Fireroom Castle Gate — Restaurant in Erasmus Park

On the 4th of May my husband and I wanted to enjoy a meal at a restaurant we have never been to before when we arrived we informed them that we have a reservation as it was our 1 year wedding anniversary, the guy didn't know what to do he called I think it was a hostess or FOH manager she too looked at both books did seem like the took out booking, when she took us in to be seated the waiter was still putting glasses on the table. So that seemed to confirm that a table was not booked for us we placed our dink order and waited 15 min for our drinks when we called the waiter that was comeing from the bar to ask to cancel one drink and change it to a beer he said the drinks is already ready but bare in mind he was walking away from.the bar past us not sure what he wanted to go do so knowing our drinks are ready we had to call him and stop him from.sotjing he wanted to do to bring us our drinks, aswell as another table that was seated in front of us got water... where we sat there with small empty glasses while waiting for drinks it was at that moment we decided to go eat somewhere else did talk to the manager as it was a Sunday and places were closing early and well we were hungry so we finished our drinks paid and left it was truly a disappointment going to a fancy place for our 1 year wedding anniversary for the first time and that happened I unfortunately I cannot give an accurate review on the food as we did not get...

Fireroom – You’re Fired!

Fireroom positions itself as an upmarket dining experience, complete with the kind of price tag one would expect from fine dining. To our utmost disappointment, our group concluded the evening felt more like a second-rate Spur outing after a local rugby match than a premium culinary experience.

We skipped starters and went straight to the mains. Two of us opted for their "exclusive" signature dish – sliced fillet. Frankly, a twelve-year-old Afrikaner with a decent spice rack, good quality meat, proper firewood, and well-prepared sides could have done a better job. I’m genuinely relieved I didn’t commit to the R1,550 Wagyu T-bone – I can only imagine the regret that would’ve followed.

The dessert was laughable. We asked for something simple – vanilla ice cream with Bar-One sauce. What we got was ice-flaked, freezer-burned ice cream topped with bottled chocolate syrup that wouldn’t pass muster in a Steers milkshake.

My main point is this: if you’re going to charge fine-dining prices, then you must deliver a fine-dining experience. The atmosphere was cramped, noisy, and chaotic – more reminiscent of a mall food court than an exclusive eatery. We could barely hear the waiter over the din.

In the competitive South African restaurant scene, good luck to Fireroom. Step up –...

When Hype Meets Reality: A Mixed Bag of Ambrosia and Disappointing Calamari

Our visit on Sat 25th Mar @ 5pm was a rollercoaster ride of emotions, with wait times that had us feeling like we were stuck in a time warp. It took an eternity (okay, 20-30 minutes) for our drinks, starters, and mains to make their grand entrance.

On the bright side, the starters, especially the sushi, were divine. They were prepared tableside with impressive flare, including a fire show that made us feel like we were in a mini-Cirque du Soleil. The taste was so good that we would have gladly ordered a second round if our stomachs hadn't been saving room for the main event.

Unfortunately, the mains were a bit of a letdown. The calamari was overdone and underseasoned, which was a disappointment since it's a dish that easily be made at home.

The rump meat main was a tale of two portions - one tender and perfectly cooked, the other tough and chewy. The pork tomahawk with chips had potential, but the flambe caused it to be overdone and charred at the table, leaving a slightly unsavoury taste in our mouths.

While we have to give credit where it's due for the starters, we feel that the main event could use some serious improvement. Until then, we recommend sticking to the sushi menu for a guaranteed...