Agrilla Meet & Cocktail Bar, which opened its doors at the end of April, invited select media, clients and steak-holders to its official launch last week.
- Conceptualized by business partners and close friends, Agrilla offers a dining experience championing top-quality South African meat.
- Agrilla’s ambiance is designed to encourage social gatherings, an aspect emphasized by its dedicated bar area, which seats ten people.
- The bar is situated alongside the contemporary Maslow Time Square hotel, a unique hospitality concept offering three-star, four-star, and five-star graded rooms under one brand.
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The Sandton Times joined fellow steak lovers and cocktail enthusiasts for the official launch of a new dining concept at Time Square Pretoria. Once the space occupied by La Rosa Mexican Grille & Tequileria, the new space has left the burritos behind and rolled out the braai, for a concept South African’s will surely relate to.
Agrilla’s owners, Paul de Jager and Jon Sarris, have established successful eateries across several Sun International properties. Their experience with venues such as Trader’s at Time Square and The Shebeen at Sun City underscores their ability to create dining experiences that appeal to both locals and international guests.
The menu at Agrilla reflects the Afrikaans and Greek heritage of its owners, featuring dishes they enjoy, such as chicken livers, trinchado, and grilled halloumi. Starters include a variety of delectable options, from bruschetta topped with heirloom tomatoes and onion salsa to American-style buffalo chicken wings tossed in smoky barbecue sauce.
According to Executive Chef Justin Jonah, the restaurant makes its own dry-wors and biltong and wet-ages its steaks for 21 days in-house.
Our steaks are made in the most authentic possible style to show the quality of the meat, using natural rubs, salt, and pepper which do not camouflage its flavour.
// Executive Chef Justin Jonah
The meticulous preparation methods, including resting the steaks in butter, thyme, and garlic, ensure a dining experience that aims to celebrate the meat’s natural flavours. We ordered the specialities like the four-and-a-half-hour slow-cooked short rib in red wine gravy which was exceptional as well as the 1kg rump steak for the table to share. The unique ‘theatre of dining’ experience was brought to life with butcher blocks table side, where the meat was sliced at the table, providing an engaging and interactive element to dining, and seasoned with coarse salt.
Agrilla’s menu also boasts some chicken dishes, which we didn’t sample. The flame-grilled baby chicken, marinated overnight with a mix of paprika, white wine, garlic, and peri-peri, sounded tempting. For those preferring a smoky twist, the barbecue version is also available along with a chicken espetada, featuring succulent chicken thighs grilled in a traditional Portuguese style.
The restaurant also boasts a mixed grill platter, perfect for sharing. This ensemble includes a medley of steak, boerewors, and chicken wings, paired with an array of sides like twice-cooked potato wedges, buttery parmesan mashed potatoes, and creamed spinach. It’s also worth highlighting that some dishes won’t be available on event/show nights, due to the time they take to prepare – these are marked in the menu, to avoid disappointment.
There is room for improvement on some of the cocktails, as we tasted some classic mixes and a few more unique combinations too. However, the bar does features a wide selection of drinks, including whiskies and high-end cognacs, ensuring that even the most discerning palate is looked after.
On the topic of rooms, The Maslow Time Square – not to be confused with the sister property The Maslow Hotel Sandton – made for a great staycation after a sociable evening. Uniquely tiered, The Maslow Time Square, which is undergoing a few renovations, caters to a diverse range of budgets and preferences, with rooms ranging from 3-star to 5-star, all in one building.
The hotel itself boasts 238 rooms, including 10 suites, each designed to offer varying degrees of luxury and comfort. We stayed in the 5-star Zenith King Room, which boasts a large modern bathroom and also has its own private breakfast area on the 12th floor, with panoramic views of Menlyn and Pretoria.
From the scenic views at the 12th-floor Luminary Lounge to the breath-taking sunsets at Solis bar, the hotel offers a holistic experience that complements Agrilla’s culinary offerings. Whether you are a local looking for a new spot to dine out or an international guest seeking a taste of South Africa, pop into Agrilla Meet and Cocktail Bar at Time Square Pretoria.
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