When The Pot Luck Club opened in May in Johannesburg, there was a lot of excitement in the city. We had, after all, waited over a decade for chef Luke Dale Roberts to bring his famous brand to Rosebank’s Oxford Parks, having launched it at Cape Town’s Old Biscuit Mill Precinct in 2012.
In addition to the globally inspired tapas plates and creative cocktails, the eatery also earned a reputation as the place to be for Sunday brunch. Let me just clarify that – there is brunch and then there is The Pot Luck Brunch and I have yet to experience any other brunch that comes close to the latter. This is, as the brand states, “Sunday Brunch done proper”.
The spice of life
It starts off with the (in my opinion) obligatory Bloody Mary. A do-it-yourself affair (or you can ask your waiter), the Bloody Mary station features two tomato cocktail options (regular and pre-spiced – go for the latter if you enjoy some zing); flavoured vodkas, including smoked jalapeno and lemon infused, which adds another element to the cocktail; crispy bacon twists; lemon; roe; celery sticks; and additional condiments such as salt, pepper, Worcestershire and Tobasco. If the abundance of vitamin C in tomato juice is not your thing, you can choose bottomless Graham Beck Brut or Rosè bubbles.
Small plates, big flavours
One the drinks stage is set, the decadent dishes start arriving. I suggest you allow for a bit of time between the servings to really savour them because the tastes are so exceptional that they need to be explored and discussed (great place for a first date if you’re worried about a conversation starter). Plates include Bloody Mary oysters (how are flavours like that even created?); lamb rib Ssam (the lamb is cupped in a crispy lettuce leaf); brioche with porcini, asparagus and the tastiest Hollandaise sauce; smoked snoek tartlet; The Arnold Bennett (named after author Arnold Bennett who always ordered an omelette containing haddock at The Savoy in London where he stayed while writing a book); fish sliders with miso mayo; and smoked beef fillet with bone marrow, carrot puree and pomme Anna (French styled layered potatoes). While the courses are all small plates, it’s surprisingly filling so we had to take a break before tucking into dessert, which included a tiny cake called tonka bean Madeleine, a South African Hertzoggie (jam-filled tartlet) and Pâté de Fruit.
Don’t miss the last GH Mumm Brunch at Pot Luck Club this Sunday 26th November. In addition to a menu of Bloody Mary oysters, an Arnold Bennett omelette, peri peri chicken and Hertzoggie for dessert for diners joining at 11am, GH Mumm DJs will entertain from 12.30 to 4pm. The brunch menu is R640 per person including a glass of GH Mumm Brut or Rosé. There is also a limited a la carte menu from 1pm. Book through Dineplan or directly with the restaurant.
The Pot Luck Club Johannesburg Sunday Brunch is served every Sunday. Price: R850 per person, add bottomless bubbly and the DIY Bloody Mary station at an additional R490 per person. Vegetarian and pescatarian menus are available.
To book: www.thepotluckclubjhb.co.za or call 010 745 3999.
Find the Pot Luck Club Johannesburg at 199 Oxford Road, Dunkeld.
