It’s like night and day at Evolve, Southern Sun Maputo

Evolve, the new themed restaurant in The Southern Sun Maputo – now the largest hotel in the Mozambican capital – has undergone a complete transformation and now offers an unmatchable combination of exquisite international cuisine, stunning tropical views of Maputo Bay and a contemporary show kitchen that allows diners to interact with the chefs and be involved in the preparation of their meals.

The aptly-named restaurant is designed to provide a completely different look and feel from day-time to night-time. Clever lighting, table cloths, staff uniforms, and a dedicated team to provide tailored service to each meal period transforms the atmosphere of the restaurant from a cool, fresh feel with a touch of ocean blue in the daytime, to a warm, romantic and intimate venue with a touch of red, at night.

There are two separate menus for the restaurant, with the daytime menu featuring breakfast as well as light and tasty snacks and meals for eating by the pool overlooking the beach or in the restaurant and the night-time menu featuring a mouth-watering selection of signature meal options.

Executive Chef, Silvio Mindrea, and his team have created innovative and imaginative dishes which have been inspired by the region’s close ties to the ocean, while also drawing from the local cultural mix of flavours, spices and produce – and which rival the best in Mozambique.

Starters on the Evolve night menu include specialities such as Portuguese chorizo soup, seafood soup, and grilled calamari sautéed in garlic and olive oil and served with sun-dried tomatoes and rice. Light meals include Silvio’s hamburger, made with a succulent beef patty, chilli mayo, fried egg, sliced mushroom, caramelised onion and crispy bacon on a soft roll; a mozzarella and sun-dried tomato chicken burger, smoked salmon tagliatelle, seafood pasta, and more.

The real stars on the menu, however, come under the seafood specialities section and include grilled prawns; a seafood platter that includes prawns, lobster, mussels, calamari, fish and crab, all prepared to perfection and served with a trio of seafood sauces and rice; seafood espetada, which includes prawns, fish and calamari, skewered and char-grilled; and lobster Thermidor filled with a cheesy béchamel sauce and grated parmesan. A small selection of pizzas and a range of delicious dishes from the grill, including Mozambican specialities, are also on the menu.

The Evolve day menu offers a lovely selection of snacks, sandwiches, pizzas, and light meals that include the famous prego roll, a beef fillet steak, tenderised with garlic and marinade and placed on a traditional Mozambican pão roll and served with Chef Silvio’s secret local blend of fresh chilli sauce; a clam pot of fresh clams steamed with garlic, white wine and coriander; chicken and prawn curry; chicken peri-peri; and a mixed basket of spicy chicken wings, prawn rissoles, cocktail cheese grillers and fried fish fillets, served with a smoky barbeque sauce. Grills such as fillet steak Béarnaise and grilled prawns are also available.

Evolve’s wine menu has been specifically designed in conjunction with the Executive Chef to pair with dishes, and includes a selection of robust Portuguese wines and South African wines to match the seafood flavours  and suit every palate.

The transformed restaurant has already made a big name for itself among locals in Maputo and, says Food & Beverage Manager, John Rutherford, “on weekends we cannot keep up with the influx of locals wanting to try the new menu and buffet; it’s amazing!”

Southern Sun Maputo is one of the properties within Tsogo Sun’s portfolio of over 90 hotels and 14 casino and entertainment destinations throughout South Africa, Africa and the Seychelles. For more information on Southern Sun Maputo, visit tsogosun.com, follow on Twitter @TsogoSun or like on Facebook /TsogoSun.