Carnivores find their heaven

Joops Place

Where: Avonmore Centre, Ninth Avenue, Berea

Open: Wednesday to Friday noon to 10pm, Saturday 6pm to 10pm

Call: 082 551 7199

TWO massive sections of T-bone weighing 2.7 and 2.8kg came out of the kitchen on giant boards complete with sauces and sides.

They were served with aplomb to a beefy family who soon got stuck into this hearty, meaty treat, relishing every last morsel of it. So Joops is certainly a home for meat lovers.

More red meat offerings were pouring out of the kitchen on a busy Wednesday night – rump steaks up to 600g, racks of lamb, or a delightfully immodest surf and turf with 300g of sirloin topped by six prawns. Ribs can be up to 1.2kg portions. I knew my braai-loving friend would be at home here.

Joops is under new ownership, but it’s still a family affair, and a super-friendly one. Nothing was too much trouble. When making the booking I was asked if it was a special occasion, a nice touch which suggests they will pull out the stops when it is. And from arrival, everything had that feeling of a personal family-run warmth. It was encouraging. What’s more, portions are generous, and in these trying

pandemic times, prices have been kept reasonable.

The restaurant has had something of a makeover, and feels a lot lighter and airier. Gone is that heavy dark 1970s steakhouse feel.

All the old Joops menu classics that made the steakhouse’s name are there with some additions.

There’s a burger keeping with the Dutch theme of a massive 250g patty topped with Gouda cheese, and the shark tank legend burger with the addition of a sirloin steak.

And the kids can enjoy a boerie roll, although I suspect some adults would enjoy that too.

And for those not into cuts of

red meat, there’s hake and chips, calamari and prawns, or chicken schnitzels or flatties. Rib combos with chicken or calamari are also available. And there are some salads, including one with biltong.

Starts include the likes of Roquefort snails, peppered boerewors, grilled chicken wings or crumbed prawns. I tried the Hollandse croquettes filled with diced beef fillet and cream cheese (R80) and served with a sweet chilli sauce.

This classic Dutch dish usually done with ham, or veal, and cheese is a delicious snack, the crumbed exterior super crisp, the inside light

and melt-in-your-mouth. These, with the use of fillet, did not quite melt in the mouth, but were still enjoyable.

My friend opted for the chicken livers (R70), and we were warned the hot was very hot. These were nicely cooked although the choice of medium would in our view be most people’s hot.

I was reminded of a crab curry we shared recently which was so hot our hands were stinging afterwards from breaking open the crab claws. Still, we enjoyed them.

The old Joops classics like Hollandse Biefstuk still take pride of place, this being a pan-fried steak in butter and simply flamed in brandy. There’s even a Joops special, a 300g fillet stuffed with cheese and pineapple, as well as a jalapeño popper steak and a chilli steak.

I opted for one of the original signature dishes, their pepper steak (R180). This was 200g steak rolled in pepper, fried in butter and then simmered with a cream and red wine sauce. My friend opted for the same dish but with the steak stuffed with cheese (R180).

Both were great, cooked perfectly to order, the sauce with a good depth of pepper bite.

The sides here are also good. The menu calls them old school traditional potato chips which is exactly what they were. And a great way to mop up the last of that pepper sauce.

Our hostess tried to persuade us to try the roast pumpkin, although neither of us are squash fans.

But we did add a bowl of sautéed mushrooms (R30) to the meal, which were delicious.

Our “lowly” 200g steaks and starters was more than enough food for us so we skipped desserts which include home-made cheesecake, malva pudding and brandy snaps with vanilla ice-cream. But the family of T-Bone eaters found their second stomachs for dessert.

Food: 4

Service: 4

Ambience: 3½