this definitely earned them big points in my book.
Everything on offer sounds super-appealing – from the freshly-made fishcakes and home made chicken tacos to the smoky mac and cheese and free-range duck salad … don’t you agree?
Eventually, I decided on the confit acorn-fed pulled pork, cooked in sticky spring onion and coconut rice. Darlings, it was heaven. It had just the right amount of sweetness to it – it wasn’t overpowering at all – and hit the spot perfectly.
Of course, I tried what my dinner companions were eating, too … lucky me got to sample the free-range lamb burger, the lamb rigatoni and the slow-braised, acorn-fed wild boar ragu. All I can say is that I will most certainly be back to try more items off their menu – that lamb rigatoni is next!
While I went to the loo, my sister sneakily told the hostess that it was my birthday (even though I had asked her not to) and when I arrived back at the table, instead of a group of waiters serenading me while I blushed, the hostess wished me a happy birthday and gave me a glass of champagne. That was it – simple and, again, another nice touch.
All in all, Darlings, you’ve got to give this place a try for yourself. While it’s fabulous for a special occasion, it’s definitely casual enough for a chilled out weeknight dinner, too!
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