Karoo Café #lamburger review
In the search for the best Lamb burger in Pretoria, I chose Karoo Café for our second burger to try. This hidden gem of a place is situated in Lynnwood Road, however once you go through the gates of Karoo Square, you are teleported away from the hustle and bustle of the city life to the quiet tranquillity of the Karoo. Two huge black Great Danes meet you as you climb out of your car, almost as if you just parked at a friend’s house for lunch. The restaurant is homey and welcoming with a couch allocated for the dogs to watch over their property and make sure the people are enjoying their food.
Luckily, we already knew what we are having for lunch, with so many lamb dishes for options, it would’ve been too difficult to decide on just one! Just like the Karoo, the plating was unpretentious, as if you are having lunch at your friend’s house, which is perfectly suited with the atmosphere of Karoo Café. The freshest ingredients blossomed on the white plate with pride and I couldn’t wait to indulge!
The bun – not your average plain white bread bun, oh no, it’s a freshly made, deliciously sweet, homemade Mosbolletjie bun (it melts in your mouth – that is how fresh it is)! Old school, just the way my ouma used to make it! The lamb burger patty is exactly what the menu promises, real Karoo lamb and unlike the dry Karoo, it was juicy and cooked to perfection.
You cannot fool my fellow taster, Marina when it comes to lamb and its origins. She could smell the fragrant Karoo lamb patty even before tasting it (this delicate Jo’burg pallet still needs getting used to the distinct Karoo taste). Karoo lamb has a strong herbaceous flavour due to the Karoo bossies the sheep graze on.
I enjoyed the Karoo taste of the burger since it had heaps of flavour and didn’t need any extra unnecessary [fancy] condiments. The meat could stand its own like a good burger patty should – it is the hero of any burger after all. Simple and honest. If Karoo lamb is your thing this will be an absolute treat!
If you still have some space after that hearty meal, you should definitely spoil yourself with a Karoo latte (condensed milk coffee), the perfect way to round of that Karoo Lamb burger whilst feeling like you are in the middle of the Karoo vlaktes!
The Karoo is as honest and unpretentious as you can get with honest people and honest food. Karoo Café is an exact depiction of the true Karoo vibe and atmosphere. Any restaurant that offers Lamb chops and Skilpaadjies for breakfast is definitely one of a kind and worth a visit! You’ll feel at home – without the hassle of doing dishes and if you have never been to the Karoo – this will without a doubt evoke that wanderlust to go visit.
Go check them out and let us know what you think!
https://www.karoocafe.net/
Wham Bam Thank You Lamb
Fellow foodie friends, Marina and Lizanne are “Lambs Cooking Mutton”! Armed with their blog posts and a frequent feature in the “Weg and Go” magazines they are on a mission to make cooking with lamb inspiring and creative but also less intimidating for the modern young lady or gentleman! They will also be travelling across SA to bring you news and reviews on South African meat festivals and restaurants where winning lamb and mutton dishes are served.
Although Lizanne is a designer by day, and Marina a MSc Nutrition student on the side, their roles are ironically switched when it comes to cooking with lamb. Lizanne is always looking for ways to cook and eat healthy and will also keep you up to date on how to keep your lamb dishes as healthy as possible. Marina on the other hand loves creating absolute indulgent and creative lamb dishes that have no mercy on your diet. But between the two of them they will provide you with lamb dishes for every occasion!