Brunch with an unforgettable view - Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff, Johannesburg

 Johannesburg is home to one of the most iconic hotels in the city, largely due to its enviable location. I remember visiting The Westcliff with its then peach terracotta coloured facade many years ago. It possessed a certain charm and romance about it then. When I heard the hotel was to be rebranded as a Four Seasons property around 2014, my heart sank, fearing the worst for this  fine hotel that has the most spectacular views of the glorious urban forest including the zoological gardens in Johannesburg's northern suburbs. I finally had the chance to revisit the hotel and experience their Sunday brunch, and as we drove up the hill, I felt this surge of memories from previous visits rush at me  and while the walls are now a softer colour, I knew immediately that the soul of the hotel had not changed.

Upon our arrival at the hotel outdoor reception area, we are directed to the parking area by one of 3 gentlemen on duty and he tells us he will follow us in a golf buggy and then drive us up to the restaurant, Flames, where brunch is served. It is not long before we are whisked to the restaurant but it is during the 4 minute ride that I reflect on the warmth that is our people - the smiling faces one meets in hospitality is a microcosm of the resilience and positivity of the South African people; a 4-minute ride becomes very symbolic and I am reminded of my dictum that service begins long before you are seated in a restaurant. 

A glass elevator takes us up to the restaurant and we are greeted by the restaurant hostess Natasha, who continues the theme of warmth and engagement. The restaurant space is open but my attention is immediately grabbed by the breathtaking views. Overall, there are four main talking points that emerge form my brunch experience.

1. Concept and Menu

The brunch consists of a selection of buffet items tastefully laid out. It is quite an extensive menu, but not overwhelming, largely because of a less is more approach to the buffet. The cold starters, salads, breads, fruit, amongst other dishes, are found in an indoor room, which while narrow and crowded at times, was well looked after and refreshed by chefs on duty. I think I would like them to explore another serving point though, just to make it less crowded, but I found guests got it, and we all managed nicely. 

There were so many highlights for me - there is a distinct South African flavour to the brunch, as it should be because we have beautiful ingredients and it was heartening to see  a fine selection of preserves and local cheeses, to mention but two things. Also special mention must be made of the salads which had Summer bursting through. I particularly enjoyed the Ahi Tuna Salad and also the Peach and apricot chicken salad - very bold flavours in the latter especially. 

I was very excited about the Nelson Mandela Bay Oysters. I find that Knysna oysters are generally beautiful, fleshy and have generous and wonderful liquor that makes the oyster so special. While I was disappointed in the size of the oysters on this day, they were actually very good. Kudos to chef who shucked them - they did not look that easy to shuck, so well done. I forewent the condiments and had them on their own - I feel a flavoursome oyster should speak for itself. In the end, each oyster managed to take me to the sea. I ended up having a dozen. 

They certainly pack alot into the buffet area, with a live sushi station with sushi made to order, a waffle station and even popcorn for young old. Here are some highlights from the menu. The full menu, which will obviously be dictated to by seasonal availability, can be found here: Brunch Menu

Buffet Selection   

  

Viennoiserie

Assorted French Pastries | Pistachio and Raisin Pastry Rolls | Pean Pie Filled Croissants  

 Gourmandise | Fruit Squares | Tea Cake of the Day |   Custard Filled Brioche 

    

Seasonal Fruits Selection 

 Crustless Quiche 

Feta | Sun-dried Tomato | Chives | Baby Spinach

  

Whipped Brie Phyllo Cups 

Thyme | Apricot Chutney | Preserved Fig | Toasted Almond   

  

Peach And Apricot Chicken Salad 

Romain Lettuce |Sweet Corn | Red Onion | Peaches | Walnuts | Apricots | Balsamic Reduction  

 

Citrus Marinated Prawns and Berry Salad 

Mixed Berries | Prawns | Sun dried Tomatoes |Baby Spinach | Citrus Segments | Creamy Citrus Dressing 

  

Ahi Tuna Salad 

Kale | Tuna | Spring Onion | Avocado | Red Peppers | Boiled Eggs | Cucumber | Sesame and Chili Dressing  

 

Nelson Mandela Bay Oysters    

Shucked to order and served with Lemon & Tabasco           

 

  Charcuterie Selection     

  

Beetroot Marinated Salmon Gravlax | Pickled Onions | Mixed Herbs |Fennel | Green Peppers | Olive Oil 

  

Pâté and En Croute selection served with mustard, capers and home churned artisanal butter 

As far as hot dishes go, these can be found adjacent to a big open kitchen. I am a huge fan of open kitchens because food has an element of theatre and drama, and I love watching chefs as they prepare dishes. The highlight of the hot dishes was the Ostrich satay - it is a dish that reflects the bond that has existed since the late 1600s between Indonesia and South Africa and I am thrilled that there are dishes that have a cultural connection to us. If you have not had ostrich before, try it. You will be surprised by the gaminess of it - quite rich and intense. Lastly, in true brunch tradition, I also enjoyed the Eggs florentine. That hollandaise sauce was perfect, as was the liquid texture of the yolk, or 'runniness' as I call it. 

Hot Starter Selection  

 Sweet and Sour Ostrich satays / Barbequed pork belly on egg fried rice / Florentine Benedict 

   

Selection of hot buffet entrees   

    

Butter Chicken Curry/ Slow Roasted Rump with Mushroom Sauce /   

Catch of the day with lemon butter sauce 

   

South African  Cheese Selection 

Fairview Blue Rock | Chives Goats Cheese | Brie Cheese | Cumin Boerenkaas   

  

Served with   

Artisanal Breads | Rice Crackers | Multi Seed Crisps | Assorted Crackers  

Kumquat Preserve | Fig Preserve |Ginger Preserve| Seasonal Homemade Preserve  

 

 Grapes | Berries | Roasted Mixed Nuts | Walnuts | Dried Mango | Cranberries  

Mixed Dried Fruit | Dried Apricot | Banana Chips 

 

Desserts   

Blackberry and Lavender Roulade 

Apricot Thyme Mousse 

Strawberry Petit Gateaux

Coconut and Rose Bar 

Raspberry White Chocolate Entremet

Guava and Cream Cheese Verrine 

Heartbeat Macarons

 

2. Atmosphere

When we arrived, the DJ was setting up and getting ready to for his set. He read the crowd really well and started off with some mellow adult contemporary tunes and gradually picked up the pace as the number of guests made the restaurant reach full house. Adding a. touch of class and elegance to the afternoon was a violinist who played in sync with the DJ's music. Having the violinist walk around, among the people, really created a homely and relaxed vibe. Brunch is a happy event and the atmosphere created by the DJ and violinist is integral to that joyful feeling.  

Moreover, there were also several birthdays, including that of my niece and Godchild pictured below, and every now and then the strains of 'Happy birthday' would break out as the violinist serenaded all the celebrants. Finally, when you are seated atop an iconic hilltop in Johannesburg with such sweeping views of the city below, it is so hard not to get lost in the mood. Fresh air, blue skies punctuated by some white clouds, while the bubbles keep flowing? That is just a perfect Sunday afternoon. 

3. Drinks

Brunch without bubbles is, well, just lunch. The wine list is quite extensive, with  an array of sparkling options, from South African sparkling wines to Champagne. I have noticed a growing trend in the last few years among guests who have started craving sweeter sparkling wines. The wine list caters for those too, but for me, quite happy with a Brut, and I opted for the excellent Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2016. In celebrating South Africa at my brunch, it makes sense to go local with my bubbles. However, it would have been nice to have a quality South African sparkling Rosé, possibly something the sommelier can look into. By the way, After brunch we continued with drinks on the Terrace - what a great place to chill after brunch. Who says the party has to stop?

4. Service

Fine ingredients, atmosphere and value for money are so important to an excellent brunch experience, but there is an overarching element that comes first - service. For me, good service can make up for many glitches in a brunch. We are social creatures, and  a restaurant outing can rise or fall on the attitude of a server. For the second time in a week it is driven home to me just how powerful service is. 

You will recall that Natasha greeted us on arrival at the restaurant and guided us to our table. Taking over from her was Musa, who would take care of us for around 4 hours. It might be Four Seasons, but that does not mean I want professional but cold and aloof service. Musa is the antithesis of that. There is nothing fake about her. Importantly, she has that balance between being chatty and professional at the same time. Like a good player on the stage, she knows when to make her entrance and exit. Furthermore, her intuitive senses are excellent, despite being really busy. It was uncanny how she came at the right time to top up drinks or clear the table. What a. pleasure to be served by someone like her. 

On the floor I had the pleasure of seeing the The Food and Beverage Assistant Director,  Zanele,  as well as the restaurant manager, KG, going around and chatting to guests. The  thing about brunch is that for 3-4 hours, each guest wants to feel like a prince or a princess - staff get that here. Finally, I also had the pleasure of having a chat with the new Executive Sous Chef, Kathlego and there was an immediate easy flow of conversation from his recent arrival to oysters. 

Service,  the priceless human element - Nicely done. 

The Verdict

Many hotels or restaurants choose one key element like the view they can offer and trade on that. We live in an age of social media where many guests want that cool photo to share online, and believe me, the views here are truly spectacular. However, the brunch here is much more than. the views. It is primarily a culinary journey and this is a tribute to the F&B team who clearly care about standards. It is about having a vision and then having the team on the ground execute it. The incredible thing is that good as this brunch was, I see so much potential to take it to the next level. One thing I would definitely like to see is a main course served a la carte style, at your table. 

In closing, in the context of lavish brunches, it offers great value for money and at 3 1/2 hours, it is very generous, especially when compared to its main competitor in Sandhurst. Brunch at Four Seasons The Westcliff is already pencilled in on my next visit in July. It was truly an exceptional experience. 

Finer Details

Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff

67 Jan Smuts Avenue, 

Johannesburg

+27 11 481 6000

The Westcliff

11.30-15.00

Pricing

R850 per adult

R550 for children 6-12

Drinks sold separately

Through words, I love sharing my experiences of food, bubbles and air travel. Words still matter. 

Brandon Stoltenkamp