An Evening Dipped in Gold

The Leonardo DaVinci hotel is a grand building that lords over Sandton City, a true skyscraper that is hard to miss, especially at night as it sparkles so bright from all angles.

Tonight we’re dining at the highly acclaimed restaurant AURUM on the 7th floor of the Leonardo.

AURUM, meaning gold in Latin, encompasses the qualities of its name in every way. It oozes luxury, sophistication, decadence and so much more.

As the elevator doors open, you are greeted by a stunning art installation that runs along the entire ceiling of the restaurant: sheets of gold contorted and twisted like they’re being blown by the wind. A dramatic and effective ode to the name & the location of the restaurant in the city of Gold.

GOLD DUST: A beautiful and dramatic art instalment in the center of the restaurant.

We were met by a friendly hostess who led us to our table and soon after, we met our waiter Oliver who took very good care of us for the rest of the evening.

The interior of the restaurant offers booth seating which gives a level of privacy and intimacy. It also felt like a subtle nod to 1920s speakeasies that were known to have a sexy, mysterious ambience - similar to AURUM.

Due to the spaciousness of the restaurant - I suspect any table would feel cushy regardless of their location because that’s just that atmosphere in the air.

I loved everything about the architecture and interior design of the space, the colors aren't bland but they aren't too loud either and the mix-match of textures is executed just right.

1920s FEEL: The booths along the side of the restaurant create a cosy and intimate feel for diners.

We chose our meals from the Luna menu which is perfect for an evening of fine dining.

The menu is quite concise which can feel a little limiting but it also encourages you to try something different if you don’t find anything familiar.

DARK MENU: The Luna menu that is the designated evening menu for guests.

For starters, we shared grilled squid/crispy tentacles and smoked springbok carpaccio.

The carpaccio was quite rare so I didn’t indulge too much however, the meat coupled with the grain mustard emulsion that embellished it, made for an intriguing taste.

The calamari was delightful especially when dipped in the romesco sauce, it added a necessary kick.

SMOKED SPRINGBOK CARPACCIO: Parmigiano Reggiao, Grain Mustard Emulsion, Pickled Mushroom. Spiced Crumb, Lemon Oil

CALAMARI: Grilled Squid, Crispy Tentacles, Romesco, Spring Onion, Chimichurri Oil

For mains, I had the Roasted Duck Confit - which I was slightly skeptical about but I wanted to try something different. Fortunately I wasn’t disappointed. The duck was tender and tasty, it had a gamey-hint to it but it wasn’t overwhelming, thankfully. The vanilla & black Cherry sauce really took it to the top and made it a delicious meal overall.

I obviously tasted my partner's Rigatoni Spagnolo which was equally delicious! It had chorizo sausages that had so much flavour and just made the dish hearty and so enjoyable.

RIGATONI SPAGNOLO: Rigatoni | Prawns | Chorizo | Red Pepper Peri-Peri | Harissa | Smoked Paprika | Pancetta Crumb. ROASTED DUCK CONFIT: Rosemary Confit Duck Legs | Glazed Sweet Potato | Stem Broccoli | Carrot Puree | Vanilla & Black Cherry Jus

A very sweet and personal touch I thoroughly enjoyed was the box treats my partner received for his birthday followed by two polaroid pictures of us to remember the special night. Thoughtful details like that make a place so memorable and create a soft spot that is hard to compete with.

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For the wine lovers, AURUM has a wine library on the mezzanine level and overlooks the restaurant - I’m sure many could get lost in their collection. There is an outdoor area that is active during the day, on a warmer evening I would’ve taken a look at the view - I’m sure it’s stunning. I guess now I have something to go back for!

A SWEET ESCAPE: The stunning bar at the entrance of the restaurant and the stairs that lead up to the Wine Library.

Overall, AURUM is a beautiful space that has been designed with the highest degree of care. Every detail is purposeful and meaningful to the name and the story of the restaurant.

The exposed concrete pillars offer an amusing contrast to the gold art installment, the marble table tops and plush velvet furniture. Brass and black accent the restaurant in subtle ways that keep the overall aesthetic soft and romantic without losing elegance and sophistication.

Whenever you want to wine and dine like a VIP, this restaurant won’t let you down.

All pictures were taken by me. Click here to view more!