The Bull Run in Sandton in South Africa is a restaurant that should have been included with the Great Johannesburg Steak-Out that featured The Grillhouse versus The Butcher Shop & Grill, as it could definitely hold its own against those steakhouses.
The Bull Run in Sandton in South Africa: Restaurant Review
This is actually a vintage review of The Bull Run, as the logo has changed and the restaurant had undergone a complete renovation since I dined there.
The Balalaika Hotel and Crown Court was actually the Protea Hotel Balalaika Sandton, which has since been acquired by Marriott International, Incorporated and is now officially known as the Protea by Marriott Hotel Johannesburg Balalaika Sandton. This hotel property is where The Bull Run is located.
The name The Bull Run is a play on the stock exchanges, as a bull run is a term which means “a period of rising prices, on the financial market.” As The Bull Run opened its doors on Saturday, October 28, 2000 in the ever-growing and bustling financial district of Sandton in the Johannesburg metropolitan area, the name — and its theme when perusing the menu — are quite appropriate.
The inside of the restaurant was part of the extensive renovation and no longer looks like what appears in the photograph above. Still, I wanted to dine al fresco for lunch and the restaurant was not busy; so my request for a table outside was promptly accommodated.
The condiments on the table included a bottle of All Gold tomato sauce — which is the equivalent of sorts to ketchup — a jar of Colman’s original hot English mustard, and a bottle of Tokara balsamic vinegar.
That summer day in early March was warm enough to warrant a refreshing bottle of water, on which the label had the logo and information of the restaurant printed on it.
Minutes later, I was served a basket with a couple of rolls and butter. They were good and whet my appetite as I waited for my meal, which was a beef fillet that weighed 300 grams — which is almost 10.6 ounces — and mashed potatoes.
While I waiting for my meal after ordering it, a waiter came by with two plates for a couple who was seated near me. On each plate was a hamburger, which looked and smelled incredible enough for me to wonder if I should have ordered a hamburger instead of a steak. For me to even think that attests to how incredible those hamburgers seemed to me.
My order arrived at the table. The beef fillet was cooked just the way I liked it. It was flavorful, tender, and succulent. The mashed potatoes had a somewhat overwhelming dairy note for my taste and were slightly runnier than I would have preferred; but the drippings from the meat significantly helped to compensate for that. The tomato had no blemishes on it.
As the above photograph shows, I completely cleaned my plate. The meal was indeed satisfying. The quality of the beef in South Africa can rival that of Argentina — if not at least be a runner-up to it — in my opinion.
Final Boarding Call
I unfortunately did not post this restaurant review in a timely manner, as many things have indeed changed since I dined there; so please pardon my mis-steak…
…but the fact that the meal is still memorable to me compelled me to finally write it. The outdoor area was part of the extensive renovation and does not have all of the greenery in front, which did result in the entrance to the restaurant being slightly difficult to find.
I remember thinking to myself that the steak at The Bull Run was almost of the caliber of The Grillhouse and The Butcher Shop & Grill — but I would not be the least bit surprised if the food actually improved, as The Bull Run restaurant seems to now be more upscale than when I last visited several years ago.
See also
Do not let that intimidate you from dining there, though: that 300 gram fillet currently costs 320 South African rand. Translation: a steak that weighs almost 10.6 ounces costs almost $17.00 in United States dollars — and a side dish and bread are included in the price. Although I do not remember how much I actually paid for my meal, that is still a bargain, in my opinion.
If you find yourself in Sandton — or even elsewhere in the Johannesburg metropolitan area — be sure to add The Bull Run to restaurants at which you must enjoy a meal. I absolutely recommend dining there…
…and if I find myself back in Sandton, I am definitely heading to The Bull Run to try out that seemingly incredible hamburger…
The Bull Run
20 Maude Street
Sandton, Johannesburg
South Africa
[email protected]
+27 11 884 1400
The Bull Run is open seven days per week between noon and 10:00 in the evening.
All photographs ©2015 by Brian Cohen.
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