Restaurant specials in Joburg for when you’re feeling the pinch

(Image by The Federal)

January is a month contextualised by regret for overspending during the aptly named ‘silly season’ and a subsequent tightening of purse strings. It’s out with gourmet dinners and in with clearing out the bottom of the freezer…but, thanks to the Joburg restaurant scene, the finer things in life are still within your reach:

If it’s a breakfast you’re after then Spur has their ‘unreal breakfast’ consisting of 2 fried eggs, 2 grilled rashers of bacon, fried tomato, chips and 2 slices of toast with jam and butter. (The offer is available daily until 11am for only R29.90. (The offer is open-ended, end date to be decided by the restaurant).

At Bistro Michel you can treat yourself to a 3-course set menu for only R240. Choose between a starter of lamb kidneys sautéed with mushrooms and served with a Burgundy sauce and tomato carpaccio served with balsamic vinegar reduction and buffalo mozzarella. For mains, a pork chop cooked sous-vide and served with charcutière sauce and mash potatoes, a ‘classic’ burger made with specially ground beef and finely chopped onion served with a homemade barbecue sauce and frites, and an aged sirloin steak (300g) with béarnaise sauce, frites and a side salad. Dessert is a rooibos crème brûlée served with thyme shortbread. (The offer is valid for January 2017 only.)

The Steamworks Gastropub, best known for their great burgers and party atmosphere, is offering 25% off all mains and salads from Tuesday to Thursday, 12pm-3pm. These include scrumptious offerings like their Greek salad with baked feta, tempura onion rings and marinated cucumber and, of course, their gourmet cheese burger with Gouda, wood-roasted coleslaw and smoked aioli. (Offer is open-ended, end date to be decided by the restaurant. You must quote ‘Food24’ in order to get the special.)

The Federal in Melville, Chef James Diack’s third restaurant, is modelled on an old-fashioned New York-style deli and offers an enticing Sunday special: R100 for a gourmet hotdog and a beer. But not just any gourmet hot dog; an acorn-fed, free-range, pork sausage in a brioche bun, served with a Devil’s Peak lager. (Offer is open-ended, end date to be decided by the restaurant.)

Pomodoro is offering a complimentary beverage (330ml beer/fizzy drink/glass of wine) with every pasta ordered for both their lunch and dinner service, Monday to Saturday. Think homemade egg tagliolini with a smoked salmon, mascarpone and chives sauce and penne with fresh baby tomatoes, olives, Fior di latte Mozzarella, olive oil and basil just to name a few. (Offer ends 28 February 2017, you must quote ‘Food24’ in order to get the special).

Perron has a ‘buy 3, get the cheapest one free’ offer on all their ‘los mas pequeños’ – tapas-style dishes from Tuesday to Thursday, 12pm-3pm. The fish taco with lightly battered hake, Mexican slaw and guacamole is a taste sensation and the sweet potato on corn fritters with tomato salsa, guacamole and feta cheese is proof that vegetarian food need not be boring. And, if you order a burrito or a ‘classic’ dish then you’ll get a complimentary Sol beer. (Offer is open-ended, end date to be decided by the restaurant. You must quote ‘Food24’ in order to get the special).

Turn and Tender has a great lunch time special: a 200g caprese sirloin topped with mozzarella, tomato and basil with a drizzle of balsamic reduction and served with your choice of side for R75. (Offer is open-ended, end date to be decided by the restaurant).

If you’re in the mood for something fishy, John Dory’s has a half-price sushi special on Wednesdays and on Saturdays it’s half-price on sushi platters. (Offer is open-ended, end date to be decided by the restaurant)

Rosto, the fabulous new spot in Linden serving up scrumptious, free-range chickens from their wood-fired rotisserie, is offering a quarter chicken (breast & wing or drumstick & thigh quarter) alongside their famous panelle (chickpea fries) and gassosa (fresh lemonade made in the shop) for R70. (12pm to 3pm Tues to Friday – valid until end Feb 2017).

Mythos is running a lunchtime special where you can choose between: a 200g rump and chips, a beef/chicken/halloumi yiro and chips, calamari meze and chips, hake and chips and chicken souvlaki and salad for just R58 (Mon – Sat, 11.30am – 4.30pm, offer is open-ended, end date to be decided by the restaurant).

At Che Argentine Grill you can indulge in a sirloin, rump or pork belly sandwich (using free-range, grass-fed meat from Braeside Butchery) topped with melted mozzarella, chimichurri and tomato salsa and served alongside hand-cut chips or salad for R85 (Tues – Fri, 12pm-5pm. The offer is open-ended, end date to be decided by the restaurant).

Schwabinger Stuben is one of the best German restaurants in town serving up deliciously authentic bratwurst, schnitzels, kassler chops and eisbein, as well as beer on tap. Wednesdays see them offering an eisbein special where you can get one of their legendary, roast pork knuckles served with 2 sides for only R90 and on Tuesdays you can get any schnitzel for only R75. (Special valid for lunch and dinner service on an ongoing basis).

Tsogo Sun has collaborated with Angus beef South Africa to bring you a grilled-to-perfection, Angus rib-eye steak with roasted red wine onion marmalade, cafe de Paris butter, wild mushroom and truffle jus, salted vine tomatoes and French fries for just R220. (Add a 250ml glass of Nederburg Private Bin Merlot 2006 for only R150.) There’s also a grilled, 200g Angus beef burger topped with melted boerenkaas cheddar, wild mushroom sauce, roasted red onion relish, gherkins and onion marmalade, served with French fries or a side salad and paired with a Carvers Weiss beer for just R110. (The promotion is running in restaurants at the Sandton Sun, Palazzo Montecasino, 54 on Bath, Southern Sun Hyde Park, Garden Court Sandton City, Southern Sun Montecasino, InterContinental Johannesburg Sandton Towers and InterContinental OR Tambo).

But, celebrating the good life on a budget with Tsogo Sun doesn’t stop there, you’ll also find the finest Champagnes at incredibly affordable prices. With Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial starting at R680 and Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Yellow Label starting at R765, you’ll have little excuse not to paint the town red. (Participating Tsogo Suns: Southern Sun Hyde Park Sandton, Southern Sun Montecasino, Southern Sun The Cullinan, Southern Sun Gold Reef City, Southern Sun O.R. Tambo International Airport, Southern Sun Pretoria and SunSquare Montecasino.) (Both offers are open-ended, end date to be decided by the restaurant).

Lastly, The Entertainer app is taking the city by storm with exciting ‘buy one get one free’ offers for over a hundred restaurants including: 86 Republic, a la Boeffe, Il Tartufo, Melissa’s, La Vie en Rose, The Countess, Warm and Glad and many, many more. All offers are valid 7 days a week (excluding public holidays) for the entire year.