Fairlawns Boutique Hotel in Morningside Manor has long been a summer weekend destination for its Sunday picnics on the lawn and lunch on the Amuse Bouche terrace. The hotel recently launched a new jazz lunch series on the terrace featuring the delightful Bisoux, a jazz trio with sultry lead vocalist Wendy Allen Twyford, acclaimed pianist Dr Roland Moses and electric and double bassist Amaeshi Ikhechi. 

Our advice. Make a day of it. Arrive for lunch at 12:30 and you'll find a relaxing atmosphere, great tunes and an a la carte menu with a wide range of dishes from small bites like the arancini, crispy fried risotto with peas and prawn, served with rocket and shavings of parmesan, to a vegan-style Alabama Cobb salad, salmon sashimi poke bowl and an over the top beef burger to make up for any good you did in the week with a combo of camembert, streaky bacon garnish and avocado on a brioche bun.

The atmosphere is intimate and the terrace overlooks a beautifully manicured lawn and pool area, with delightful nooks among the greenery, which are great for taking breaks between courses. Since re-opening post-lockdown the hotel has a fresh new energy, a brighter look and an enthusiastic chef who has been honing his menu to perfection.

For mains there's a come-back-for chilli prawn linguine, a Wham Bham, Thank you Lamb slow cooked Greek-style kleftiko, and we tried the pan-seared salmon, prepared to perfection.  You can also request vegan or vegetarian options. 

For dessert we enjoyed the chocolate and orange sphere, a rich combination of hazelnut valrhona creme, orange marmalade and wild berries and a Karoo crumble with honeycomb shards. 

This is a perfect destination for a long, lazy Sunday lunch in a lush garden setting with live music. Request your seating (the chairs are really comfortable) depending on how close you want to be to the sound. We enjoyed sitting back and listening to the charming Bisoux between dishes.  Tables are well spaced for intimate groups and adherence to social distancing.

Tucked into the suburbs of glass and steel Sandton, Fairlawns is always a welcoming and refreshing retreat.  

Call +27 11 808 7300 or email reservations3@fairlawns.co.za to book.