Foodie Review: Fishmonger, Illovo
Nestled in the upmarket suburb of Illovo in Johannesburg; Fishmonger is a fine dining seafood restaurant that caters for all your seafood needs.
The restaurant is always busy on the weekend and Sunday 24 July was no different. Fortunately, we had made prior arrangements with the owner, Pedro.
We were greeted by the host, Natasia, on arrival and escorted by the manager on duty, Chris, to our table. The service was impeccable from our host, to our waiter, and the managers on duty.
While deciding on what to order; our waiter, Ice, brought us a plate of Grilled Haloumi Cheese and a basket of freshly baked rolls to our table. The cheese was grilled to perfection, keeping the structure together and not letting any of the texture or moisture of the cheese out. The rolls had a similar structure make up, with the hard outer surface, and the melt in your mouth inner bread.
Between us, we chose to order the Lobster Bisque, the Prawn Fashion Sandwiches (Sushi), and the Prawn and Avo Medley for our starters.
I haven't had a good Lobster Bisque like this one in years. Creamy yet not too thick, and a rich lobster flavour, perfect for a Winter's Day.
All the freshest ingredients were used for the sushi, which were brought together for the perfectly presented Fashion Sandwiches.
The Prawn Avo Medley had a lovely sauce which complemented the freshly sliced avocados and grilled prawns. The sauce tasted like a combination between a pink sauce and sweet chilli.
For our main course we decided to try the Kingklip Thermidor, Oven Baked (Portuguese Style) Kingklip and the The King Platter.
The Kingklip Thermidor was baked in a creamy cheese and mushroom sauce, served with rice and chips.
The Oven Baked Kingklip was topped with fresh onion, tomato, green peppers, olives and surrounded by sliced baby potatoes, with olive oil drizzled over the vegetables.
The King Platter was fit for a King and could probably feed his army as well. In fact the portions of all the meals were very generous. The King Platter wasn't short of anything with 4 Wild Langoustines, 8 Mozambique King Prawns, Calamari Trio (Grilled, Cajun, and Fried Squid Heads), Portuguese Style Mussels and Fresh Linefish in a Lemon Butter Sauce, served with rice and chips. Everything was well prepared and the marinades and sauces used complemented each dish. I know there is no ocean in Johannesburg but the seafood was so fresh at Fishmonger, one wonders if they are not fishing in the kitchen.
It was one of our guest's birthday and the staff and management went out of their way to make our guest's day special. Once we were finished with our meal, all the staff gathered at our table and sang "Happy Birthday" and brought us a delicious Peppermint Dessert with a candle on top. The dessert was a soft chocolate pudding with a great undertone of peppermint.
Our experience at Fishmonger Illovo on one of their busiest days was amazing and the service was outstanding.
If it's a birthday celebration or just a quiet romantic meal with your loved one, visit Fishmonger at Thrupps Illovo Centre, 204 Oxford Road, Illovo. Be sure to make a booking before on 011 268 0068/7
