South Africa Fine Dining
Western Cape restaurants among the best in the world!
Since my last post was a bit of a damning treatise, here is a great bit of news for visiting gastronomes.
The S. Pellegrino 2007 list of “Best Restaurants in the world” was released last week and in the category for Africa and the Middle East, the top 5 were all in the Western Cape !! Eat that Ahmadinejad.
Le Quartier Francais (Franschhoek)
Bosman’s (Paarl)
Jardine (Cape Town central city)
Aubergine (Gardens)
Reuben’s (Franschhoek)
In the world rankings Le Quartier Francais came 47th and was SA’s only establishment in the top 100.
Date: May 3rd, 2007 |
1 comment
High Tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town
The world famous Mount Nelson Hotel sits amongst the trees at the top of the company gardens in Cape Town. Renowned for its stately elegance and charm, it is as iconic and historic a hotel as South Africa has.
The “Pink lady” opened her gates same year as the start of the Anglo-Boer war in 1899 and was modeled on the finest hostelries in London. It has hosted many a visiting dignitary (even a young Winston Churchill) and installed the first heated swimming pool in Africa. As things go, the rates are quite frightening: a high season double room starts at R5540 ($750) and climb seemingly to the stratosphere, when you start looking at suites etc.
Fortunately there is a way to enjoy the pleasures of the Mount Nelson without a bond, and that is to attend the celebrated and salubrious high tea on the terrace or gardens. Voted “Best Tea in the World” by Michael Winner (author and UK Sunday Times columnist) it is a truly grand affair and although the dress is informal, the crispness of the linen and scent of crustless cucumber sandwiches is thick in the air.
Date: December 15th, 2006 |
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Azure, Twelve Apostles Hotel, Camps Bay, Cape Town: Restaurant Review
Azure
Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
Category: Fine Dining
Open for: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Under review: Lunch
SA Blog recommends? It’s Perfectly Decent Fare
Snippet
I finished my meal with a dark bitter chocolate fondant, served with Turkish delight ice-cream and crunchy almond brittle. I wish I could have taken a picture of this dish, with a small scoop sitting atop the naked pink fondant, brittle elegantly displayed.
(See full review below.)
Price range: High
Fare: International
This meal cost: R240 per person
Including tip? No
Including wine? Yes
Food score (out of 10): 6
Service score (out of 10): 8
Reservations? Recommended
Corkage? N/A
Booking Information
Tel: +27 (0) 21 437 9000, Fax: +27 (0) 21 437 9055
Email: N/A
Website: www.12apostleshotel.com/restaurant_cape_town
Also reviewed in: N/A
Date: January 25th, 2006 |
2 comments
Tuscany Beach Restaurant, Camps Bay, Cape Town: Restaurant Review
Tuscany Beach Restaurant
41 Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
Category: Fine Dining
Open for: Brunch, Lunch, Dinner
Under review: Dinner
SA Blog recommends? Go Somewhere Else
Snippet
As I sat pondering the fate of our main courses, the fun began. I looked over Sean’s shoulder and saw a cockroach climbing along the wall, where we were both sitting in a booth. We warily watched it as it edged closer to, well, our shoulders. I flagged down a waitress.
(See full review below.)
Price range: Medium-to-High
Fare: Seafood, Italian, Sushi
This meal cost: R100 per person
Including tip? No
Including wine? No
Food score (out of 10): 3
Service score (out of 10): 8
Reservations? Recommended
Corkage? N/A
Booking Information
Tel: +27 (0) 21 438 1213, Fax: N/A
Email: info@tuscanybeachrestaurant.com
Website: www.tuscanybeachrestaurant.com
Also reviewed in: N/A
Date: January 23rd, 2006 |
4 comments
Tulbagh Restaurant Review: Reader’s
(An SA Blog Beta post from Your Correspondent)
This post is an extension of the Tulbagh 6-Part Serial Adventure! (3/6).
Restaurant Review: Reader’s
12 Church St., Tulbagh
+27 (0) 23 230-0087
readers@iafrica.com
Closed Tuesdays. Reservations essential.
This splendid establishment comprises two small, elegant dining rooms in a long, whitewashed, thatch-roofed house; a few friendly cats; a sprightly, rubicund proprietor-cum-chef-cum-server in Carol Collins; and a delightful, creative menu which changes daily.
Visitors are greeted with a glass of sherry before being seated. This welcoming custom is one that other establishments should consider adopting!
I and my lovely assistant began by sharing a courgette (zucchini) and Camembert soup, which …
Date: January 4th, 2006 |
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The Butchers grill: Meat fit for a 500hp BBQ
One thing that startled me in America, was the amount of time, expense and frivolity that was spent on the institution of Barbecuing. Massive chromed out grills with built in Hemi’s and Hi-fi’s , personalised branding irons, and all the rest. But when it actually came down to the cooking, it would be Frank’s, kebabs and burger patties ??? Why??. No offence, but Surely one can see that this grilling horsepower is wasted on processed meat (pigs eyelids).
Date: February 19th, 2007 |
2 comments
Bayside Landing, Camps Bay: Restaurant Review
Bayside Landing
98 Camps Bay Drive, Cape Town
Category: Fine Dining
Open for: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner
Under review: Dinner
SA Blog recommends? Enthusiastically!
Snippet
A fire extinguisher is helpfully provided in the form of a leaky hosepipe, and don’t mind the fact that there are no grilling tools - just improvise with salad tongs. But not the ones that you bought on the street the other day, which still smell of shoe polish.
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The Kitchen at Bayside Landing
Photo by SouthAfricaBlog.com.
(See full review below.)
Price range: Low-to-Medium
Fare: Hot and sizzling meat products from across the animal kingdom, plus imitations.
This meal cost: You don’t actually have to pay.
Including tip? Yes
Including wine? Yes
Food score (out of 10): 10 (easily)
Service score (out of 10): 10
Reservations? Essential
Corkage? Not a cent
Booking Information
Tel: +27 (0) 84 465 2274, Fax: No bloody fax, typical.
Email: sean@bootsnall.com
Website: http://sean.keener.org
Also reviewed in: N/A
Date: January 26th, 2006 |
4 comments
Five Flies, CBD, Cape Town: Restaurant Review
Five Flies
14-16 Keerom Street, Cape Town 8001
Category: Fine Dining
Open for: Lunch, Dinner
Under review: Dinner
SA Blog recommends? Definitely
Snippet
I had heard that the food at Five Flies can be hit-or-miss. Our server, Andre, seemed to know this and guided us toward dishes that he felt were outstanding. I took his recommendations on two of the three dishes and the only one I considered a disappointment was the one I choose on my own.
(See full review below.)
Price range: Medium-to-High
Fare: Haute cuisine
This meal cost: R175 per person
Including tip? No
Including wine? No
Food score (out of 10): 7.5
Service score (out of 10): 9
Reservations? Essential
Corkage? N/A
Booking Information
Tel: +27 (0) 21 424 4442, Fax: +27 (0) 21 423 1048
Email: info@fiveflies.co.za
Website: www.fiveflies.co.za
Also reviewed in: Rossouw’s Restaurants
Date: January 25th, 2006 |
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Harbour House, Kalk Bay: Restaurant Review
Harbour House
Kalk Bay Harbour, Cape Town
Category: Fine Dining
Open for: Lunch, Dinner
Under review: Dinner
SA Blog Recommends? Enthusiastically!
Snippet
It’s a spectacular venue that, a few years ago, was sadly marred by overcooked, dry and sometimes even fishy squares of the day’s catch. Harbour House has since straightened its act, however, and now avoids the two banes of local seafood preparation - bland, watery fish on the one hand, and leathery, overheated fish on the other - with a light touch that indicates new expertise and dedication.
(See full review below.)
Price Range: Medium-to-High
Fare: Seafood
This meal cost: 350 per person
Including tip? No
Including wine? Yes (corkage)
Food Score (out of 10): 7
Service Score (out of 10): 6
Reservations? Essential
Corkage? R30 per 750ml
Booking Information
Tel: +27 (0) 21 788 4133, Fax: +27 (0) 21 788 4136
Email: harbourhouse@icon.co.za
Website: www.harbourhouse.co.za
Also Reviewed In: Rossouw’s Restaurants
Date: January 17th, 2006 |
2 comments
Restaurant Review: La Colombe
(An SA Blog Beta post from Your Correspondent.)
La Colombe, part of Cape Town’s famous Constantia Uitsig wine estate, has a reputation as one of the city’s finest restaurants. Many gourmets put it in their top three, year-in, year-out. I got a chance to make my own evaluation last night, as a guest of my lovely assistant’s company, which chose the restaurant for its year-end party.
French cuisine is what’s on offer, of course - but La Colombe takes an extra step and employs French servers to guide you through le menu. This is fairly impressive - we were off to a good start.
A treat from the chef arrived: pate de foie gras on crostini. Half the table rejected it on moral grounds, but I had an information-hungry public to consider (namely, you). The pate was heavenly.
First course for me: breaded, pan-fried goat’s cheese drizzled with berry coulis. Not bad, but too much. Goat’s cheese is rich, and if I’d eaten all of it, that would have been dinner. The chef could halve this easily. Meanwhile, my lovely assistant had fruits de mer: prawns, mussels and calamari in a delicious cream sauce, with hints of saffron and chilli. Score: Me .5, Lovely Assistant 1.
Date: December 15th, 2005 |
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