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GATRILE'S
TRAVELLERS GET DRUNK ON THE RANDIt seems the historical weakness of the rand has set the scene for a foreign feeding frenzy. Less than two weeks ago at Gatrile's restaurant, diners were witness to an extraordinary display of extravagance. Four foreign punters - two Englishmen, one of whom paid the bill, an American and a Russian - spent a whopping R16 000 on dinner.
Gatrile's is celebrating the l0th anniversary of its move from downtown Johannesburg to Sandton by offering some of its famous dishes at 1988 prices.
Co-owner Ken Forrester had never seen anything like it before. Even by UK standards,
the foursome's meal was lavish since diners can expect to pay £80-£100 a head at a top restaurant such as Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Oxfordshire. Nevertheless, this dinner would
have cost twice as much in London or Paris.
The main expense was incurred on the booze bill. The big spenders tucked into two bottles of Dom Perignon (1990 and 1978 vintages at R810 and
R1 620 respectively), a bottle Chateau Margaux 1985 (R3 700) and the greater part of Gatrile's only bottle of
1 Hennessy Richard Cognac (R7 600). A full bottle - in the form of a crystal decanter - retails at close on R10 000. The food bill was a modest R400, a mere 2,5% of the total. The tip alone came to R1 300. "What a pity we didn't have another bottle of the Hennessy," says Forrester. So stunned was his
Partner, Michel Morand, at the size of the bill - not to say relieved that it was settled that he couldn't wait until the next day to tell Forrester. Morand phoned him a couple of hours after the foursome had left after knocking back 19 tots of brandy.
Linda Stafford
Financial Mail
24th July 1998
James Ralston and Ken Forester in 1987
Gatrile’s-one of this city's oldest dining establishments-opened near Joubert Park on
April Fool's Day way back in 1975. But the restaurant founded by diamond merchant Albert Gatrile Lewis, his son Stephen and James Ralston proved no laughing matter
Almost from its inception the restaurant, which occupied premises which had started out as a Norwegian church hall in 1922, was filled with the city's dining cogniscenti.
The hall was decorated with nostalgia from the'4Ds and '50s. Huge sepia pictures of Marilyn Monroe, Gloria Swanson and Greta Garbo.
A look at one of the restaurant's earliest menus raises howls of disbelief at what now appear to be ludicrously 1ow prices.
French onion soup and all desserts on the menu set the diner back 85c while the famous Kate and Sydney (steak and kidney) pie was R2,55, oxtail R2,85 and lobster a whopping R5!
Hildred Smith would play the piano in the evenings and her rendition of ‘Flight of the
Bumblebee became a crowd stopper. But the times they were a-changing.
Business in the CBD decentralised and the final straw was a bomb blast in 1987 outside military headquarters 30m from Gatrile's antique doors. Every window was blown out, the kitchen roof was blown upwards and walls were cracked. Legend has it that the remnants of the antique doors later graced the tables as toothpicks!
Ralston, together with Ken Forrester who had become a partner in 1982, moved to new premises in Sandown the following year
Gone may have been the old world classical structure of the church hall and in its place a building built in the purist Bauhaus style, but the same high culinary standards were still in full force.
To celebrate the l0th anniversary of the move, Forrester who now runs the restaurant with Frenchman Michel Morand, decided to give something back to the diners who have supported the eatery over the years as well as lure potential new customers.
From today until July 31, they have rolled back the passage of time and while they may not be able to offer you steak at R3, you can buy all main dishes off the menu at prices from 10 years ago. That means the famous duck and cherry pie will cost R20,50, Kate and Sydney R17,95, venison pie with ham and mushroom R18,50, oxtail R20..50, Linefish R20,25, sole R19,(i5, seafood curry R20,50, roast duck R19,25 and fillet R20,75. All of which at-e a 70 percent discount on the current menu.
So it’s time to get noshing without burning a hole in your budget.
· Gatrile’s is situated at
5 Esterhuyzen Street in Sandown. Telephone 883-7398.