La Madeleine — Restaurant in Gauteng

I made a booking one week in advance for a table for 3 people on 15/2/2019 @ 19h00. I had to repeat my name and surname three times and then stressed that this is a very special occasion. It was the celebration of my two best friends birthdays. I requested not to be seated close to the entrance or bathrooms but rather somewhere in the middle of the room, where it is more cosy. I followed up on my booking two days later because i had this uneasy feeling that my booking was not taken down properly. They could not find my booking. I requested to speak to the manager. Danielle was no where to be found and did not return my call as i ever so politely asked him to do. I then just explained myself all over again, 3 pax, special occasion, table in the middle of the room. This time i felt a bit more at ease. On Friday i received a call from the restaurant following up on my booking. I was relieved that they had the booking and just felt that i needed to stress again the special occasion and our required seating. All was confirmed. We were all excited and were looking forward to a celebratory evening at La Madeleine. I arrived 5 minutes after my two friends. There was nobody at the reception desk to receive me and i thought that the torn boxes that were scattered at the entrance due to the rain did not help to make me feel anymore welcome. Eventually i approached one of the waitresses after my friends were nowhere to be seen. Not in the middle of the room, not on the sides ... nowhere. Eventually i was escorted to our table. It felt if i was literally approaching an area filled with doom and gloom. My friends were seated in the closed-up veranda area at the back of the restaurant next to burglar bars and a open sliding door. It was a chilly evening and when i looked at the table, i noticed that the tablecloth was dirty. There were no salt or pepper pots, no butter, no plates, no candle or a kakiebos on the table. Just three highly depressed serviettes, knives and forks and the two faces of my best friends trying their hardest to hide their disappointment. I sat down for two seconds and then realised that this is not on. After all my efforts to make sure that this is the perfect celebration for my friends, to be just shoved into a corner on the freezing stoep - was simply just unacceptable. I approached Danielle directly and conveyed my disappointment. I stressed that everything was confirmed with his restaurant well in advance and on 3 separate occasions. When my friends first arrived my booking could not be found anywhere!!? I told him that this is unacceptable and that he needed to make a plan and allocate e decent table to us as initially requested and confirmed. To our disbelieve we were then moved to a minute round table for two next to another open door, squashed in between to other tables. I was not able to lift my arms / elbows because i will be poking the adjacent guest in his tummy. We all were in a state of shock and was at a loss for words. Danielle almost immediately approached our table to take our order. We haven’t even by then seen the menu. He asked if we are now ok to which i replied that i am still a bit upset and requested him to just give me two seconds to gather myself. The next moment Danielle lost all his marbles, he lost the plot, his manners and any dignity that i thought he might still have. In the rudest manner possible and a voice that was worse than the imaginary voice of satan he said then we better leave immediately because we will not enjoy our food. TBC See Jaundre...

After 37 years, Chef Daniel still wows patrons with his delightful bistronomy with such flair and energy. Ala carte menu during the week and a more relaxed weekend feel. His Sunday lunch is a must, especially if you want to enjoy a lazy lunch out in the garden setting of his home- based eatery. The 3 course meal is absolutely value for money!! I loved watching chef take you through each dish per course as he explains the components in detail, and then summarises the options before taking the order himself. Quite a novel way from the chef patron.

Expect Starter dishes like: • Delish Bisque of fresh baby crab • Fab pan fried two mushrooms with wine sauce, truffle juice and a pastry top • Fresh mussels in coconut milk sauce with a touch of curry • Pan fried chopped calamari on a bed of pasta with a prawn sauce

And Mains: • Deboned, filled Monk fish in a lemony sauce • North African style slow roasted Lamb neck on a bed of couscous • Pork cheek with vegetables • Oven cooked Beef short rib • Pork fillet with a creamy mushroom sauce

Now for desserts: • Belgian Dark Choc Mousse • Amazingly smooth creme brûlée • Cream of marscapone, meringue and fresh fruit • Compote of Rhubarb, crushed meringue, vanilla cream and a crumble on top • Delightful Cheesecake with a Belgian spekuloos base.

All the starters were winners with the mushroom dish being my fave. The lamb neck was delectable and if you enjoy firm fish, try out the Monk fish.

All the desserts were yummy and glad I got to try them all. Deciding between the cheesecake and creme brûlée would be a challenge. Have both. 😉

If you’re having a special occasion, speak to chef about his bespoke cakes. Our friends Black Forest cake was sublime.

Excellent service from Winnie and team. Based in Lynwood Ridge, the drive from Joburg to Pretoria was so worth it for a delightful dining experience.

Highly recommended if you like simple fare done the original way.

Bravo chef Daniel...

He just turned around and walked away. Like an accident seen with the dust still settling the three of us were in such a state of shock and my one friend got up to address Danielle on his manners, his rudeness and the unacceptable way that he addressed me. Being guests / clients in a supposedly top restaurant we were expecting just friendly and normal treatment. A nightmare unfolded. Danielle was screaming and we decided to leave. It was so unpleasant and i found myself shaking due to this unexpected trauma that just went down. Danielle went to open the trelidoor for us to leave and then still persued the issue in a raised voice telling me that i will not enjoy my food if i am upset. This was just too much!! I stood right in front of him and just asked him in a decent tone if he perhaps know why i am upset and stated to him that he and his staff were the single cause of me being upset. They were incompetent, rude and unfriendly from the moment of the arrival of my friends and then myself. They way that Danielle spoke to me and my friends were just not acceptable. It reeks of low level class. Needless to say we were not offered any peppermints on our way out but at least we got a warm goodbye from the arrogant and complacent Danielle himself, which consisted of cursing us all the way until we reached the gate and were safe on the streets again. I am still in denial about the whole incident and the treatment we have received. There are still no words to describe my disappointment, the unpleasantness and trauma inflicted by Danielle and his staff. We gathered ourselves and headed for Black Bamboo where without any reservation, we we seated in the middle of the restaurant, welcomed by smily faces and proceeded with enjoying the most superb cuisine and wine. La Madeleine went up in flames for us on Friday evening and as far as i am concerned - Danielle and staff failed...