Hippo Creek African Grill

"...More than just great steaks!"

BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL to reserve a table at this popular restaurant overlooking the boardwalk at Hillarys Marina. Originally situated in Scarborough seating only 80 diners, the old Hippo Creek had a reputation for serving fantastic steaks and having to ring well in advance to book a table.

The new Hillarys venue opened in November, and seats 160 inside, as well as around 50 outside. The décor, despite being modern and funky, retains an unmistakably African theme. Doors open from 10am till midnight, seven days a week, for lunch and dinner as well as for breakfast on weekends.

Restaurateurs Gareth and Nadine Simpson have taken the original concept of a South African Steakhouse to new heights, creating a unique dining experience sure to satisfy even the hungriest of appetites. The servings are generous, but quality has not been sacrificed for quantity, consisting of only Meat Standards Australia Grade grass and 120day grain fed Black Angus beef.

Head Chef Adam Bastin brought out the first dish for us to try: Crocodile Tail Fillet - marinated, char-grilled, served with julienne vegetables and tagliatelle pasta in a citrus cream sauce. This dish consisted of two tender cross-cut squares of tastily marinated and grilled crocodile meat, sitting on a dish filled with ribbons of pasta and veggie strips, in a scrumptious, creamy sauce that sparkled with orange and lemon zest. These citrus tones were reflected well by the Nederburg Chardonnay, a perfect match for the dish.

Next came the Lions Kill - 350 grams of flame-grilled Black Angus Sirloin steak, plus a large slab of pork spareribs, served with chunky chips and a bowl of "monkey gland" dipping sauce. Don't let the name put you off - there aren't really any monkey body parts involved here - it's a tart, fruity chutney-ish sauce made from fruits which monkeys are known to be particularly fond of, and it really enhanced both types of meat as well as the chips. The Rosily Cabernet Sauvignon worked well with this dish, refining and enhancing the flavours of the meats. The dish was essentially up-market BBQ fare - a great one for meat-lovers and a good dish to share with a friend.

The next dish was Botswana Beef - beef fillet marinated in beer, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and chilli, char-grilled to medium and served on mash with grilled tomato and courgettes, finished with a red wine jus. Presented attractively as a stack, the meat was melt-in-the-mouth tender and very flavoursome, the mash, tomato and courgettes were truly delicious, and the Pepperjack Shiraz we had with it was reflected nicely in the jus. This was a fantastic dish and far more to my taste than the Lions Kill, being a better balance of meat to veg.

Our final dish was the Hunter's Assaghai - a long skewer hanging on a stand with 500 grams marinated rump steak impaled on it, dripping with spicy peri-peri and garlic infused butter, suspended over a plate of chunky chips - a real carnivore's heaven! We enjoyed a delightful drop of Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon with this, which was a very nice mellow red that didn't fight the peri-peri.

I can see how Hippo Creek got its reputation, and I would certainly recommend this restaurant to all except maybe strict vegetarians. If you like steak, you will love what they do with it here. There is plenty of parking available at Sorrento Quay, and just a short stroll down the boardwalk takes you to a steakhouse with a difference, where the food is fabulous, the service is good, and the ambience is truly delightful.

By Georgina Goss