Dinner Recommendation: 10 Degrees South

Chances are, you’ve whizzed past the small bungalow on Roswell Road and spotted the sign – South African cuisine. What is that anyway? Don’t pass by it again if you’re looking for a tasty, inventive menu – a fusion of South African, Portuguese, French, Dutch and lots of Mediterranean (healthy and delicious) influences. It’s delicious, lively and fun with a hoppin’ bar scene, too.

How fun for us that we went with a professional hunter who has spent years in South Africa and many satisfied hours in Johannesburg restaurants. The menu was familiar to him so he navigated five of us through the small plates – appetizing and filling enough so that we never progressed to the entrees.

Here’s what we especially liked:

Bobotie Spring Rolls (my personal favorite, so tasty)
Sweet ground beef curry, served with chutney

Boerewors
Lean beef sausage served with a side of
tomato/onion sauce

Biltong (the he-man hunters in our group liked this but it’s not for me)
Cured beef slices

Chicken Livers (many swoons over this)
Sautéed in a peri-peri sauce (spicy ) served with
fresh bread

Prawns (if you order these, be sure to ask for them grilled)
Two giant prawns marinated Portuguese
peri- peri style

Mussels (an unusually creamy and heavenly sauce with these)
Sautéed in garlic and finished with white
wine and cream

Sosaties (quite tender and delicious)
Skewered beef filet marinated and topped with a sweet
apricot curry sauce

Lollipop Lamb Chops (oh, yes, don’t miss these!)
Two lamb chops served over mashed potatoes

If all that doesn’t fill you up, there is plenty more to choose from:
Rump Steak, Filet “Au Poivre,” Rack of Lamb, Ostrich Medallions, and Chicken Curry.

Décor is African – art work and baskets creatively framed and displayed – and service is crisp and friendly. Definitely put this on your list of spots to hit.

4183 Roswell Road (near the Pike Nursery, north of Buckhead); (404) 705-8870 or www.10degreessouth.com.

-- Susan Soper