Review Coobs - Johannesburg

Amazing food - looked and tasted really great. Price wise a bit towards the upper end, but the quality, taste, service and overall atmosphere most definitely makes up for it. They have quite a few gluten-free options, including pastas and burgers. We really loved that they put such emphasis on conscious and healthy eating. Also, their dessert shakes are a MUST! I'd suggest sharing one, though, as they're enormous!

Met up with a friend here at Craft for breakfast at around 08h45 after a morning run through the area. What a delightful place, warm atmosphere and welcoming staff. Fortune was our waiter for the morning, and what a pleasant and helpful guy. We both had the scrambled eggs on avo with halloumi. It was well presented and very tasty. Super fresh tastes on the pallet, and well sized portions. They also do great coffee. There is an array of options and food choices on the menu and the place is well patronized. The manageress checked up on us regularly too. We were so comfortable that when the lunch patrons were arriving at around 12h00 we thought we should vacate our seats !!😂 Well worth a visit, I rate this place a 7.5 / 10

Craft has a well crafted menu of on trend food. My problem with on trend food is the sameness of it all. Despite its #sameness and #lack of #originality, they produced a good #prawn #chowder. It would've been nice if the dish had some acid and a little kick and texture too, but despite this, it was comforting on a cold day. I ordered some toast on the side, it should be standard with this dish. The fish cakes were OK, but over powered by the accompanying vegetables. With fish being such a subtle flavour, it pretty much ruined the dish. I loved the #cheesecake, the sweet, floral #Turkish #Delight perfectly balanced the #creamy, dense tang of the cheesecake. The crust added lovely texture to the slice. If you're looking for a #trendy spot, with average food and great service, #Craft is your place to head to.

The breakfast menu is interesting, with a choice of unusual meals offered, a change from the traditional bacon and eggs that we can make at home. The service is really good, a special thank you to Madonna who served us on Sunday morning, very professional waitress extremely pleasant and helpful.

I can't count how many times I've had good meals at Craft. They are always reinventing their menu and keeping it fresh. I celebrated my birthday here in the past. The cake selection is amazing, including salted caramel cheesecake and oreo cheesecake. The freakshakes are insane.

A brunch heaven nestled in the hip and happening 4th Street, Parkhurst. Craft brings a unique down to earth ambiance that pays homage to it's shop till you drop boutique surroundings with its open seating plan that's private without being secluded. Excellent menu options with mostly light but filling meals at reasonable prices. Accompanied by a variety of healthy, unique tea blends and juices - worth a taste.

I couldn't find much fault with Craft. It was a nice cozy environment with very decent food. The burger was cooked nicely but didn't have too much taste to the patty itself. The sweet potato chips were good. Overall, a worthwhile experience and I would go there again.

Their milkshakes are out of this world, I actually was filled. Their Mac and cheese could do better. Generally, the atmosphere is beautiful, I went there at night, it's a safe environment, helpful waiters.

Going to CRAFT is always an experience and a half! Food never disappoints, and the menu options are different. It has a lovely cafe bespoke cafe vibe, and the service is fantastic.

Friendly staff and great food. I had a homemade pita with chicken & salad and fried onion. The onion was too oily but the pita was great. I liked their espresso too! Friendly staff although the service was slow.

An amazing breakfast restaurant with friendly staff who are very attentive and prompt to deliver your orders. I enjoyed my waffles, eggs, bacon and beans breakfast. They also got Free Wifi for guests ... Will sure visit again 😊

After more than a 15-hour flight from ATL to JNB it's time to walk to the nearby neighborhood, where we find a vibrant restaurant with a huge opening to the sidewalk. It's Craft, at 33 4th Avenue, Parkhurst, Johannesburg 2193. We feel drawn in by the friendly, comfortable atmosphere. It's immediately clear to both of us that this was a very good find. The automotive metaphor for a complete success is "firing on all cylinders". Craft is firing on all cylinders. From the table density to the decor, from the open pizza oven to the dense but approachable spacing of the tables, it's clear the locals are feeling cared for by the friendly hospitality and wide menu. Besides the usual veg, chicken, seafood, and beef, there's marrow, lamb, and even ostrich on the menu. Seven varieties of sharing plates. Even a good selection of desserts. We were so tired and jet-lagged that my recollection as to what we ordered is fuzzy, but I suspect it was the lamb burger for me and the salmon for her. Several coffees seem to have been inevitable. What I do remember, unmistakably, is how satisfied I was, and what a great conversation we had with the owner about all topics ranging from the choice of restaurant name to the choices and challenges of delivering such quality and variety in a small kitchen. (This Craft has no relation to Chef Tom Colicchio, although they'd been made aware of its existence.) The staff were far past pleasant, to the point of being welcoming in a "family you've not seen in a while" sort of way. My grasp on the Rand was a bit shaky but I'm pretty sure that we were pleased with the value-fo-money proposition. I'm looking forward to returning to South Africa, and perhaps the first way I'll celebrate is returning to Craft.

The food here is absolutely delicious, and they cater for all types of eaters. The decor is well-done, and the food is also presented with thought & character. Overall, craft gives you a great experience. The service is also great, and there are small little quirks like the signs in the bathrooms.

Made the mistake of arriving during the lunchtime rush (avoid during peak times if you are in a rush). Had to flag down a waiter but once we had his attention, best service turned the experience right around! The milkshakes are slightly expensive but very much worth it. The Oreo milkshake was delicious and refreshing. Highly recommend the lamb burger and pulled pork burger.

Amazing food, insane range of cocktails, crafty ambiance, and impeccable service. We uber R350 each way to get here, and don't regret a cent. New update: still as good as ever. Cocktails just amazing too.

What a stunning, modern rustic place, absolute awesome ambiance, stunning modern menu with to die for cocktails they focus on craft gin cocktails with flavour combinations that tantalise the soul and mind very well thought out menu and the bathroom is a calming walk through a water feature, staff is helpful and understanding....a place definitely to visit ....food is excellent...well done Craft...!!!!!

I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but Coobs has closed. Tomato seems not to know this and happily accepted my booking via the website. It even sent me a couple of reminders about the booking. WTF Tomato???

In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated restaurants in Joburg. My husband and I go to Coobs regularly on date nights. The decor is absolutely beautiful but understated, with an entire green wall! It has a very classy and romantic feel, with a splash of fun! The staff are always so wonderful and the service is outstanding! While my husband can't wait to tuck into the main meal, I choose the dessert first! Although the menu is on the moderately pricey side, it is well worth it for the high quality food that you receive! The last time I ate at Coobs, the textures of chocolate was no longer on the menu. If this is brought back then I recommend it to all my chocolate lovers! It is one of my favourite desserts ever!

Wow! Coobs is a really great lunch place! I think that they have some really good food and they have very comfortable seating area. I had what I think was pork on ciabatta with lemon aioli on top with some spinach. It was spectacular, and the decor is almost modern with some traditional and countryside mixed in. The atmosphere is light and upbeat, with the aid of soft music in the background and just enough people for it to feel busy but not crazy. We shall be back soon and you should pop by and have something to eat here if you live near or in Parkhurst!

We went out for dinner. Unlike the neighbouring burger outlet, Coobs empty : three couples for the whole Fri night. I ordered Pork Belly, requested IF Possible sauteed potatoes in lieu of mash. The pork belly portion was literally , no exageration the size of rasher , 1 pork rasher rolled in & 1 x 1 cm cube of pork ! R 180 for one pork rasher + some boiled-semi fried little cubes of potatoes. Suppose to be served with red wine jus ( presume suppose to be red wine reduction)but no, it was tomato paste ,slightly diluted - no touch of wine, no jus . Mentioned to the Server, no one bothered to respond. The group of guys serving were clustered most of the night in front , together with the floor mgr i guess, no one checked on us , i turned twice to request service: once for second gin, once for second wine,the could not be bothered, emersed in their own discussion.We both felt like desert , i held up to see the pudding: it was very dry so i opted for simple,home cooked custard: it was grainy,not smooth but startchy,not well dissolved thickener. The ice cream must 've been frozen-defrosted,full full full of icicles, not nice! NOT RECOMMENDING, We , customers who spend out should get VALUE- QUALITY I Promise you, my portion of Pork Belly was LESS Than 150 gr. EVEN for Fine French is RIDICULOUS!

This place definitely has quite a cool ambience and decor. On top of that, the pasta is definitely the dish to die for. The wild boar is definitely the dish to try. Not too rich and the pasta is hand made and not too much sauce. Definitely has the right balance. Service was excellent and nothing more to add.

The food is tasty, ambiance is good. Service is very slow. The waiters stand next to the kitchen as a group and chat. We had to wave our hands to get attention.

The food is always on point, the wine is reasonably priced and the service is impeccable. All dishes are really good, recommend the wild boar, it is always a win!<br/>Recommended overall.

Had a wonderful experience. Special mention to Frank the waiter who added to the fabulous-ness of our experience. <br/>We were a group of 10 - so hats off to the chef and kitchen staff to ensure that our meals were all served together. <br/>We tasted the love and care in every mouthful on every plate.<br/>We tried a variety of starters - the winner was the goats cheese soufflé and the crispy calamari. <br/>Mains consisted of the ribeye special , pork belly, and the duck. <br/>The winner here was the duck - succulent and very flavorful. <br/>Dessert didn’t disappoint either - chocolate fondant , white chocolate and Malva. The malva was not quite on point - but still tasty and fulfilling.<br/><br/>All in all , a very pleasant experience.<br/>The hostess in duty was very welcoming and her friendly demeanor was much appreciated. <br/>Frank the waiter took care of our table - he is a gem and went above and beyond to ensure that our table was taken care. <br/><br/>Well done Coobs and thank you for a memorable Father’s Day Lunch.

Coobs for Mother's day was an excellent choice! They offered a Waterford wine tasteing, where one could taste all the delicious wines and get a brief introduction to them by representatives of the wine estate! Added a lovely sense of occasion. The service and ambience was great, nice music and decor and everyone very friendly and helpful.<br/>It was a four course meal.<br/>The soup starter was delectable! Interesting and different tasteing. The second course osso bucco and arranci was absolutely delicious the meat was so tender and the arranci was great as tbey can usually be a bit tasteless.<br/>For main course I chose the pork belly. This meal was ok, it didn't wow but it still had a few nice elements.<br/>The table then chose between a cheese board and a dessert.<br/>The cheese board was beautifully presented, some of the cheese was a bit tasteless.<br/>The dessert also beautifully presented all elements tasted good but dragonfruit also had a pretty bland taste.<br/>But all in all it was a very nice experience on a beautiful day and we have been to coobs before and have ordered from the al la cart which I always enjoy!<br/>

Mouthwateringly delicious food! Will be back for more. I had the caprese and tuna carpaccio and my hubby had the game and chips. Highly recommended all! Service could be worked on but other than that glad we finally tried you.

Visited Coobs for a birthday celebration. We were seated outside in a private little area on the side of the restaurant. I always find it so considerate when a restaurant put a big group away from other patrons. It's the small things that count.<br/><br/>The food was delicious, I had the beef tartar as a starter and the seafood pasta for mains. The pasta was amazing! Very basic with mixed seafood and olive oil, but my word, it burst with flavour, I was so happy.<br/><br/>Service was friendly and attentive yet never in the way. Big shout out to Tony out waiter

Excellent! Small glitch with the order but a great response! Food was amazing, great flavors! What a wonderful lunch! Beautiful restaurant, great service and awesome food! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 5 Star!

Delious food. Incredible flavours and presentation.<br/>We tried the coconut chicken curry and pepper crusted sirloin steak.<br/>Everytime we come to Coobs, the food gets better & better...

An impeccable experience, as always. We had a table salad to start. Couldn't be fresher. As a vegetarian the options are varied and delicious as always<br/>Great service and attention to detail is always visible. One of my favorites in Parkhurst.<br/>

We were disappointed with our meal.The menu definitely whet the appetite but the food was a disappointing 6/10. Wine list is good and the staff were excellent, being the best part of our visit. Ambience was lacking.

17 june '18.<br/>I will be back for a proper visit. No doubt.<br/><br/>It was a random impromtu fathers day visit with my in laws. It was alanis morissete all over, We had just had breakfast when they asked to meet us for lunch... at coobs... a destination restaurant, blast.<br/>I considered purging like a 27 year old catwalk model trying to keep up with the impossible body standards thrust upon her by cocaine fueled designers and agents.<br/>But i did not. Instead i subject myself to a test of restraint and willpower. I will have a dessert, but i will not be lunching so soon after eggs.<br/>Its pretty funny. The order is a scotch egg, a yoghurt tart, a berminina (?) Fish, an apple pie and a soufle. All at once if you would good sir.<br/><br/>Mine is the apple crumble, its served alongside a salted caramel ice cream. It is a work of art, its warmly spiced, its got some rhubarb in it, and I'm pretty sure more than one kinda apple. like a marble sculpture its on a plinth of pastry. The base is a bit thick and a bit hard. But it convinced me that coobs is class.<br/><br/>The soufle... i dono ot looked like a quiche, or a scrambled egg tart so... eh.. fine.<br/>The fish looked great. The scotch egg was exciting and wondrous.<br/>All the above served on a good looking small farm produce seasonal salad. I approve.<br/>The yoghurt tart with lemon verbena ganache... beautiful. Original. Superb.<br/><br/>We booked a table for next month there and then.<br/>

Coobs offer the most amazing food and such an interesting selection that you would not get at any other place. I had the chicken liver parfait as a starter and it was lovely as it was accompanied with sweet taste of baby meringues. For main I had the spinach and Parmesan risotto. It was so tasty and perfectly made with some surprise kale and not only pieces of Parmesan in the risotto but also had Parmesan mousse which was such a wonderful sensation and taste! Would definitely be back for the food but the service could improve as our waiter only came to our table about 3 times and we had to order our food and drinks from the manager as our waiter was not present at all.<br/><br/>Overall we had a good time sitting outside and wonderful food!

We had a wonderful meal at Coobs with some American clients of mine!<br/><br/>The service was superb and the vibe was great! <br/><br/>We shared starters and they were all really good, the parfait stood out though, delicious combination of flavors and textures!<br/><br/> For mains I had the Kabeljou which was incredible, Fern ‘s duck was also good, but a little unevenly cooked!<br/><br/>The deserts were also really good, but the textures of chocolate was shown up by the apple tart, with its truly delicious salted caramel ice cream!

Pretty to look at and the tastes beyond amazing!!! The service is also very good (we literally only waited between 10-15min before they served the amazing food) please do yourself a favour and go to this amazing restaurant!!!!

Fine dining in the village dominated by pizza and hamburger joints , interior styling is minimalistic and a bit stark and on a cold evening was a bit breezy , very interesting menu and food served with care by chefs who take a pride with what is served , everyone deserves to be spoilt with a meal that is special , must visit again 😊👨‍🍳

Had lunch there as part of restaurant week. It was simply fantastic. The food was excellent and service was great. I hope to be back very soon.

I had lunch at Coobs for my graduation, my mother decided to spoil me a bit as Coobs is a little pricey however for the quality and presentation of the food I think it is totally worth it. The staff are super friendly and helpful, the decor is peaceful and lovely it is very calming. All in all a great experience and I would definitely recommend it for a date night or special celebration.

Coobs Parkhurst <br/><br/>Went to Coobs today for the first time.<br/>Nice atmosphere and friendly welcome.<br/>Shared a seared tuna as a starter. Plate dressing was really nice and very big portion, not at all a criteria for me however it was very extensive a as a starter. Was very peppery however nice and fresh ingredients.<br/>After that as a main the duck, again great layout (nicer in real than on picture) and very tastefull. One remark though is that duck was cooked differently some parts overdone and some parts raw, not sure how they manage to do to that.<br/>And other main the seafood risotto; they used real risotto, sometime they use plain rice, very nice flavor first bites however got again peppery after while. But fresh ingredients.<br/><br/>As a dessert shared the mango/ginger mousse, and was very bland. It was mango icecream with mousse on the plate however didnt taste like ginger and was quite boring. So much effort was put in the look that they forgot the taste.<br/><br/>Service was good. However sometimes too much. Seems to be an upcoming trend to immediately take away your glass when there is still one sip left, your bread when you still have a bite or your plate when you are eating slow. Also after third time it gets annoying if you get disturbed in the middle of a good conversation. Part of service is also understanding when it is the right moment to ask if all is fine or to clear table. And this is just my opinion however there is no need to ask 4 times during a main if all is nice. <br/><br/>Two bottles of sparkling water, a bottle of wine, 2 drinks before dinner and a coffee. 950 including tip, which is very reasonable.<br/><br/>Nice place to have a date / friends dinner or just celebrating the end of the weekend.<br/>Good price quality value. <br/>Would recommend and go back! <br/>Definately worth a visit if you havent tried yet.

We both found that the carpaccio was a great starter, the ribeye was cooked to perfection. My partner really enjoyed the duck as well.<br/><br/>The wine list is full of gems.<br/><br/>Unpretentious restaurant with very good food.

It’s a really decent place , Coobs . Came alive in the evening as we were there for a late lunch. With the now stricter whole number ratings on Zomato , my usual 3.5 candidates are now 3s - which is excellent , 4 is fantastic and 5 is ‘I’m buying the restaurant’. <br/><br/>The Parkhurst ambience lends Coobs that jolly mood and the service is impeccable. Bread was not available at the time we arrived and as a “breadivore”, I felt rather disheartened. The squid starter was ok , the fish main was good , I think the chicken main was slightly better. Mojito was slightly reserved but the Elderflower GnT was popping! So the food had noticeable areas of flavour improvement but nothing unpalatable. I had an amazing time with my friend here. Well done Coobs.

My friends and I went to Coobs with our dinner club. We had great service from our waiter. I ordered the pork belly, it was not the best I’ve ever had but it was still really good. My friends had the seafood risotto and they all said it was amazing! The cocktails are not very good at all but it’s still worth a visit.

Firm Favorite! Never dissatisfied! A must when you’re in Jozi. For all pasta lovers the Coobs Alfredo and wild boar ragù is divine. I suggest sharing - even mains - to experience ad much as you can in one sitting.

Wow 😮 it was my first time dining at Coobs , I was very pleased with everything from the service to the environment and the friendly faces . The food was on another level . I am super impressed with their delicately designed menu , it’s very creative with a lot of skill and thought out into it . Loved it 👌🏻

This is the second time I have been to Coobs and I was as underwhelmed this time as last. While the service is excellent and the staff are amazing, the food is just uninspiring and overpriced. Very disappointed again and I won’t be going back.

Inventive dishes executed well! I get tired of JHB menus with all the same dishes and this place def goes beyond that. Last night I had the Vietnamese curry which was incredibly tasty and must be the best dish I’ve had there so far. The coconut rice that came with it was super creamy.

Have been back to Coobs for about 6 months wow I forgot how good their food is, everything well prepared and tasty. Will definitely make plans to come eat more regularly.

Was very disappointed with this restaurant. I thought the menu looked great but the food didn't live up to expectations. <br/><br/>To start off I ordered a salad and half the ingredients were missing, so I sent it back.<br/><br/>Perhaps I ordered the wrong dish for what this restaurant specializes in, but I found it bland and overpriced. Unfortunate experience.

Booked for 4, sms and email confirmed booking. I let the group know and then....How can a restaurant confirm a booking and then cancel it? Not impressed at all😡

Aaahh, the old favourite. Their pasta is absolutely mouthwatering. Well conceptualized menu with good variety depending on your palate. Pasta served slightly al dente in true Italian style. They have a great wine list and the service has always been great. I’m definitely a repeat offender here and it’s for good reason. It’s a great night out every time at Coobs

NEVER again. Waiting over an hour for food simply isn't acceptable. The young lady in charge was unbelievably rude and at one point actually pushed me out of the way. The red wine we were served was so hot it was fizzy!

We went to Coobs, this past weekend, after a late afternoon of G&Ts in Parkhurst. Was a beautiful evening and would have preferred outdoor seating, however was nicked by a guy dining alone. Most tables inside were reserved so we chose a couch seated table near the kitchen and was surprisingly not too loud. Chilled atmosphere, not too noisy, however feel that the table layout is a bit awkward, especially outside.<br/><br/>Both the hostess and our waiter were friendly. Our waiter was attentive and quite funny and recommended the fishcakes for starters. Having previously had such dismal luck with fishcakes at every other restaurant I've tried before, was hesitant, but gave it a try. Fishcakes were quite nice. Well seasoned and fried and the accompanying salad was fresh and zesty.<br/><br/>For mains, we had the lamb burger. It was quite juicy and well prepared. Addition of wild boar bacon rounded the dish off nicely. Next time would love to try the pork belly.<br/><br/>For dessert, lemon meringue with shortbread ice cream. It was beautifully presented. The lemon curd and lemon jelly cut through the sweetness of the ice cream and meringue. Expected fluffy clouds of meringue, however was a bit let down with the artsy shards of meringue. Would have liked more than a small quenelle of the ice cream to end an otherwise enjoyable dinner.<br/><br/>Would definitely recommend it!<br/>

This is the second establishment of chef James that we tried, and must say that the quality in both food and service is consistent throughout. Tonight we visited coobs for a special birtday celebration, which was made even more special by great food.<br/><br/>1st things 1ste, the decor. The restaurant looks fresh and interesting, not your typical decor, with strange mixes of material but it all worked, resulting in a very relaxing dining atmosphere. <br/><br/>The waitrons are knowledgeable, friendly and attentive, shout out to Dumi, who looked after us very well.<br/><br/>We started things of with some entrees, the game bird ravioli and asian shirt ribs. Both dishes incredibly well balanced and a great play on flavours. The short rib was incredibly soft and juicy which paired brilliantly with the baby carrots and the tart of the fruit puree, top notch rock star dish! The ravioli was very nice, the game bird was moist and paired great with the cream sauce, loved the type of deep fried leeks that were used as decoration, functional and delicious.<br/><br/>We decided to stick with the pasta for main course as it was home made. We had both the wild hog ragu and the burnt butter gnocchi. The ragu was devine, you can taste a bit of the wild still, and the tomato sauce did not over power the delicate pork, really well thought and well executed dish, the pasta was perfect and had the luxury of home made. The gnocchi dish is actually the reason for coobs not getting a 4.5. I really felt that it could have done with a squeeze of fresh lemon or if the mushrooms were pickled as this dish is just to rich to finish off, it lacked the cohesiveness and balance that we got to appreciate with the others.<br/><br/>Last round was desert, and wow! Look i am not a dessert person but even I absolutely devoured mine. We had the lemon meringue and stone fruit tart. The tart was moist and not overly sweet, the fruit purees, dried friut, wallnut ice cream and crumble was amazing and rounded the dish of to nearly flawless! The meringue was good, but a bit to sweet for my taste with the white chocolate. <br/><br/>So well done coobs, it was a great evening with us being transported to tastebud heaven.

Great setting sub standard food and overpriced. Not what we expected. Won't be back for a meal. My friend and I ordered the duck salad, there was barely any duck. I could count 4 tiny strips in a massive bed of greens, of what looked and tasted like biltong snaps. Rather unfortunate.

Had lunch on a Thursday afternoon so the restaurant was quiet. The food is simply amazing: very well seasoned dishes with great combinations of tastes, kept me wanting more and more. The dessert was absolutely lovely with care taken into the presentation and the different textures and tastes in the elements.

We really enjoyed our dinner at Coobs. Service was 100% professional and spot on: attentive without being in your face. Starters were very competent combo of flavoring and presentation. The carpaccio was really good without being memorable. I had duck for main while my wife had pork belly for mains. The pork was MEMORABLE ( tasty and tender) while the duck was really good. All in all a very creditable 4.8

I had a lovely dinner at Coobs the other night . It was lovely , I enjoyed the pork belly dish my friend had the steak and he enjoyed it ..<br/>Service was good .. great ambiance on a Friday by the patio . Parkhust is a gem... <br/>I was glad I finally tried Coobs.

Blown away by Coobs in Parkhurst! And, in a really, really good way!<br/><br/>A few days ago I posted about being super-disappointed with them earlier in the week. Long story short; it was a special occasion and we wanted a special table. Table 34. The table we sat at on one of our first dates (and many dates thereafter). All was confirmed but when we arrived someone was seated at the table. I politely cancelled the reservation as I wasn’t impressed with how it was dealt with in the moment but that’s water under the bridge. <br/><br/>I then posted on a foodie group on Facebook about the disappointing experience. Although I was not harsh and remained completely polite (despite the one keyboard warrior/internet troll that continued to comment on the post) I do admit i said I would never go back. Boy-oh-boy am I glad I didn’t follow through with that. <br/><br/>Decided to give them another try and I booked again for last night. The manager and I had a good laugh when I called and introduced myself as Wayne ‘the guy at the infamous table 34’. She remembered me and all was confirmed. <br/><br/>To my absolute surprise and delight the Owner and Chef James Diack, called me an hour after I made the reservation as he saw we booked a table. He insisted on a complimentary bottle of wine, which I assured him was not necessary. The phone call was enough and blew me away.<br/><br/>Upon arrival, believe it or not, the manager and I quite literally kissed-and-made-up. Well, hugged-and-made-up (not that there were any unpleasantries in any event). <br/><br/>The entire evening was awesome. The service spot-on. The food, excellent. And yes the most beautiful bottle of wine, compliments of Chef James. <br/><br/>Thanks for hosting us! It was great! Nice recovery!<br/><br/>We had the bone-marrow and fish-cakes entrees followed by the duck and pork belly for mains. And for dessert we shared the ‘Textures of Chocolate and Mint’. Wow. (We only took two pix. So annoyed)<br/><br/>Price: 10/10 (extremely reasonable considering the quality and attention-to-detail)<br/>Portions: 10/10 (they were huge)<br/>Taste and Presentation: 10/10 (I never denied that)<br/>Service 10/10 (I stand corrected)<br/><br/>Lessons to me learnt (well in my view anyway):<br/><br/>For myself; Forgive the faults<br/>For any restaurant; the small details matter. Also, recovery is everything!<br/>For the keyboard-warrior; be informed before passing judgment. Unplug your keyboard. <br/>For everyone on this group: Be nice to one another; tis your fellow human beings after all<br/><br/>PS: try the bone-marrow entree. The crunch of the toast with the delicate marrow will blow you away. (As will the entire menu to be honest)<br/><br/>Peace out

We had a great Saturday lunch here. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a bustling vibe for lunch, but I’d imagine there would be for dinner. Staff were super attentive and friendly. Our meals were all beautifully presented. Some of the flavors could have been improved as we weren’t blown away by everything. However, the duck samosa starter was a real highlight and definitely worth stopping in for just those! Overall, a good experience and I would definitely try it again for dinner.

Really beautiful decor and friendly efficient staff but wasn't really blown away by the food. It was pleasant but I expected more. Still tasty and a good night out.

Wonderful staff an easy ambience and an exciting menu. The food was truly creative and fantastic. The detail in creativity from the kitchen needs real credit. From the balsamic reduction with fresh Italian breads to the depth of sophistication of an old favourite the beef carpaccio. The pork belly five ways was remarkable as well as the rump which was seasoned and aged and cooked perfectly. Finally the deconstructed lemon meringue was real genius. Well done chefs.

This place is such a treat! <br/>Probably the best food I have ever had. <br/>Starters were Ricotta Arancini and lamb scotched egg - perfection! <br/>Mains were pork belly and fennel infused homemade pasta with Mussels, everything was so rich and so tasteful and flavorful. <br/>Dessert was white chocolate brûlée with beetroot and white chocolate ice cream, not my favorite thing in the whole world but that's just my personal taste. We also had the brown butter sponge with pineapple and cheesecake ice cream which was very nice! <br/>The presentation of the food is out of this world and everything is just perfect!

Locally sourced, seasonal food that's lovingly prepared by a great chef. I love how the menu changes with what ingredients are available. This is the best restaurant I've been to in Parkhurst.

Thumbs up for Coobs, Parkhurst. Really enjoyed the vegan option on their Spring menu: crispy chili and coriander tofu with glass noodles, veggies and coconut broth. I guess having more vegan options would assist toward 5/5, but impressed that they had something vegan at all, and it was yum.

I had the wild boar ragu which was fabulous. I had a really good meal and the service was very good. The rest of our party were not so enamoured with their meals. The curry was bit bland, duck dissapointing and the dessert was definitely disappointment unfortunately. I would go back because their menu is varied and I definitely want to try some of the other delicious sounding dishes.

Overall it was a fairly underwhelming experience here. The food was tasty, but for the price you pay in conjunction with the elaborate plating and menu description, you immediately have high expectations. <br/>Plating of food is beautiful. Service was great and atmosphere is lovely.

I've been wanting to try Coobs for a very long time, and the evening finally came!   <br/><br/> The restaurant is elegantly simple with some striking decor, and i'm in love with what looks like cork tables?! LOVE at first sight! <br/><br/>The service was spot on, with good attention to detail, both waiter and front of house were super professional and efficient, without being over the top, still providing us with enough privacy during the course of the evening.<br/><br/>Coobs has an impressive wine list and their menu offerings are varied and riveting. It was difficult to choose, as there were so many plates i wanted to try.<br/>Unfortunately, both myself and husband were a little dispirited with our mains, but our two friends enjoyed theirs.<br/><br/>I opted for the Pumpkin Panzerotti which is served with saffron creme, i found the dish very bland, and i could not taste any saffron. <br/>My husband had the Confit Pork Belly, he enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away by it.<br/>Our friends had the Beef Steak Cut which was cooked to perfection, and which had a beautiful jus.<br/><br/>I'm definitely going to be returning to Coobs though as they have plenty dishes which i want to ravish!

Eaten here a few times, and it's usually hit or miss. Thankfully, they've gotten it right more times than not. Expect rich, artfully plated food. The wait staff are excellent and well trained. It does feel a little over priced, but it is in the heart of Parkhurst.

I wouldn’t wish a fire on anybody’s business, but at least if we had been evacuated by a false alarm I wouldn’t have had to eat their food. The brightside salad looked silly and tasted worse. Poor service and poor food, definitely a miss.

Coobs was a warm, buzzing, friendly experience. We drank a couple of amazing pale ales and split a cheese platter, so it's not like we went overboard. Regardless, the staff were friendly and the atmosphere was homely like TV on your couch on a Sunday, while still being chandelier-classy.<br/><br/>Special props to the manager, Rachel, who gave us the full rundown of our deliciously stinky cheeses and held down the fort effortlessly the whole night.<br/><br/>Coobs: come for the atmosphere, stay for that cheese.

If you're able, come to Coobs, treat yourself, indulge in the delicious sustainable food, brilliant atmosphere and incredible staff. Looking around, everyone is having a great time. Not posting pictures of the food because it's all gone...

Great evening with friends, delicious food and wine. The pork belly was tender, wonderfully crispy crackling with perfectly complementary carrot puree. It did require a lot of salt as it was fairly under seasoned - the only negative. The definite winner of the night however was the seafood pasta in white wine cream sauce. The hostess was great and it's encouraging to eat at a truly sustainable restaurant. We will definitely be back.

Coobs never disappoints. I had Ravioli, which was on the specials' menu, for my main and deconstructed lemon meringue for dessert. The food was just delicious and the service great. I highly recommend it!

Awesome experience for my birthday! Delicious food and great staff! I have always walked and driven past Coobs going to the more known places i.e. Hudsons etc. but this was a treat! Out of the 8 family I had with me, not a single complaint about the food or the service!

Amazing ambience , great service and even better food! was a great Tuesday out on the town would definitely recommend the signature dish, I am grateful for the different flavors of the food and the dimensions, well thought through and tested <br/>

Coobs is warm and inviting...you can see that a lot of thought has gone into the decor and setting...service was also excellent. <br/>For mains I had the fillet with bearnaise sauce crispy quail egg and deep fried bone marrow...I enjoyed it, especially the bearnaise sauce which accompanied the steak perfectly. <br/>For dessert I had the textures of chocolate and orange...of course I luv'd it cos I luv chocolate desserts; the orange added a lovely variation!

I came here on a Friday evening for a friend's birthday. I actually made the booking via Zomato. It was my first time making a booking via Zomato, it was quick and easy.<br/><br/>I didn't know what to make of the menu as the description of the meals looked unfamiliar. I ordered my starter and main from the special menu of the day. For a starter I had the beef samosas. Presentation was everything. They were well packed with shredded beef. Most samosas have a bunch of fillers and barely any meat, this was not the case at Coobs. For the main I had beef ravioli. I was concerned on the portion size especially since the waiter informed me I would only get 6 ravioli's in the dish. To my surprise they were huge. The pasta was packed with shredded gras fed beef. They were topped with crispy capers that provided a salty element all in a tasty marinara or pasta sauce that wasn't too sweet or too sour. Needless to say I was filled from my main. All pasta is made in-house. Perusing the menu you'll see words like "free-range" or "grass fed" which is comforting to know that most of the ingredient are organic.<br/><br/>The service was exceptional. The waiter was attentive and present. The restaurant manager kept checking in on us and even gave us free glasses of champagne to celebrate my friend's birthday. <br/><br/>I didn't really focus too much on the decor and sat outside so I cannot comment on that.<br/><br/>I will definitely be back.

Definitely a favorite! Bring everyone who travels to Johannesburg here. Everything is tasty. Attention to detail outstanding and I suggest speaking to the sommelier for some wine suggestions too !

This afternoon I visited Coobs in Parkhurst for a birthday lunch. I absolutely loved it, the food was amazing and no one had complaints. The service was great as the waiters are always there to assist and food & drinks take a reasonable amount of time to arrive.<br/><br/>Besides the great food and service, the vibe of the restaurant is smart casual enhanced with the outside cool artsy vibrancy of Parkhurst. <br/>I would suggest Coobs as a late lunch or dinner place if you are in the mood for more of a formal casual setting than the usual casual place. <br/><br/>Coobs failed to disappoint me and I had a lovely time and I strongly suggest it!

Booking our table over the phone was an absolute breeze, and thenperson over the phone was so very nice! Incredible service, amazing food and such a lovely atmosphere! Cannot wait to return!! Thank you guys!!

Not the best place for a meal. Flavours bland or don't match. The menu sounds interesting but what is received on the plate is nothing out of the ordinary.

Visited coobs on a Friday afternoon for a birthday lunch. The restaurant is located on the popular restaurant strip 4th avenue, in Parkhurst, that houses other favourites Craft and Cafe del Sol. The decor is splendid, minimalist but classic with green leafy walls against the wooden backdrop. At 1pm the restaurant was a little bit quiet with only a few other tables occupied and no music played. The music was a bit of a let down as it was eerily silent however they soon put it on which brought the place some life. The food. The menu offers a variety of choices with a wide pasta selection and some classic mains to choose from. I struggled between the duck and the pork belly but settled on the pork as I wasn't too keen on the curry for duck. The pork was delicious, a little sweet but I don't mind sweet. My partner had the duck and having tried a little I was quite happy with my choice. We shared the lemon sponge for dessert and it was disappointing, the sponge was a little dry and crumbled, no moisture and the curd too sweet. The service was okay, our waiter wasn't particularly enthusiastic especially given the celebration but the manager did come over to wish us well. We had made our reservation via Zomato and it was confirmed almost immediately, a first for me and I loved the convenience. Would definitely return and definitely recommend you try Coobs.

THIS place just gets better and better.<br/>Service is excellent!<br/>Waiters and staff very knowledgeable and very friendly. <br/>Food of high standards<br/>Yip, COOPS, you rock!<br/>Huge respect..<br/>Keep it UP (which I know you will)<br/>

Date night with the Mrs. Coobs Supper Club was the venue of choice and boy were we not dissappointed. We were warmly greeted by Marcy at the door who then extended her hand when introdrucing herself. Very nice touch. Our waiter, Dumi, was attentive and we were well looked after. The mrs had the roast chicken with garlic puree and i had the confit duck leg with truffle potato bake. Food was outsanding. Coobs has a fresh, fantastic looking menu definitely wanting us to come and try again. Coobs, you beauty.

The food here is amazing - a mouthwatering taste adventure. Try 3 courses with no substitutions and enjoy. <br/><br/>The staff is friendly is service is very good. However, I'd prefer more comfortable eating but I'll definitely be back!

I had never heard anything much about Coobs before being invited for a dinner with some friends. However, it is a real gem on the Parkhurst strip and offers a more quiet fine dining alternative to many other restaurants in that area. The food was fantastic and the service very friendly and efficient and I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a date night or special occasion.

Still the five star place we always rely on. In this town of new places popping up every second day with everyone rushing to go there - and generally all they have to offer is their novelty - Its so funny how some of the established places weather the storm of the fickleness and just never get it wrong . Coobs is just such a place . It's long been our favourite restaurant , and always lives up to our expectations . The exciting wine list, the constantly updated menu , the top notch staff - reliably five star every time . <br/>Sometimes we pop in for a glass of wine and a quick pasta . We always gather here on celebration days . The wild boar ragu will ALWAYS be one of our favourites and there is no doubt they serve the perfect risotto . Best in town . Hands down .

The restaurant was not busy but the service was extremely slow. When the food finally came, one of the steaks was well done but we had ordered medium rare. After the meal the waiter rushed us to settle the bill. A really disappointing experience

Definitely one of my favourite restaurants in Joburg, Coobs consistently delivers. 75% of their ingredients are sourced from their organic farm in the Magaliesburg which ensures that you get fresh, free range produce that just tastes better.<br/><br/>My all time favourite here is their pork belly which I order everytime I go, but have tried lots of other menu items too, which change according to season availability. <br/><br/>Be sure to book as they can get very busy, and if not too cold, ask for a table outside.

Our waiter always served us with a smile and was very attentive. The food was cooked perfectly and was as exquisite in presentation as it was in taste. Coobs delivered in every respect. I highly recommend the braised duck leg main.

Located in the very trendy and urban parkhurst, my friends and I really did have a fantastic dinner here. <br/><br/>Coobs is well known on the foodie roadmap and it's genuinely easy to understand why. The restaurant itself is finished with wood and Astro turf which gives a great modern, but not overly so, feel. For starters we had the pork cheek which was absolutely smashing. Bring my a cup of that sauce and I'll honestly die a happy man just drinking that. For main course I had the pork belly and my fiancé the peri peri chicken. For me these dishes were a bit of a let down because at that price you're expecting something special but I simply felt like they tried to hard and the flavor overly dominated or complicated one another (peri peri in the chicken and the apple in the mash of the pork). Dessert was properly good with an epic amount of chocolate. A shout out must go to whoever assembled the wine list. An array of non-mainstream delicious wines, and some I'd never heard of. We ended up having 4 different amazing bottles. <br/><br/>Overall we had a great time and our friends really did enjoy the food. I've marked the restaurant down as I didn't feel the spark I would want for a restaurant charging these prices. Also I honestly felt like the main courses were made by a chef trying too hard to be edgy and different. Nothing wrong with simplicity if you nail it.

Super pleasant. Nice to see a good wine list that doesn't rely on South African wines only. Service sharp and efficient. If you're a veggie, you have multiple starter and main options - almost unheard of in Jozi today! <br/>Hubster said octopus starter was exceptional. My zucchini flower in tempura was good, if badly under-seasoned. <br/>Hubby' pork belly looked great but the apple purée was a little pasty. My own imam bayildis was absolutely sensational and I could have another plate without batting an eyelid. Two separate caramel desserts were beautifully presented but lacked flavour. <br/>Hostess / floor manager was very visible and attentive and it made all the difference.<br/><br/><br/><br/>

Excellent, food is excellent and presentation amazing. Definitely if you like a restaurant a bit more up without going excessive this is the place to go.

My husband and I went to Coobs for our anniversary lunch on 12 Feb after reading and hearing great reviews. <br/>We were left bitterly disappointed. I ordered the duck salad which was pretty tasteless and the duck was dry. It was not inedible but certainty not worth the premium price. My husband's food was alright- not anything great. For dessert, I ordered the chocolate chard. I had to send it back because it was completely inedible, which is so rare for a dessert especially a chocolate one. The tuille was burnt, the mousse had the texture of split cream and everything else on the plate was inconsequential. The crème caramel was okay but again not worth the money you pay. <br/>I can't express the disappointment I feel at this experience. Especially considering the premium one pays for a meal you expect to be at least delicious, if not spectacular.

We arrived for our reservation an hour and a half late but were still treated with such care and respect. The portions were generous and cooked to perfection. Waiters weren't as attentive as I would've liked them to be. Their non-alcoholic drinks menu is also quite restricted. A relaxed evening with a great ambience- smiles all around!

Civilized dining in an upmarket setting. <br/>Lurv the online booking system - so efficient; and the fact that 80% of the food is grown on the owner's farm in the Magaliesberg and that the rest is responsibly sourced; and that the owner is the chef and was around to tell us these facts; and that my line fish was outstanding! And Sam's taglialini with prawns and cherry tomatoes was delicious. Debbie was sick. She couldn't taste her chicken but the chili made her cough and David - well, he really liked the lamb curry but said the accompanying pancakes and slaw didn't marry well with the curry. <br/>Fabulous wine list and R70 corkage for our Raats Red Jasper 2010 which went fabulously with everything.

Been hearing about Coobs for a while and decided to try it out on a Saturday night. It's a cozy well lit space in Parkhurst, great for a date or just "dinner with the girls" The service was really good and the food exquisite. I really don't have any complains here. Tried the Pork Belly option, and my friend had a burger which he enjoyed entirely. I'm definitely paying this place another visit soon.

I had an awful experience! an arrogant chef who doesn't care about the customers experience is never attractive, couple with a terrible front of house manager. A restaurant is never going to succeed without customers and the most important lesson in customer service is 'the customer is always right!!'. the customer is paying therefore if the customer asks for an ingredient to be removed it is the restaurants responsibility to oblige. In addition it is exceptionally rude to respond and ask "why don't you want it". I am the paying customer i don't need to have a reason to have something removed. <br/>i will never return to a restaurant that has such a bad attitude to customer service!!! I didn't order anything as i couldn't find anything i wanted that didn't require me to take an ingredient away and the manager did not even come to ask why i wasn't eating. they did not care that i was dissatisfied!!!

Thank you for a wonderful evening last night at Coobs! Our first visit and we cannot wait to come back. We all loved our main courses - ribeye, roast chicken, tagliatelle and gnocchi. The desserts were spectacular - the fudge sundae and the chocolate log. A beautiful ambience sitting outside on a stunning summer's evening on the Parkhurst strip. I would score a perfect 5 but the waiter was a bit absent, and he lacked knowledge of the food when we asked him his opinion to assist us with choices. He admitted it was his first night so he does need some training but he was a real sweetie. The lady owner/manager was brilliant.

Fantastic place, great environment. The food looked unbelievable, both of our starters were slightly bland and hubbies pulled pork was a bit oily. Service was good and the restaurant very clean and crisp. It was very over priced for the portion sizes

Coobs is one of my absolute favourites. I love their food philosophy. Simple, well thought out menu. Have never had a bad experience at this restaurant. Very attentive staff and owner. Really like that they have a seasonal menu & the music is also good!

Parkhurst makes one feel so spoiled for choice, if one restaurant happens to be fully booked you're likely to find an equally fabulous option right next door. <br/><br/>Coobs has wonderful service, lovely wine selection and certainly an apparent never disappointing menu - their butternut risotto which I only managed to have once was incredibly well made. Unfortunately on subsequent visits I wasn't able to order it again as the risotto of the day always varies. My then go to option became the Asian tofu salad, which quite frankly could be really delicious if they happened to have soy sauce available as a dressing - as opposed to a rather dubious creamy looking dressing - which I certainly never choose. It could also be a bit better with the addition of ginger! <br/><br/>That being said, I still love my experience at Coobs each time, it is the perfect place for a long boozy lunch.

It's a great restaurant especially if you looking for chef prepared food. I have been at coobs on than 2 occasion and received great service.

A wonderful experience overall. <br/><br/>I came here on a date and and the atmosphere was perfect for such — low key lighting, trendy/progressive decor and excellent friendly service staff. <br/><br/>From the perspective of the food, there aren't many vegetarian mains options, but the mushroom risotto starter I had was very filling, and the flavour unique unlike any risotto I've ever had. <br/><br/>We had white peach and passion fruit parfait for dessert which was slightly underwhelming, but still delicious nonetheless. <br/><br/>With the bill, you get these cute house-made caramelized sweets which are very delicious and made the whole experience even better. <br/><br/>I highly recommend Coobs, especially for an intimate dining experience. <br/><br/>

Chef James Diack has mastered the art of fine dining with an organic conscience at Coobs by Edward Chamberlain-Bell #DineJoziStyleCoobs @CoobsParkhurst. Chef James Diack has mastered the art of fine dining with an organic conscience at Coobs. Rest assured that if an ingredient listed on the menu is not available, then it is either not in season nor is it fit to be served at Coobs. James boasts a broad smile as he says that he would sooner substitute an ingredient than use anything that wasn’t organically grown and sustainably harvested.

Rest assured that if an ingredient listed on the menu is not available, then it is either not in season nor is it fit to be served at Coobs. James boasts a broad smile as he says that he would sooner substitute an ingredient than use anything that wasn't organically grown and sustainably harvested.<br/><br/>I get the impression that it's a challenge he looks forward to presenting itself in the kitchen as it would challenge his culinary prowess to create spectacular dishes on the last minute whim of his harvest.<br/><br/>Harvest his own produce he does; 75% of ingredients come from his family's organic farm ‘Brightside’ in the Magaliesburg, as James enjoys having his hands thick in the (organic) dirt where he takes pleasure in knowing where his food is coming from. Anything that he cannot source from Brightside is sourced from reliable local suppliers he trusts.<br/><br/>We play by God’s rules with regards to what ingredients we’re able to use and if we don’t think we’re able to do a certain dish well, then we just don’t do it.<br/><br/>Chef James Diack | Coobs<br/><br/>One minor inconvenience of relying upon Mother Nature for sustainable produce is that she can be equally temperamental and inconsistent with her bounty, less convenient than a 24 hour supermarket that sells bags of iceberg lettuce 365 days a year, and she's not always going to deliver on demand. Like most mothers, Mother Nature gives you what she's got, and you will either like it or leave it.<br/><br/>Chef James invited #DineJoziStyle to preview his new winter menu menu at Coobs.<br/><br/>Starters<br/><br/>Slow braise suffolk lamb shoulder served with a truffle infused arancini, minted broad bean puree and radish and micro leaf salad.<br/><br/>Coobs Bouillabaise – monk fish, prawns, mussels, and a crispy calamari served in a tomato pernod and fennel bulb ragu.<br/><br/>Crispy coated creamy polenta served with chared aubergine puree, tahini yogurt pomegranate, swiss chard and pine nuts.<br/><br/>Chicken liver parfait served with port braised red cabbage, candied watermelon, warm chutney and a homemade melba toast.<br/><br/>Mains<br/><br/>Carbonara served with free range deep fried, confit egg yolk, crispy wild boar bacon and freshly grated parmesan.<br/><br/>Confit pork belly served with roasted apple, pomme anna, craft beer battered onion rings, bacon crumble and a brandy jus.<br/><br/>Porcini crusted slow braised lamb terrine served with pumpkin puree, kimchi, chared baby onions and a minted, sherry jus.<br/><br/>Turkish style roasted aubergine served with crispy fried, masala dusted tofu, tomato and onion garum sauce and a micro salad.<br/><br/>Dessert<br/><br/>Chocolate plate – chocolate mousse, warm chocolate brownie, toasted marshmallow and choc-chip nutella ice-cream and dulce de leche.<br/><br/>Lemon curd brulee koeksister ice cream and candied citrus.<br/><br/>This is a preview of his early winter menu which is lighter than his late winter menu.<br/><br/>               <br/><br/>Starters included braised lamb shoulder, bouillabaise, or chicken liver parfait. Vegetarians had a polenta dishes available to them.<br/><br/>I ordered the chicken liver parfait because I have a weakness for anything dippy with something crispy. The parfait was a delight as it married the richness of pate with the lightness of mousse without being overtly liverish. Chef James served port braised red cabbage, candied watermelon, and warm chutney as playful complements or contrasts to his chicken liver parfait. The astringency of the cabbage brought vibrancy, the chutney added spice, followed by the sweetness of the candied watermelon to take your taste-buds full-circle through the flavour wheel underpinned by a delicate parfait that stood its ground as the axis of this culinary roundabout.<br/><br/>Melba toast serves two functions alongside pate; both as a serving vessel and a textural element, but I preferred to eat my chicken liver parfait at Coobs with a fork to fully enjoy the texture and flavours without the earth shattering crunch of the toast. It was sublime.<br/><br/>Don't be intimidated to order a parfait off a savoury menu as it is a finely strained pate, often milder in flavour, smoother in texture, and very refined.<br/><br/>You could also enjoy the accompaniments in any order according to your personal taste. It's a clever dish in its playfulness.<br/><br/>If you're morally opposed to eating candied watermelon, like I am, just add a drop of the syrup to appreciate the sweeter side of the liver parfait. I did.<br/><br/>Between the ten of us dining #JoziStyle, we all ordered an even selection of the starters without any complaints and silent appreciation which I always think is a good sign that the food is too good to be ruined by conversation. The slow braised Suffolk lamb shoulder would have been my second choice for the evening; not least of all because of the minted broad bean puree and radish and micro leaf salad, but I thought it was the best looking dish of all the starters. The Coobs Bouillabaisse with Pernod and fennel sounds like a flavour combination that deserves a return.<br/><br/>I generally avoid carbs- to the best of my ability, but the fact that the polenta was crispy 'n golden made me wonder if I could be tempted... but probably not, but I could be sorely tempted by the combination of pine nuts, tahini, and charred aubergine.<br/><br/>Mains <br/><br/>#DineJoziStyle is usually a collaboration between the restaurant, their PR, and myself, to create the ultimate opportunity for #DineJoziStylers to experience what the restaurant wants to showcase. Usually I prefer a selection of starter portions to sample a wider selection of dishes, but Chef James preferred a more relaxed approach that allowed everyone to order their choice of mains to eat whatever appealed to them most, and experience his portions, and relax - it was a dining experience, not a expo.<br/><br/>We all (mostly) ordered the confit pork belly served with roasted apple, pomme anna, craft beer battered onion rings, bacon crumble and a brandy jus.<br/><br/>Pork, brandy and apples are trouble just waiting to happen in the kitchen, add some bad-boy beer battered onion rings with some bacon crumble ... you know this is not going to be a dish for the faint-hearted. #DineJoziStyle likes trouble, so we all ordered it!<br/><br/>This was not pub & grub fare: expect an elegantly executed pork belly that was more pork than belly.<br/><br/>Chef James rendered a lot of the fat out of the pork belly to produced a meaty dish that was succulent without being fatty - in fact, I thought that the pomme anna was richer than the pork so that one appreciated the full flavour of the pork positioned against the richness of the potato. I love when chefs turn the expected into the unexpected.<br/><br/>Pork lends itself so well to fruit because it is sweeter than most meats; and because it is fattier too, the acidity of fruit adds contrast and balance. Add some brandy to the mix and you have a dish that combines richness, depth and flavour.<br/><br/>Chef James adds a few cheffy touches by serving the pork crackling separately on the plate and an upright beer battered onion ring. Neither flourishes are entirely necessary, but he's demonstrating his creative flair and technical skill - and who said sustainably sourced, organic food couldn't also have some savoir faire?<br/><br/>I think everyone was so caught up with their crackling that nobody noticed if anyone had the carbonara with confit duck and egg yolk wild boar bacon, Porcini crusted lamb terrine or the Turkish style roasted aubergine. It was, to quote a poor turn of phrase, finger licking good!<br/><br/>Dessert<br/><br/>Of the two desserts to preview from Chef James' new winter menu: the chocolate plate was an instantly accessible, crowd pleasing exploration of chocolate flavours and textures through a mousse, brownie, toasted marshmallow, dulce de leche and ice-cream - but I opted for the road less traveled, and opted for the lemon curd brulee, koeksister ice cream and candied citrus.<br/><br/>I don't know why, but I decided that if Chef James was going to push the culinary envelope, why shouldn't I?<br/><br/>Firstly, in my opinion, there is only one way to make a creme brulee, and that's simply with vanilla and cream. Keep it creamy, velvety and simple to showcase the subtly of the ingredients. Combining creamy and citrus is easily one of my least favourite combinations. Factor a coarse koeksister into a smooth ice-cream, and I assumed I was about to experience the kind of dessert that wasn't going to go down without some objection.<br/>The creme brulee is neither sweet nor tart but a velevety smooth lemon creme. The caramelised topping was easily overlooked as it as a razor thin sugar crisp - not a thick wedge of caramelised sugar, but a truly wonderful testament to how sugar should be caramelized on top of a creme brulee.<br/><br/>Personal Aside: The caramelized topping of a creme brulee has never appealed to me as I've never enjoyed the juxtaposition of hard shards of sugar against the smoothness of the custard. I loved the razor crispness of James' creme brulee as the caramel melted in your mouth on a second's notice.<br/><br/>The candied citrus provided a fruity explosion of acidity and sweetness that was mellowed by the creme brulee. It's not the combination of flavours that appeal to me personally, but it is a wonderfully wicked dish of deliberate contradictions that somehow work. It's probably too technical for its own good as a dessert, but one cannot deny that it is a clever construction that warrants intellectual consideration. It reminded me of a quote that a theatre director once made: Theatre doesn't happen in the theatre, it happens when you leave. A month later, I am still trying to get my head around James' lemon curd brulee, koeksister ice cream and candied citrus. I may need to return to try it again.<br/><br/>The koeksister ice-cream? A wonderfully smooth ice-cream that was reminiscent of warm spices that held its own against the acidity of the fruit and added a sweeter note to creme brulee.<br/><br/>James paired his dishes with a selection of wines that he complemented his dishes; namely, Lovemore's Haarlem to Hope, Eenzaamheid's Cinsaut and Gabrielskloof's The Blend. I started on a dry local MCC, Le Lude, which I stuck to with all my courses. Moira de Swardt shares more information about the wine served at #DineJoziStyleCoobs.<br/><br/>Dining at Coobs is a magical experience. It is certainly indicative of its eclectic chef's personality who likes to add a mischievous twist to his menu. Food is plated artfully and generously without being pretentious - Chef James keeps his menu rustic to reflect his source but adds a few creative flourishes to remind you that real food deserves fine presentation.<br/><br/>Selected images courtesy of guests & Johnathan Andrews Photography.

Fantastic unpretentious place with really creative and inventive food. Great service and relaxed vibe. Been back a few times. Excellent wine list.

Omg omg omg !!!!!!!! Obsessed!!! <br/>It was my birthday and I booked through zomato table bookings. They gave me the table inside, beautifully decorated. The drinks menu was quite a good offering.<br/>Now for the food.... omg the fooooood!!!!!! <br/>I had the carpaccio and the arancini balls 😱 love! <br/>And that's that... cheers <br/>For mains I had the bbq pulled duck 😱 again love!!!<br/>

What an absolutely superb evening spent at Coobs last night with Chef James Diack presenting his creative and beautifully presented dishes.. <br/><br/>But, first a bit about Coobs and its ethos. Coobs sources their produce from organic farms to create unique bistro-style food, a job that they take very seriously before endorsing the products. Mrs Diack told me last night that 75% of their ingredients come from their very own organic farm ‘Brightside’ in the Magaliesburg and of that, she is incredibly proud! <br/><br/>Full review to follow but I could not resist sharing the incredible five courses that we enjoyed (with comprehensive and unique wine pairings to match):1. Crispy squid ink gnocci, homemade chorizo, poached duck egg and broad bean served with a calamari wafer, bread discs, and a garlic aioli <br/>2. Lamb Pastilla served with lemon preserve, and tahini yoghurt <br/>3. Tomato based prawn and asparagus fettucine served with organic asparagus and fresh rocket <br/>4. Korean style BBQ duck served with udon noodles topped with a soft poached egg, crispy kale and a chilli lime sauce <br/>5. Fudge Sundae: homemade dulce ice cream topped with vanilla fudge, candied nuts and creamy toasted marshmellow <br/><br/>Watch this space..<br/> <br/><br/>For more, find me on Instagram & Twitter: LaurasWorldza

Where do I begin? A romantic evening became a culinary adventure at Coobs in Parkhurst. The ambience provides a gentle glow and the perfect backdrop. We were greeted with friendly efficient service of the highest calibre. <br/><br/>We each ordered starters, main courses and desserts and shared, so as to taste as much as possible. The portion sizes were perfect as were the blends of earthy natural elements to each dish. The chocolate log will make you rethink your life. <br/><br/>In short, a spectacular experience.

Wonderful experience last night enjoying the Christmas lights experience of 4th Ave. Food and service was at an exceptional standard. Loved the Korean BBQ duck and noodle dish. Something different for me and really enjoyed the full flavors and fresh combination. Thanks team Coobs.

Came by Coobs for dinner on a cold and rainy night. The menu is small and seasonal and makes use of locally sourced ingredients. On my last trip I tried the lamb which was hearty and delicious. Coobs is one of the few ling standing restaurants on the Parkhurst strip as they serve up consistently good food.

Food is absolutely delicious! My starter and dessert were my favourite, my main was good but a bit too rich for me. Excellent service. Will definitely be going back👌

I have been wanting to go to Coobs for the longest of times and finally got a chance to go with 2 friends.<br/>We were seated outside, a good choice for summer, and got the full effect of the vibey 4th avenue in park hursrt.<br/><br/>Service was really good , from an attentive front of house to a waiter who was knowledge about the menu. Their summer menu has some great sounding dishes , but I finally settled on the sage infused parpadelle with crispy bacon and organic pumpkin. Parpadelle is not usually my favourite pasta , but this was amazing. Both of my friends ordered the Alfredo fettuccine, I had a taste and it was really good.<br/>Their home made pasta is skillfully made and cooked perfectly too.<br/><br/>Presentation of dishes was phenomenal, never eaten a pasta dish so pretty! Portions are also pretty decent -you're not going to go home hungry or feeling like you did not get your money's worth.<br/><br/>Having heard really good things about their beautiful desserts, the 3 of us shared the chocolate log dessert. Decadent , but perfectly balanced elements. We barely finished the portion between us, so sharing a dessert here is a good idea.<br/><br/>Only things I can fault them on are minimal,<br/>We had no salt and pepper on our table and has to ask for them once our food had been served. As for the food itself, I found some of the bacon bits to be really over fatty which was quite unappetising. Also , wish the sage flavour in the pasta came through a little bit more than it did.<br/><br/>Overall, very happy with my dining experience at coobs and would highly recommend going.