Bistro boasts botanical vibe and mushroom delights

If green really is the colour of envy, then you’re sure to be super-envious when we tell you we’ve visited – and adored – the family bistro, Truffles on the Park. Green’s definitely the hue of this restaurant … ferns, plants and plant boxes create the restaurant’s botanic vibe … which is also played out in the menu with a selection of botanical cocktails, like the lavender-inspired, gin-based, Lavandula. It’s a theme that’s said to be inspired by the restaurant’s location at Mushroom Farm Park, and (unsurprisingly) mushrooms feature in many of the dishes – which you may have guessed from the bistro’s name. Actually, it’s just paying homage to its grounds. Sandton Central Management District tells us that according to The Heritage Portal, in the 50s and 60s, the park was a thriving mushroom farm. So on the menu, you’ll find mushroom-inspired dishes like a wild mushroom bake, and we can vouch for the dense and delicious black truffle fungi risotto. You can also expect a menu that offers world cuisine with African flavour … and you can tailor some dishes to vegan or vegetarian. The saffron tagliatelle (think saffron-infused pasta ribbons, Moroccan spiced butter, pine nuts, mint and dairy-free herbed cheese) is beautifully presented and totally moreish. The desserts are decadent … so we ditched the diet for the night and took a spoonful (and spoonful after spoonful) of the New York-style baked cheese cake … and it was worth it! This spot’s already become a popular hang-out … and we can totally see why. It’s well worth a visit – and will make a lovely treat this Women’s Month. Mains from about R115. Details: trufflesbistro.co.za