Lunch at La Cucina Di Ciro

A friend hosted her birthday lunch at La Cucina Di Ciro in Parktown North a little while ago. It was the perfect place to spend a Saturday afternoon. Sitting under the trees with a cool breeze blowing through (Yes this was before the cold front hit Jozi). The service is friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. The chef comes out to tell each table what the specials are, this is a great typically Italian touch. We arrived a little late for lunch, so we took our waiter's suggestion and ordered mains and dessert at once.

I had the deboned confit duck with black cherry reduction, absolutely sublime! Crispy skin and tender flesh. The slightly sweet sour cherry sauce created a great balance to the crispy savoury, perfectly seasoned duck. It is one of the best lunch items I've had this year.

For everything the confit duck was, the dessert wasn't.  I opted to have the taster of desserts. The brownie was rich and chocolatey, the cardamom pannacotta was fragrant and spicy. Now the macaroon on the other hand was an absolute disgrace, it required a good banging of the spoon to cut through it and after all that work I didn't even have the will to taste it.

Friends had the apple cake and loved it! So next time I'm going for a clear choice and not this I want everything taster.

La Cucina Di Ciro

43 7th Avenue, Parktown North

0114425187

Best for:  Date night, it's quiet and intimate. Perfect for a romantic dinner, I recommend it to friends for date night all the time.

Not sold on: The dessert taster trio

Will come back for: The deboned duck served with a black cherry sauce