Are you looking for that perfect location for a romantic dinner, a place to impress the boss or host a function? Give us a shout and we’ll happily help you think of a few ideas and places.
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If you’re looking for a good spot for breakfast, try this little gem. Nestled behind Rhodes Memorial, it has a picturesque view over the Cape Town’s southern suburbs.
It may be a little rough for some but that’s part of its charm. Don’t be surprised if the table next to you is a bunch exhausted looking hikers that have just been up Table Mountain
The menu isn’t particularly extensive but they serve all the favorites and a few unique options just to mix things up. The Eggs Ranchero breakfast, two poached eggs with crispy bacon and a spicy tomato and peppers salsa on toasted French bread is worth a try if you like something with a bit of a kick (spicy means spicy).
If this isn’t a spontaneous breakfast, consider booking one of the tables at the edge of the terrace for uninterrupted views, other wise the guy sitting at the table between you and the view may get the wrong idea from your awe filled stares.
So, if you wake up on a Sunday morning and feel like getting together with a couple friends somewhere a little different, try Rhode Memorial.
Rhodes Memorial Restaurant / Table Mountain National Park behind Rhodes Memorial / Newlands / Cape Town / Tel: 021 689 9151 / roy@rhodesmemorial.co.za / www.rhodesmemorial.co.za
We had some spare time before meeting the rest of the gang at the Aquarium so we thought we’d try another of the Waterfront’s many restaurants for a quick lunch.
Oyo is a little out of the way in the grander scheme of the Waterfront but it does make for a more relaxed atmosphere, sitting on the water’s edge near the dry dock.
Judging by the menu, Oyo is probably more suited for evening dining but there is a fair amount of light meals and starters that you can enjoy if you’re there during the day. The prices are typical of the Waterfront so don’t be surprised the Oyo Burger is R70. On the other hand, the beers on tap (Stella & Foresters) and cocktails are quite reasonably priced and served ice cold.
My burger was pretty good when compared to other gourmet burgers and at the end I was quite stuffed so it was probably worth the price tag. RL had a Brie and Parma Ham Sandwich that she polished off in a way that can only mean that it was good. If this quality is consistent with the mains listed in the menu then Oyo is probably worth a visit at night. I imagine the lights reflected over the water combined with the fine dining ambiance of the tables inside would make for a very romantic evening.
If you have a few pennies to spare and looking for a spot a slightly removed from the bustle, give Oyo a try.
Oyo Restaurant and Cocktail Bar / Victoria & Alfred Hotel / Waterfront Pierhead / V&A Waterfront / Cape Town / Tel: 021 419 6677 / www.vahotel.co.za
It’s not very often that we review a non-featured restaurant and end up with the volume of comments but our recent trip to the Opal Lounge inspired just that. If it didn’t undermine the very concept of “eating alphabetically”, we probably would have made this review a Featured Restaurant. Perhaps if we all pretend for a moment that “O” comes after “C” and before “D”…
To briefly touch on the history of this new restaurant; replacing Manolo’s, the Opal Lounge opened its slick frameless glass doors last year in October/November (2008). It humbly claimed to be “the most beautiful restaurant in Cape Town”, which I’ll touch on later. For those who remember Manolo’s various themed rooms, the Opal Lounge has retained the concept, but based on their own influences, and then taken it a step further as they ambitiously attempted a separate menu for each room; Verandah, Oriental, Persian & Bar. For obvious reason, the logistics of this were a little daunting, and they have since reduced that number to focus on only one, core menu.
The Opal Lounge’s claim to be the “most beautiful restaurant in Cape Town” hasn’t been made without justified confidence in its new décor. Having started with a good base, a large Victorian house, each area or “lounge” has been lavishly decorated in its own theme. I recommend arriving a little early so that you can enjoy the bar area, a dramatically black room conjuring images of James Bond movies and the Russian mob. Maybe it’s the Capetonian in me or maybe my design background but a claim like that makes me more critical so after marveling at the care and detail put into the décor, I found myself comparing the rooms making a mental note for the next time I book. The Verandah and front courtyard are very slick and trendy, clean and minimalistic with a monochromatic palette. The Oriental Lounge is very dramatic and “austere” with carefully coordinated lighting and oriental statues. The Bar, as mentioned above, is a rich velvety black with touches of gold and silver to add to the luxury, if you have a second, take a look at the interesting collection of books scattered around. The Persian Lounge, probably the least visually impressive, is painted a vibrant red and adorned with Persian carpets and hanging lights.
Enough about the décor, onto the important stuff…
After cocktails, we were led to our table by our bowler hat wearing waiter (yes, its part of the uniform). We had been seated on the Verandah, a narrow space ideally suited to smaller tables not a request for a table of four. We ended up at a table rather like the head table at a wedding, overlooking the courtyard. While very dramatic, not great for conversation. A good test of a restaurant is seeing how they cope with unexpected requests, like organizing another table when the restaurant is fully booked. Although the hostess seemed very doubtful of being able to finding a solution, tables were quickly shuffled and we were moving into the Persian Lounge along with two large tables of 8. I have to admit though, I found the hostess a little disgruntled by our request. Maybe it’s just me, but I always prefer a positive, “no problem” attitude when making a request at a restaurant, even if I’m later told that unfortunately, a solution cannot be found. At least that way, I feel like they actually care that they’re making a good impression.
Little did we know that this was just the start of the drama.
Finally seated in a more conversational manner, our waiter informed us that due to operational complexities, the only menu being used is the Verandah Menu (I imagine any restaurateurs reading this will be saying “Ja, I thought so…”.) This “restriction” isn’t actually bad at all; the entire Verandah Menu is filled with interesting meals with mentions of “Chewy Guava roll” and “Coffee jus” and quite well priced with starters between R55 – R100 and mains from R105 – R150. Although this may seem heavy, the high quality of ingredients, flavours and dishes make this more than reasonable.
So, while trying to decide on what to eat GS ordered us two bottles of wine to compliment whichever meals we ended up choosing. (Yes, I know this is a seemingly random comment but an important note to remember for the next portion of the review)
By the time we finally settled on our selections, our waiter had disappeared… but we had wine, and were seated for conversation, so we were okay. Having been seated around 8pm, we finally ordered our starters and mains around 9pm. It turns out that the kitchen happened to be understaffed that night and the restaurant was fully booked… so we waited… and waited… and finished our first bottle or wine… and finally, at just after 10pm, our starters arrived. Yes, you read right… we waited a full hour before eating a thing. No bread is available, no amuse-bouche… and believe me, we asked.
Now, I’m not sure if it was that we were all ravenous and well lubricated but I’d like to believe the starters were really as good as we all thought. All beautifully presented, our heads were now filled with aromas of the Venison Carpaccio, Pan-Seared Scallops, Bento Trio and Mushroom Tortellini. We were all mesmerized by the flavours, marveling at how every taste stood out. GS, between mouthfuls, was impressed at how well the honey and almonds complimented the rest of the flavours. I was thoroughly impressed with my Scallops, accompanied by a rich and spicy Chorizo saucy and a pea mousse, topped with a “Chewy Guava Roll”. TH didn’t speak much, a clear indication that she was enjoying the meal. Usually we all have a bite of each other’s starters but on this occasion we all virtually licked our plates clean. Again, I’d like to believe that the hunger factor didn’t influence our opinions.
Not quite as starving, we started on our second bottle of wine and waited for our mains… and again, we waited… and waited…. And about 10 minutes after the conversation had turned to be entirely focused the wait and why the tables of 8 had the manager constantly hovering apologizing while we were forgotten, the food arrived… at 11:15pm. Yes, more than an hour after our starters and 2 hours after ordering. Again, maybe it’s just me, but I don’t really find that acceptable. It’s you’re going to make us wait like that at least be attentive to the tables, maybe throw in a free drink. We didn’t even get our wine glasses topped up and frequently sat with nothing. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but the ice bucket was several tables away on the other side of the room, so filling our own glass, although not ideal, wasn’t possible.
If hunger makes everything taste good, then irritation and hunger makes everything sub-par. We were hard pressed to find anything to criticize about the mains. Again, they were beautifully presented and the aromas had us salivating. TH followed her Bento Trio with the Persian Seafood Trio (there’s also a Trio of Sorbet’s for anyone wanting to continue the trio theme through the meal) which she again devoured in virtual silence, only speaking up when the conversation returned again to the wonderful combinations of flavours in all the dishes, presented with a confidence that speaks of a knowledge of food rather than in an experimental “let’s just try it and see” manner. My Duck Breast was juicy and flavorsome, complimented well by the Pumpkin seed and I was sad to see the plate empty. RL was intrigued by the Coffee Jus that accompanied the Venison but doesn’t like meat pink or leaky so when she tried to order it Well Done, our waiter said the best the chef would do is Medium otherwise the meat would be dry, tough and flavourless. Feeling daring, she ordered the Venison. Only finding a small portion of the venison a little rare for her liking, the meal delivered a good range of flavours but sadly the Venison was a little flavourless and watery. Very rarely should someone use a piece of Venison as a vehicle for another flavour. Apparently this was true of GS’s Venison starter too but being so amazed with the honey and almonds, he didn’t feel too aggrieved.
I have to admit that I only visited Societi Bisto once when it was in the V&A Waterfront, but I enjoyed the casual yet attentive service, warm, eclectic interior and selective menu.
Many of these elements have been carried across to the new Societi in Orange street but now there is the added benefit of a beautiful outside section that offers an incredible view of table mountain. Watching the light fade and the mountain light up as you sip on a cool beer or glass of wine can make for a wonderful evening in summer. And, from my brief glimpse inside, the new interior seems to have captured the same charm as the old Societi.
Although the dishes won’t blow your mind, they are classic and enjoyable and you’re sure to find something to capture your fancy.
My only real concern with an otherwise perfectly acceptable restaurant is the chairs. It may sound funny, but I really wish they had put a little more effort in cleaning them, or possibly reupholstering them, when they were moved from one location to the next. Again, call me funny, but stains on the chairs can be a little off-putting.
If you can get past this small detail, then I would recommend you give Societi a try.
Societi Bistro / 50 Orange Street / Gardens / Cape Town / Tel: 021 424 2100
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