Last weekend I went for lunch at Moyo in Melrose Arch. The restaurant is well situated in an open square area; a lovely little spot. Moyo is an African style restaurant serving traditional cuisine. The staff are also dressed in traditional wear giving it an authentic feel.

I was seated at a table and the waitress began my Moyo experience by giving me a traditional Swahili hand wash. My hands were rinsed by pouring warm water from a jug over them into a large bowl – I really loved this special touch. I ordered the calamari dovi to start. This was seared calamari caramelised in molasses, mint and harissa sauce, sprinkled with groundnut. This was a sweet and tasty calamari dish. For my main I ordered the Moyo flamed fillet. It was aged fillet stuffed with mushrooms, spinach and mozzarella served with herb potato gallet and a creamy Madagascan green peppercorn and peppadew sauce. This was really delicious; my fillet was tender and juicy. I also tried some of the berbere venison loin; a real winner with my benedict. It was grilled kudu cubes rubbed with an Ethiopian spice mix (berbere) presented on a hanging skewer served with seared mealies, hand cut chips and a Madagascan green peppercorn sauce. This is definitely the best Kudu I have ever eaten! Another really great dish. For dessert I had the crème brûlée; this was Moyo’s twist on a traditional dessert to give it a uniquely African style. It was rooibos tea infused baked custard, served with pineapple, orange and chilli salsa. Absolutely loved this. The rooibos was subtle and really tasty giving it a proudly South African taste.

I really enjoyed my experience at Moyo. The Melrose Arch restaurant also has a lovely and large private function room too; perfect for year-end functions or large celebrations. Personally I loved the outside seating area. It was a relaxing setting on a warm autumn afternoon with some gorgeous South African sunshine. The service at Moyo was really great. I even received my very own face painting – African, pretty and stylish ;-) Moyo really does a great job with the authentic African theme and feel along with some traditional music. Loved all these little special touches. I highly recommend the experience to anyone who has yet to visit them; not only to tourists but South Africans too.