Family steak house in a bold new move

Joop’s Place

Where: Chartwell Drive, Umhlanga

Open: Daily 

When I heard Joop’s were opening a new restaurant in Umhlanga back in December I had been itching to try it. But Christmas frivolities naturally intervened. But this week the Glass Guy and I set off.

It really is a lovely smart restaurant, and full on Tuesday night. Convivial tables of diners were feasting when we arrived, sans booking, and were shown to the last available table. Next to The George, it’s where Bensons and Mediterraneo before it had been.

I like the new upmarket look, the subdued lighting, the space between tables, and the dark wood. It was a necessary upgrade that the original Joops back in the Avondale Centre in Morningside has been crying out for for years. Finally that old 80s steakhouse routine has been put to bed.

I perused the wine list. We felt like a good bottle of red. My old adage that the second cheapest bottle on the menu is usually the best value, doesn’t quite work here. That’s a rule so you don’t feel like a complete cheapskate and at the same time to avoid the real plonk, aimed at the real cheapskates. Well here it’s a small list and every second cheapest bottle everywhere is at least R100 up on the cheapest. No bother, we're happy with the Warwick First Lady Cabernet (R330) even though I try to keep the wine at under R300 a bottle.

We sipped away happily looking over the menu. I also try to keep mains at under R300 but we were defeated here too.

Starters include chicken livers, peppery boerewors bites, cheesy garlic rolls, trinchado and jalapeno poppers. Chicken strips and calamari complete the picture. We enjoy the Hollandse coquetten (R95), lovely light croquettes filled with chopped beef and cream cheese. The garlic snails (R138). These were plump and suitably chewy in a deliciously thick gratinated garlic butter. We both mopped up every last morsel with the toast rounds.

Mains offer a feast of steaks - rump, sirloin and fillet - in a variety of sizes. There’s T-bones and tomahawks. Sauces might include cheese, or chilli cheese, biltong, mustard or mushroom. 

Our waitress had already apologised that the rack of lamb wasn’t available that evening, but they did have a rib special on - 400g each of pork, beef and lamb ribs with two sides and dessert at R1200 for two. I’d love to try their ribs but my dodgy dentistry isn’t up to it at the moment.

And then there’s the signature steaks like their famed Hollandse biefstuk awash with garlic, and flamed in brandy, or my favourite the pepper fillet, rolled in black peppercorns, cooked in butter and sauced with wine and cream. It’s one I come back to regularly. 

Today I opt for a 200g surf and turf (R340). It's a lovely piece of rare sirloin, topped with three grilled prawns and dressed with a good entrecote butter that melted into the meat. Chips were good as always, the few onion rings a nice touch and I paired it with a side of sauteed mushrooms. More butter. Nevermind.

The Glass Guy felt like lamb and went for the braised shank (R350). This was done Italian style slowly braised in onions, garlic, tomatoes and wine. It had good deep flavours and was very similar to my own, plus it was a sizable portion (and there was a bone for Scooby). It was served on good buttery mashed potatoes. 

For those wanting lighter fare there are a few chicken and fish options, plus a number of combos, usually involving ribs.

Stuffed, we nevertheless opted to share a cheesecake for dessert. Chocolate fondant, malva pudding, panna cotta and brownies were all available. The cheesecake came for a chocolate topping option or one with berry coulis, although personally I would have preferred it plain. It was a decent baked cheesecake, but I still feel this is a heavy option for dessert. For me cheesecake is made to be eaten with your morning coffee.

I enjoyed my Dom Pedro (R60) while the Glass Guy nursed his Irish Coffee (R60) after dessert.

Food: 4

Service: 3 ½

Ambience: 4

The Bill: R1523 for two