Posted on: October 31st, 2011 THBukhara
Bukhara is often cited as Cape Town’s top Indian restaurant. Of course, we’ve learnt never to judge a restaurant by its reputation, and felt it was time we put their spicy specialties to the test at their original Church Street location.
Decor-wise Bukhara is attractive, elegant and completely free from the kitsch accents these types of restaurants often fall prey to. The main dining area does feel somewhat open, but this is most likely due to the large, heavy, solid wood tables that give diners plenty of elbow room without feeling like you’re sitting miles from your dinner companions. Dim ambient lighting with accent lights over the tables helps to create an intimate feel despite the open space.
The menu is large, with plenty of chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetarian options, as well as a few beef and ostrich items. Sides are ordered separately, and we do recommend trying the garlic butter naan bread, which is easily big enough for two to four people.
Our table started with the Dum Aloo (tasty, but quite spicy), the Chicken Garlic (juicy and tender) and the Kastoori Jhinga (flavourful, but tough-shelled prawns). Of the mains we highly recommend the Lamb Rogan Josh, the Bhanna Gosht and the Shahi Paneer, all of which were fragrantly spiced without being overpoweringly hot - always a danger with Indian food.
Service throughout the evening was decent, if not spectacular. Staff were very friendly and seemed knowledgeable about the menu and our wine glasses were never left empty.
All told we were very impressed with Bukhara. We enjoyed each and every course, and appreciated the ambiance of quality and understated elegance. Our only warning to would-be diners is to check the budget before hitting this curry spot - you’re paying for quality, but the price is high.
Bukhara / 33 Church St / Cape Town / Tel: 021 424 0000 / www.bukhara.com
TH: ***
GS: ***
RL: **½
BH: ***
Average rating: ***
Eight Restaurant lies next to the Eerste River on the beautiful Spier wine farm in Stellenbosch. The eco-conscious eatery is dedicated to natural, organic, locally sourced produce, and describes itself as “a catalyst for social and environmental change” with “nourishing, healthy and delicious food”.
I’m all for looking after our planet, but when a restaurant uses adjectives like “healthy” and “nourishing” I have to admit to feeling more than a little apprehensive about what’s in store. Images of lentils and patchouli come to mind. Thankfully this mental image was dispelled on our arrival by the clean, contemporary decor. The custom lights by Heath Nash, made of milk and Jik bottles, create spectacular ceilings that speak volumes on sustainability and “green” design done right. Tables and chairs were effortlessly chic, although quite sparse, and left the restaurant feeling a little cold and empty. By contrast, the outside tables set under the trees seemed lively and warm on the sunny winter day, and there were quite a few families with small children taking advantage of the fresh air.
As seen more and more frequently, Eight’s menu is presented on mobile chalk boards, and changes often. Be warned, there are very few options, and absolutely nothing in the way of starters unless you decide to share a main between the table. In true EA style, we wanted to give the restaurant the best opportunity to impress, and so chose to do just this in the effort to taste an extra dish. The vegetable fritters, served on skewers, worked very well in this respect, and were complemented by an exceptionally tasty salsa and guacamole.
For mains I had a Roast Chicken Pie, which had very flavourful chicken, but not much else going on. The side veggies were, however, delicious and very “nourishing” I’m sure. RL had less luck with her Fish Cakes, which were light and cooked perfectly, but exceptionally bland. Served with a very simple side salad and some apparently unseasoned mayonnaise, the dish was certainly “healthy” but didn’t quite make it to “delicious”. BH was better pleased by his Sesame Chicken Salad. The initial intense smell of sesame oil was a little off-putting, but the tender, satay-and-sesame-crusted chicken was tasty, well matched with the fresh, light salad, and filling as well. GS tried the Oven Roasted Chicken served on couscous, and described it as very tender and nice in a homemade kind of way, but otherwise bland and unremarkable. We all passed on dessert, as neither of the 2 available options looked terribly enticing.
On the wine side, the list was limited to Spier wines, but appeared to be cellar-door prices, which was a very pleasant surprise.
Service throughout the meal was sketchy, with our waiter arriving and disappearing at odd intervals. Somehow, despite the sparse tables and fairly empty interior, he still found it necessary to lean over the table every time he served the opposite side, and when he did walk past my chair it was bumped every single time, even after I pulled it as close to the table as possible. This may be just a personal pet peeve, but I really, really hate having to move or interrupt eating/drinking/talking to accommodate a waiter leaning over or walking past our table at numerous points during our meal.
Overall Eight, while far from the den of legume-munching hippies I had feared, still failed to impress on most fronts. The food was limited both in options and flavour, and the chic decor could not make up for the lack of atmosphere indoors or the underwhelming service.
I do have to add that as a family destination I think Eight could be a far more appealing choice. The simple food is unlikely to scare off fussy kids, and parents can relax and let their little ones run around under the trees to their hearts’ content. Perhaps this is Eight’s real target market. If you don’t have kids, and plain and simple isn’t going to cut it, there are plenty of other beautiful lunch-time spots in the area with far more exciting menus.
Ambiance: **½
Service: **
Food: ***
Wine: ***
Eight / Spier R310 Stellenbosh / Tel: 021 809 1188 / Email: eight@spier.co.za
Posted on: June 23rd, 2011 THLa Mouette
La Mouette boasts instant street cred in certain circles, as the first Cape Town venture for renowned London chef, Henry Vigar. Having never had the pleasure of experiencing the London foodie scene, I was pleasantly surprised to come across this little gem tucked away in the middle of busy Seapoint.
Food is “Modern French” with a “Mediterranean Flair”. We tried the exceptionally well priced Winter Special (see The Highlights for details) and found the quality, presentation, and flavours of each course simply outstanding. We were hard pressed to find a least favourite course, and certainly could not pick just one favourite. Courses, as with all tasting menus, are very small, but we were more than satisfied by the end of the meal. The jokes about needing a burger on the way home were most definitely unfounded.
The converted Victorian-style house, with original wooden floors and cosy fireplace lends a wonderfully intimate atmosphere to the restaurant, and the front garden with its huge fountain must be bliss on a hot summer night. Sadly in mid winter, with a full house, it seems the fireplace sometimes goes unlit, and the high ceilings and drafty rooms can be cold. I’d advise taking a jacket - I certainly left mine on.
In spite of being somewhat chilly on our visit, I’d highly recommend La Mouette for a romantic date, impressing the in-laws, or just a very special meal for a very (winter) special price.
La Mouette / 78 Regent Road / Seapoint / Cape Town / Tel: 021 433 0856 / Fax: 021 433 2600 / www.lamouette-restaurant.co.za
If you’re looking for a hot and happening breakfast spot, with substance to back up the hype, look no further than Caffé Milano. Situated in a typically unassuming (from the outside) Upper Kloof Street cottage, you’d be forgiven for missing the very small sign that announces Caffé Milano’s presence. You can’t, however, miss the constant stream of trendy people coming and going from the place from mid-morning onwards.
The (completely justified) pride and joy of this eatery are its fresh, handmade, traditional Italian pastries, by ex-Roundhouse pastry genius, Vanessa Quellec. If you have any hint of a sweet tooth, you’d be crazy not to try her incredible Sticky Buns - an absolute steal at R18. If you’re anything like me you’ll be sorely tempted to order a few extra to take home.
More savoury breakfast options (served till 12) are also available, at great prices. Think Eggs Benedict, Smoked Salmon Croissants, or eggs and bacon done any which way you choose.
Pair this with great coffee, freshly squeezed fruit juices, and a gorgeous interior, and then fill it with happy, busy people and you’ve got Caffé Milano.
Caffé Milano also serves lunches from 12, and tea and cake from 4pm.
We highly recommend.
Caffé Milano / 153 Kloof Street/ Cape Town / Tel: 021 426 5566
TH: ***
GS: ***
RL: ***
BH: ***
Average rating: ***
After sifting through our options the EA team decided, in honour of our fresh new start on the alphabetical merry-go-round, not to go for your typical fine-dining establishment and try something just a little different.
Anatoli’s, tucked below Somerset Road in Green Point, is certainly a little different. The restaurant is housed in a Victorian warehouse, with huge, high ceilings, original timber beams, charmingly patterned floors, and hand-painted murals between the hanging tapestries and rugs that give the interiors a rustic, but homey feel. Serving traditional Turkish fare, the Turkish theme has been effortlessly incorporated into the decor, with chunky wooden chairs and tables, moon-shaped gold candlesticks, and coloured glass pendant lights creating a hodge-podge allure that while not quite elegant, does feel amazingly authentic.
The food is also very traditional. Don’t be surprised by the tiny, beaten-up, laminated page that serves as a menu. In fact, unless you’re calculating your bill, it’s wisest just ignore it altogether and let your waiter take you through the variety of options available for meze, mains, and dessert verbally, as is customary in Turkey.
Unlike the menu, the wine list is comfortably broad, but doesn’t have many options in the lower price ranges. If you’re hoping to order by the glass I’d think again, as they only give you two options, one of which is a chenin - a varietal I personally would prefer to keep off my table.
The meal begins with a choice of flat bread - garlic, or plain - that is brought piping hot, fresh from the oven, and is flamboyantly cut with a dangerous-looking curved blade at your table. We were warned, as first-timers, that the garlic bread may overwhelm the more delicate flavours of the meze, so we began with plain bread, which was fantastic. We did try the garlic bread later on in the meal, and found the garlic fairly subtle, as garlic goes.
Meze are then brought round to your table on a huge tray, and the waiter explains each item, some of which are cold, and you can take straight off the tray, and some of which are hot and are brought to you fresh from the kitchen after you’ve made your selection. We advise choosing a range of the meze and sharing around the table, as there are a lot of options, and they all look great. Our personal favourites were the Potato Boregi (mashed potatoes, chedder cheese and chilli flakes, wrapped in phyllo pastry and deep-fried) and the Mucver (baby marrows, feta cheese and dill, pan-fried as a small pancake). Many of the meze (and mains) are served with spiced yoghurt dipping sauces and a variety of spreads. We loved the yoghurts - fantastic quality and very complementary flavours.
Mains are again explained verbally and visually. In fact you actually have to get up from your table, head over to the deli-like display, and pick your meal there. Now this is really not how we usually roll at our EA Featured Restaurants, but somehow having to point to your meal and hope the man behind the counter, who speaks very little English, gets your order right, only lends to the feeling of being in a foreign country. I can’t say I’d choose this method of service on a regular basis, but as a novelty it was actually kind of fun. I’m sure regulars get to know the food on offer, and can order without getting up to look-see.
The mains in general were less well-received than the meze. Both the Manti (Turkish lamb dumplings) and Dolmasi (cabbage and/or red pepper stuffed with rice, lamb mince, pine-nuts and herbs and baked) were mild to the point of bland, saved only by the chilli and garlic yoghurt, respectively. The Lamb Shish Kebab was more flavourful, but be warned - the spicy yoghurt is so hot it may as well be on fire. The Yahnisi (lamb ribs, cooked in a thick tomato, onion and peppercorn sauce) too, was flavourful and spicy, and went down well, despite the numerous bones.
Desserts, like the meze, are presented at your table on a tray, and as RL said, “If I’d had room, I would have tried them all”. We did manage to squeeze in the Chocolate pot and Creme Caramel, both of which were delicious. The chocolate pot was decadently sticky, and the creme caramel cooked to perfection, without the burnt sugar flavour that they so often suffer from. The Turkish coffee was also fantastic - rich and smooth - although a little mysterious to order, as your choices are “sweet” or “medium”. Sweet turned out to be not-very, and medium not-at-all. We did love the gorgeous silver tray, and beautifully patterned china espresso cups the coffee was presented in.
Despite the cute, traditional touches in presentation, the service throughout the meal was disappointing. Our waitor, while friendly, was for the most part unintelligable, and seemed to vanish periodically - most notably when we were ready to order, and when we were ready to pay. We were, however, extremely impressed by the the owner and manager, Tayfun Aras, who had no idea we were reviewing his restaurant, but gave us personal attention and recommendations in a very warm and friendly manner. He served us himself when he noticed our absent waitor, and even got up from another table to say goodbye as we left. What a wonderful host; I wish a few other restaurants would take a page out of his book.
All told, our visit to Anatoli was an enjoyable, unusual experience, but sadly not one that we’d be likely to repeat on a regular basis. While the meze were delicious, the mains, although hearty, were lacking that special something that makes us go “wow”. The bill at the end of the day also felt a little high for the meal we’d had.
My advice? Try it, see for yourself, but go for the experience, not the food.
Ambiance: ***½
Service: **
Food: ***
Wine: ***
Bathrooms: ***½
Anatoli Restaurant / 24 Napier Street / Greenpoint / Cape Town / Tel: 021 419 2501 / www.anatoli.co.za
UPDATE:
We’ve had a concerned email from the owner of Anatoli suggesting that the last line in this review may be misconstrued as implying Anatoli is not worth your time. We’d like to make sure that you, our readers, don’t get the wrong impression. As we noted throughout our article, we enjoyed our time at Anatoli, and do recommend you try it for yourselves. We do, however, feel that the food was not the number one attraction of this restaurant. That’s not to say it was bad, merely that it was outshone by the experience.
We toyed with the idea of amending our last line, but chose instead to maintain the integrity of our article, in it’s original form, and clarify any confusion in this comment. We pride ourselves, after all, on giving our honest and above all, unbiased, opinions to our readers. We’d like to also add that we are once again impressed with the passion Tayfun Aras obviously has for this family establishment. He clearly takes his patrons’ comments to heart, and we look forward to trying Anatoli again some time in the future.
After more than 2 years of Eating Alphabetically, we’ve finally made it through the entire alphabet. We’ve found some amazing culinary gems, had some unforgettable meals, and experienced some surprising disappointments as well.
All in all we’ve loved every second of it, and hope you have too. In fact, we loved it so very much that we’re starting all over again, and this month sees us back at “A”, keen and eager to bring our readers our unique insights and opinions on some of Cape Town’s fine dining hotspots (alphabetically, of course) as well as the inside info on restaurant specials and dining events happening all around Cape Town.
Happy eating!
The Eating Alphabetically Team
See Featured Restaurants.
TH: ****
GS: ****
RL: ****
BH: ***½
Average Rating: ****
After looking through our options for “T” the Eating Alphabetically team decided it was time to shake things up a little, go a little further out of our usual restaurant territories, and try something new. For this reason we not only went all the way out to the winelands, but we did it during…wait for it…the day! Yes, it’s true. We did lunch. Darling.
And what a nice lunch it was.
Terroir, the restaurant on Kleine Zalze winefarm, came with several recommendations, and we weren’t disappointed. We were lucky to pick one of those perfect, clear, sunny, winter days, and being seated on the terrace at Terroir overlooking the huge oaks and distant mountains could not have been a better choice.
The winelist featured a good selection, and not only of the Kleine Zalze wines. These were, however, the most reasonably priced, which is not unexpected when dining on the farm of origin. We selected an unusual Kleine Zalze Gamay Noir – a chilled red, making a lovely alternative to white for lazy daytime drinking.
Sipping on this, we perused the menu and faced the daunting task of choosing our meals. Terroir is currently running a winter set menu special (check the details in our Specials section) which gives you around 3 choices for each course, with 2 and 3 courses at R165 and R195 respectively. While the winter menu selection is mouth-watering, matters become even more difficult when one is presented with the a la Carte Menu, since substitution is welcome, with prices being adjusted accordingly.
We finally settled on starters, with standout dishes being RL’s Gorgonzola Gnocci, with a deliciously subtle, cheesy undertone and GS’s confit duck. The duck is perhaps due a special mention, as its flavours were perfectly matched, with each item on the plate delicious alone and in combination – a rare treat.
Mains were no less pleasurable. The Winter Menu Fillet was tender and cooked to a perfect medium rare. Perhaps a little flavourless, as fillet often is, this was more than made up for by the rich and creamy risotto it was served on, and the simply divine, rich, dark, meaty jus that dressed the plate. The a la Carte Menu’s Fillet, too, was enjoyed – again, perfectly cooked and more flavourful alone that its Winter Menu competition. Its combination of salty sauce and mushrooms, with the sweeter butternut was BHs favourite. RL chose to sample the Tomato Tart Tatin. She loved the light, fresh flavours and the fact that while tasty, it still felt healthy to eat. GS’s Venison, off the a la Carte Menu, was perhaps the only disappointing dish, as it was lacking in flavour and could have used some sort of sauce to add character.
All in all we were thoroughly satisfied with our meals so far, and were enjoying the atmosphere and views so much that we decided to order another bottle of wine to enjoy while we looked over the dessert menu and watched the clutch of baby bantams pecking around the grounds.
RL, who declined the wine, decided to try the Black Forest Soufflé instead. Beautifully presented, and decadently chocolaty and rich, you may want to share this fairly large dessert between two. We ordered a cheese platter, to round off the meal for the rest of us, and were pleasantly surprised by the nice mix of cheeses, jams, and delicious fruity, nutty bread. Again a fairly large portion, and possibly best shared.
All told, we really enjoyed our afternoon at Terroir, and were one of the last lunch tables to leave. Service was decent, if not spectacular, food was consistently good, and prices were reasonable, especially on the Winter Menu.
Pick a nice sunny day and take a drive out to Kleine Zalze. You won’t regret it.
Ambiance: ***½
Service: ***
Food: ****
Wine: ****
Terroir / Kleine Zalze Wine Estate / Strand Road (R44) / Stellenbosch / Tel: 021 880 0717 / Email: terroir@kleinezalze.co.za / www.kleinezalze.com/terroir.html
See Featured Restaurants.
TH: ***
GS: ***
RL: **
BH: **½
Average Rating: **½
It was a clear, warm summer’s evening that saw the Eating Alphabetically crew on its way to Q. We didn’t expect much from Quay Four to be honest. So many Waterfront restaurants coast along on views and position, and it’s rare to find one that puts much effort into really fantastic food. Nonetheless, our Q options were limited, and we were looking forward to a pleasant evening enjoying the ocean breeze and good company at the very least.
Quay Four is practically a Cape Town institution. Enjoying its quay-side position almost since the inception of the Waterfront, the ground floor pub is well known (and loved) for its fish and chips, cold beer and live music. Upstairs, the “elegant dining” section is, however, somewhat less well known and, from our experience, far less frequented.
There is very little drama heading into Upstairs. A simple, wooden staircase next to the entrance to the pub takes you up to the very plain, slightly dated interior of the restaurant. The views are typically Waterfront: bobbing yachts, lights reflecting on the water, and the occasional sleepy seagull. The balcony looked like the most pleasant place to be seated, although we were seated inside, and I’d recommend requesting a table out there.
Quay Four’s menu focuses on fresh seafood, but they also offer several meat, poultry, vegetarian and pasta dishes. Spoilt for choice, we finally decided on starters, with RL having the Scallop and Kingclip fishcakes and BH having the Steamed Mussels in a garlic, dill, white wine and cream sauce. GS chose the Tempura prawns with crispy-fried leeks, and I tried the baby calamari tubes in chilli orange butter. RL’s fishcakes were very enjoyable, but BH was peculiarly quiet about his mussels. We later found out that he found them extremely disappointing, remarking that they tasted like tinned mussels in an instant packet-sauce, but didn’t want to worry RL who had ordered them for her main. GS’s tempura prawns were crunchy and delicious, with the crispy-fried leeks adding an unusual, but tasty element to this popular starter. My baby calamari tubes were outstanding, with the fresh, zesty, orangey sauce complimenting the delicate calamari flavour to perfection.
With the notable exception of the mussels, the starters were a happy surprise, and we were looking forward to our mains. RL, unfortunately, had the same abysmal experience with her mussels, and was suitably unimpressed. GS’s rare tuna steaks arrived very much overcooked and had to be sent back. His accompanying pesto mash and teriyaki sauce, however, were sublime. As in close-your-eyes-so-that-pesky-vision-doesn’t-detract-from-the-flavour-symphony-in-your-mouth-sublime. Sadly the second plate with the tuna steaks now rare as ordered, somehow managed to subtly change the mash and sauce, which, while still delicious, just didn’t have the same radiant flavour. GS manfully hid his tears of disappointment, and went to work on his now edible, but still unimpressive tuna steaks. BH, meanwhile tucked into his Catch of the Day – Blackfish, which he opted to have oven-baked with tomato, white anchovies, olives & feta cheese, topped with a crustacean sauce. He was, at first, less than excited by the mild-flavoured fish, but discovered that the white anchovies really complemented the flavours and ended up thoroughly satisfied with his choice. Continuing my citrus trend, I chose the Duck, which was served perfectly crisp, moist and flavourful, with a rich, sweet, citrus jus – definitely one of the better duck dishes I’ve enjoyed.
Courses must have been large; not even we seasoned eaters could find room to sample the desserts, which were presented on an old-fashioned trolley, a little out-of-keeping with the elegant dining experience.
Service throughout the meal was polite, but lacked the refinement of fine dining establishments. Our waitress was never around when we needed her, despite the small number of occupied tables to serve and while proficient and professional when we could find her, made us feel a little like a transaction, rather than valued guests.
The atmosphere was sadly dull, as the restaurant was more than half-empty (or less than half full, if you prefer). The cutlery, crockery and glasses were also more suited to the Spur than an upmarket restaurant.
Overall Quay Four is tricky to categorise. The food, other than the mussels, was better on average, than your standard Waterfront establishment, and prices were not obviously aimed at tourist pockets. It is difficult, however, to forget just how bad the mussels were, and we wonder how a rare tuna steak becomes cooked beyond recognition in a professional kitchen. The decor could definitely use a revamp, and I’d advise going on a weekend in the hopes of a livelier atmosphere. That said, parts of our meal were outstanding, and I, for one, wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to sample the baby calamari or that Teriyaki sauce again.
So how do we vote on Quay Four? Unreliable. Unpredictable. In good conscience we just can’t recommend a restaurant that can bring you a sublime dish for one course, and something virtually inedible for the next. Or that changes the recipe for its sauces from one plate to the next. I hate to say it, because my own meal was great, but until Eating Alphabetically can say, without doubt, that the same standard applies to all the dishes, we’re going to have to suggest our readers give it a miss. Such potential, but just too much like Russian roulette with food.
Ambiance: *
Service: **½
Food: ***
Wine: **½
Quay Four Upstairs / Quay 4 / V&A Waterfront / Tel: 021 419 2008 / Email: info@quay4.co.za / www.quay4.co.za
