I’d heard about Wombles through the grapevine and was excited to check it out. They’re a premier steakhouse located in the Bryanston suburb of Johannesburg in the Hobart Grove shopping center. You’ll know you’ve arrived at the right place because of all the cars outside. This restaurant must be popular, I thought. Let’s find out why!
The Vibe
To put it blunt, Wombles is a dope spot. When you arrive, you come in through the garden/patio. Here, you can relax by the fire pit or sit on their comfy couches and have a drink or three before going in or just chill for a while you wait for your table. When you enter the restaurant, you’re immediately taken to a rustic but ornate African style lodge or colonial era home. The place itself is large, with two dining rooms and a bar. It’s simply oozing with character, with large chairs and comfortable sofas, gorgeous decorations from masks to paintings to chests, and a wall of wine that will ultimately delight your taste buds. I immediately thought this place would be great for a date night or for a large group event.
The Food
The menu at Wombles is plentiful and offers a wide variety of food. Their entrees include everything from duck liver pate, to marrow bones, to escargot. They’ve also got a home made soup for the less adventurous types. We decided to go with the grilled calamari tubes for an appetizer.
While we waited for our appetizer to come, they brought out fresh bread with three butters, regular butter, garlic butter and anchovy butter. I absolutely LOVE bread and I LOVE butter so I was excited when they all arrived. I’ll admit though, I love garlic butter but wasn’t so sure about this anchovy butter. I mean, it’s anchovies after all. Let me tell you, that anchovy butter was the deeeelicious. I hate to admit it, but I requested more bread just to eat more better.
Regular, Garlic, and Anchovy Butter
Thankfully the grilled calamari tubes arrived rather quickly before I filled up on bread and water (there was no end in sight). The presentation was gorgeous and I couldn’t wait to dig in. I always find that calamari is either hit or miss, there’s no in between. Sometimes it can be over or under cooked and very chewy. These calamari tubes were cooked to perfection. They were very tinder and had a lemon sauce drizzled over them along with fresh ground pepper. I was pleasantly pleased!
Calamari Tubes In Lemon Sauce
At this point, I would have been satisfied with the bread and calamari but what fun would that be if we went to a steak house and didn’t have any meat? Wombles offers of several cuts of beef including sirloin, fillet, rump, t-bone, and prime rib. We opted to go with the sirloin with crispy rosemary wedges and crispy garlic on the side. And to make things more interesting, I also ordered ostrich, which wasn’t on the menu.
Medium Sirloin Steak
The steak was arrived cooked medium and was very tender. This was a damn good steak! You’re also given the option of adding sides and we ultimately went with peas and sweet potatoes. I’d never eaten ostrich before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It turned out be very flavorful, but did not taste like chicken (I know that’s what some of you were wondering). If this is on the menu when you stop by, it’s definitely worth trying.
Ostrich
Drinks
It wouldn’t be South Africa if they didn’t have good wine available. Wombles has a very impressive wine selection to pair with your meal and will offer suggestions if you’re unsure of what to pair. I was also delighted to see that they also boast a wide selection of imported congacs and brandy’s. You can certainly treat yourself you to delicious libations with your meal. As a bonus, Wombles also offers a large selection of cigars to enjoy as well.
The Service
I found the service at Wombles to be phenomenal. The waiting staff worked in tandem to ensure that our table was never in need of anything at any point throughout our meal. The were also very knowledgeable about what was on the menu, which is always helpful when you’re not accustomed to the food. Most importantly, they knew their wine! They were able to recommend an awesome pairing for or meal that did not disappoint.
Wombles is a great place for a special occasion, group outing or if you want to enjoy a REALLY good meal. The service is excellent, the staff friendly, and the ambiance is beyond compare.
Hours
Lunch: Monday to Friday 12noon to 2:30pm
Dinner: Monday to Saturday 6pm to 9:30pm
Instagram: @wombles_steakhouse
Geron is an avid traveler, entreprenuer and mens style aficionado. He love’s mac and cheese, getting discounts, his momma, and a good whiskey, not particularly in that order. It’s alleged he lives in Miami, but no one really knows anymore.
Follow him on instagram at @geronp
