Melrose Arch's Pigalle Restaurant

Written by Angus McEwan
Friday, 08 July 2011 08:47

Afropolitan lifestyle in Johannesburg is an expression of the old and the new, the known and the yet-to-be-experienced, with these qualities sometimes standing separate from each other, sometimes side by side, and more than occasionally fused together, with the outcome an exciting mix of the familiar and the fresh – just like a first kiss!

Jozi’s purveyors of fine dining understand the Afro-centric diner wants to experience the delight of discovering something new that makes them feel at home. With this in mind, it was my good fortune to dine at Pigalle in Melrose Arch, one of a family of four restaurants carrying the same name.
Francophones, and especially those with knowledge of Paris, may know that the restaurant has taken its name from a famous old Parisian quarter, attractive to tourists for its raunchy reputation as home to sex shops, prostitutes and the world-famous cabaret theatre Moulin Rouge. But nothing of the sort at the fine-dining institution that is Pigalle – it is a classy venue, more sassy than formal, and this is apparent from the moment one steps inside.

In the welcome area there is a colourful, spectacular glass piece that brings to mind an exotic tropical anemone with tendrils flowing in all directions. The welcome area leads into the bar, elevated from the restaurant and separated by glass. My dining partner and I enjoyed an aperitif here, and I found it a very comfortable way to ease into the evening.

From the moment we arrived, the staff’s attention was professional but not overbearing, providing a smooth experience over the course of the evening. Whilst we were led down into the dining area and approached our table, the aroma of prawns had our heads snapping in the direction of a table close by being served their main course and so, even before seeing the menu, we already knew two things for certain: we were going to try the prawns, and the kitchen’s presentation was first class.

At first glance the primary style of the menu appears Mediterranean, with an appetising range of shellfish and seafood, steaks, lamb and poultry. Further scrutiny reveals Pigalle’s flair for adapting the traditional into something fresh and different. Oysters appear at the top of the menu, and lovers of shellfish won’t be disappointed at the opportunity to slip a couple down. Choices of salad range from Greek, halloumi and duck to caramelised pear and almond, and a chicken tandoori. Their soups are interesting, notably a pear and blue cheese and a bouillabaisse – a seafood stew that includes prawns, mussels, line fish and crab.

As we were deciding on our starters we experienced a really nice touch, nay delicious, as two espresso cups containing butternut soup were presented to us. The amuse-bouche was smooth, and its aftertaste brought a tingle to the tongue, providing warmth on a chilly winter’s evening.

For starters we chose grilled calamari in a light garlic and lemon butter sauce and croquette de Camembert served on a bed of Melba toast with rocket, red-currant jelly and a balsamic reduction. Pigalle’s presentation is excellent, and the arrival of each dish was a thrill for this reason alone.

As for the taste, the calamari was tender, its sauce smooth, and I ended up taking my time with each mouthful. Upon breaking the croquettes, Camembert sensually flowed onto the plate, naturally mixing with the red-currant jelly. I will never tire of the fusion of these flavours!

By this stage the restaurant was quite busy, the dining area now full of a variety of mouth-watering aromas.

If you favour shellfish then Pigalle’s main-course options will not disappoint, with a choice of prawns (queen, king and tiger), langoustines, lobster (served thermidor style, if you wish), three different platters and a prawn curry. Seafood options include a line fish, kingklip, sole, a caldeirada, and calamari.

Steak cuts include fillet and prime rib, and an almond mustard sauce caught my eye. Lamb, poultry and duck dishes provide diners with some difficult choices.
We decided to stick with the seafood theme, and my dining partner settled on six queen prawns, whilst I picked the salmon teriyaki from a decidedly long short list!
Served with the prawns were French fries and three sauces on the side: a plain butter (which was a tad bland), garlic (smooth and not overbearing) and peri-peri (perfectly balanced in flavour and attitude!). The prawns were a pleasure, the texture delivering wonderful flavour, enhanced especially by the peri peri sauce (my favourite).

However, I cannot speak highly enough of the salmon teriyaki. It was served on a bed of crispy vegetables, covered in a teriyaki sauce, with wasabi mash on the side. I chose this dish because I enjoy all the separate elements, hitherto eaten individually. The opportunity to experience them as a combination was too good to ignore. The salmon was cooked medium/rare providing a genuine melt-in-the-mouth sensation, the vegetables were crisp, and the teriyaki sauce set both off wonderfully, whilst the wasabi mash was a revelation and pitched perfectly to deliver the wasabi experience without blasting one’s sinuses into tomorrow.

The dessert menu offers some mouth-watering options. I tried the French lemon cheese cake and found it refreshingly light and not too sweet. It really rounded off a superb meal. As any parent will attest, no two children are the same, and so it is that each of the four restaurants in this family has their own “signature”. For Melrose Arch it is their sushi bar, providing diners with this thoroughly popular dining option, set in this most comfortable, modern, yet traditional restaurant.

In the final analysis, whether you’re dining with family, friends or business associates, Pigalle is to be highly recommended.