THE TERRACE

Ground The Venue embroiders the outskirts of Joburg, with The Terrace’s bohemian flair inviting you to take things chicly slow.

It's not been around that long, yet we're already smitten with The Terrace’s small plate offering, its sensational light and its bohemian flair. Located at the popular Ground The Venue, The Terrace sits just off Muldersdrift's Driefontein Road, with a tidy entrance inviting passersby to take a turn.

At times, the background music transported us to outstretched fields of flowers and at other times, we felt like dancing to the beat on a Mediterranean beach. A Bohemian air lingers here; one that urges you to slow down and enjoy the moment, especially during the week. Popular for its wedding venue, picnics and hikes, Ground The Venue has become a well-known weekend attraction for both Joburg and Pretoria residents. Now, with the addition of The Terrace (which opened its doors in October last year) it brings yet another lovely, slow offering with a Southern European feel.

We kicked off the luncheon sipping on a mocktail dubbed the Soba Cobra as we sat back into laidback Malawi cane chairs propped with cushions in neutral colours. Cacti in teal-coloured pots secured a pop of colour in a generally beige, but beautiful setting. Music from the bar set the tone for the possibility of lingering a little longer, calling up a couple of friends and staying for after-work cocktails on the outskirts of the city.

Starters came in the form of freshly baked olive bread and a delightful Melitzonsalata dip, consisting of roasted aubergine, garlic and parsley. What followed was a bowl of delicious Moules Frites, a mussel pot with skinny French fries on the side. In this dish, we could literally taste the sea and for a moment we were transported to what we could only imagine the Amalfi Coast should feel like. A light breeze kept stealing our serviettes from our laps and was partly culpable in our sudden burst of wanderlust. After grabbing a third napkin, we dove into the side of frites, lightly salted and the perfect complement to the mussels. Of course, with the leftover sauce from the mussels, it was a match made in heaven.

When we couldn’t decide on a dessert (in hindsight, we probably should have just gone for the Baklava Ice Cream) we opted for a classic Americano, which came with a delicious shortbread biscuit – the perfect finale to a fabulously slow lunch.

If you are keen on a midweek breath of fresh air over lunch, The Terrace is the place to escape to. The staff are attentive and friendly and the venue is vibey, while setting the scene for slow living. There is even a Great Dane that comes to say hi every now and again. H