Casual dining at its best – The Thief, Parkmore
ALSO READ: 6 Fabulous Joburg restaurants that are perfect for date night
Thief restaurant opened in Parkmore towards the end of last year and has become a real little neighbourhood gem. The décor is minimalist with an almost industrial feel, yet with the addition of a wine bar on one end, it still has a welcoming feel.
There is a section of the restaurant that can be closed off to create a private dining room for larger tables, which is good to remember for birthdays or bigger gatherings. If you are keen to hang out in the wine bar, there are delicious meat or cheese platters to accompany your beer or wine.
The restaurant menu is a simple, modern bistro style. They have a limited menu – with only six main options – and this ensures that all meals are all delicious. The menu changes regularly based on what is in season and available, so you won’t get bored of the limited offering. We decided to start the meal with a few Lüderitz oysters and assorted bruschetta – a great start to the meal. The oysters were a decent size and very tasty, the bruschetta served with a variety of fresh flavoursome toppings.
For our mains, we opted for the moules frites (R130) and the porchetta (R135). The moules frites were served with a delicious white wine base and lots of fries and bread to soak it all up. The porchetta was a deliciously slow cooked pork belly served in a flatbread with greens. We were a bit concerned that the pork belly might be a little dry, but the side of garlic aïoli was exactly what we needed to ensure it was a delicious dish.
The wine list is very extensive with loads of interesting options to choose from. The wines are organized by region, so if you aren’t totally familiar with your wine regions, you might get a little confused and struggle to find your familiar favourites. Don’t worry though, the sommelier and waiters are incredibly helpful and if you give them an idea of something you like and a price range to work with, they will find you something perfectly suited to your meal. The restaurant has recently bought a Coravin wine system, which has allowed them to expand their wine by the glass offering to include some great wines.
The service at The Thief was fantastic – the owner Elena is full of energy and regularly checked up on all the tables and was happy to help with meal decisions. Our waiter was great and quickly assessed our wine likes/dislikes and made some great recommendations. They often have a few wines that aren’t on the menu, so be sure to ask them for suggestions before you made your pick.
The Thief is a great option for casual dinners or even just drinks in and around the bar area. This isn’t fine dining, but a solid neighbourhood local that will have us going back again and again.
ALSO READ: Joburg’s 8 must-try cocktail spots that we know you’ll love
