Liberté French Food & Wine brings French flair to the Northern suburbs of Joburg
There’s a vibe around Liberté French Food & Wine in Craighall Park’s ‘The Woods’ – formerly the Colony Centre – that suggests that it’s established itself as a neighbourhood go-to in three months’ time. One that’s going to grow into something bigger. The fact that owner Natasha Maciel has run a restaurant – Pronto Italian Restaurant – just across the car park for twenty years, shows that she knows plenty about building a supportive community.
The word Liberté is a feminine noun and Natasha professes to tailoring the décor and menu specifically. It’s not much of a stretch then that the restaurant is an unashamedly feminine space. It’s stylish without being pretentious, and neat without being clinical, if not a little noisy once the enthusiastic crowd packs the dining space out.
The menu is French-inspired rather than being traditional French haute cuisine or bistro fare. There are solid signature dishes like Moules Frite, Coq au Vin and Fillet Mignon which are all true to their roots, while the salads are more cosmopolitan and French Onion Chicken Meatballs deliver traditional flavours with a twist. Lighter options include an array of flaky puff pastry vol-au-vent and some inventive canapés. There’s also a breakfast menu with plenty of pastries produced on-site in the bakery, as well as crêpes and omelettes. The wine list is ready to go – but despite applying a year ago, the now-dissolved Gauteng Liquor Board has yet to deliver a license. Corkage is an option, and it’s possible to order from Pronto’s extensive South African and Italian-laden list on a separate bill.
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If that doesn’t convince you to make Liberté your new neighbourhood favourite – no matter which neighbourhood in Joburg you live in – then the achingly perfect Belgian Chocolate Fondant will.
