eBusiness Weekly
Prince Chidzvondo
To many, “Tinkabell” is an unusual choice for a restaurant name. Let me put all the curiosity to rest. I named the restaurant after a very special lady who had a heart of gold and whose door was always opened to everyone from all walks of life. Unfortunately, she is no longer with us but her memory lives on. That special lady was my grandmother whose nickname was “Tinka”.
Any familiarity with this striking memo should have one’s taste buds massaged by some Frango peri-peri chicken.
The result? We have come to expect an unimpeachable parade of elegant creations soaked in originality, in one fine-dining restaurant by the name Tinkabell.
Boundlessly imaginative but tightly standardised, timeless yet somehow capturing the moment. Anything less would have been a failure.
Created by Rui and Jasmine Fonseca, Tinkabell is named after Jasmine’s grandmother Tinka. Tinka’s culinary legacy still lives on, on the margin of error so thin it is spoiled by the perfection of their upscale dining experiences.
Where the first distinction comes, the small place is located in the heart of New Ardbennie’s industries, the drive is not too appealing but few in Harare serve more ambitious meals, bordering on foreign cuisine and a grandmother’s simplicity. Grandmothers are never simple, but this — is Tinka’s legacy!
The scenario, a lush garden surrounds the place, then a tinkling fountain sweeping you back to the days of fairy tales and Peter Pan and softly convincing you to come closer.
A former family pool now becomes home to wildfowl with beautiful ducks and geese that I was begrudgingly dying to name. The turtle, that shy oldie, was definitely nowhere in sight. At hearing he was hiding somewhere in the zone, I wanted to own him. It also hosts a kid’s centre, a pleasant initiative to relieve themselves with play and live entertainment.
With a fine smile from Jasmine and a welcoming wave of the hand at her busiest hour, it was lunch when I got there. The place on its own is warm, somehow nostalgic but you can smell the competition, just like one can smell home. Home and the sweet smell of Portuguese sauces and all the fine cuisine cooking behind closed doors with Jasmine’s supervision.
At Tinkabell, when artistry comes together in a cohesive whole, you get beef dishes, lamb dishes, seafood, combo dishes and salads, vegetarian meals and homemade dessert. For a small non-boasting place, their menu is go-getting, their delivery carries just as much zest, but as Jasmine herself would have said — the proof of excellence is in her meals.
The restaurant opens Monday to Friday between 7am and 5pm, and opens every last Sunday of the month. Even though they mostly cater for the surrounding commercial sector, they accommodate everyone with the same kind of service. One can always be guaranteed a waiter ready to serve from the entrance, a culture ill-treated by most restaurants in Zimbabwe.
Tinkabell culture interlocks in fascinating ways. They run a different look every day, escorted by a different menu, this also allows one to try new things and move away from something sampled before. They try and make customers feel different every day. They bring something new to the table all the time. The ability to wear a new face on the same place regularly, yet manage to cater for their customers with up standard service is a major pull factor.
They host corporates daily, the likes of Zimpapers, Irvines, StarFM and Dairibord.
This also make it a good place for business socialisation, conferences, business dining and meetings. It is equipped with a conference room that can have you second guessing if it’s still the same location. They tone down to a cosy business room that has hosted big players. A place you can dine and work in peace is a fantasy Tinkabell brings to reality.
With a touch of old school and amazing music playing from the DJs square in the open front, the numbers were scurrying in and making orders. Some orders were just collected as Tinkabell allows one to make reservations, pre-orders and order takeaways.
Tempting me to indulge in a fine local beer or maybe a glass of wine, was a smiling bartender. At a time where most bars now have prices that scream at you, their beverages are shockingly fairly priced and well stocked up with all the on-demand varieties. The truth is, Tinkabell is one of a dying breed — a rare breed.
The presence there is a reminder of how people still crave original simplicity. With a menu whose meals go from mind-blowing to maddening obsession, Tinkabell Restaurant is a good go to place for food lovers, families, business events and a relief from the inner turmoil that is Harare. Whenever you can’t go to them, they can come to you with their services for outdoor catering.
