Biltong not pot roast for Londoners

With an extra four-million people expected to swamp London’s public transport during the Olympics, the British Government is warning that many Londoners may have to hang out at work to avoid peak travel times.
And with the “Square Mile” pinpointed as one of the worst affected areas, High Timber, a restaurant with strong South African links, is offering a bolthole for weary commuters. With any bottle of wine or champagne, customers will be offered a complimentary plate of biltong.
According to official guidelines, City workers hoping to travel between 4:30pm and 8:30pm on weekdays throughout the Olympics are likely to endure delays of at least 30 minutes. To combat the heat of an overcrowded underground between these peak times on weekdays, High Timber is offering wise City workers respite by the river.
Customers waiting to hop on the Tube can enjoy a complimentary plate of the restaurant’s hand-cured meats with every bottle of wine or champagne ordered from its 40 000-bottle cellar.
Neleen Strauss, a co-owner of High Timber, comments, says: “Tube travel in the City is bad enough in July and August and customers are already worrying about the disruption to their day.
“Bang in the middle of the City, we are putting our bar and large Thames-frontage terrace to use. For those City workers who don’t moonlight as long-distance runners and therefore can’t ‘jog’ home as the Government suggests – we hope that we can at least offer the best biltong in London and a temporary home in the City.”
High Timber opened in March 2009 and is the brainchild of Gary and Kathy Jordan, of Jordan Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, and London restaurateur Neleen Strauss. High Timber offers views across the Thames.
High Timber seats 80 people and boasts one of the most extensive cellars in the capital, where customers are encouraged to view and choose their own wines. The modern European menu, with a focus on grilled steaks, British meats and exceptional cheeses, has been created by head chef Justin Saunders, one of London’s most innovative chefs.