Posted on: October 5th, 2011 RLFive Flies

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Posted on: October 5th, 2011 RLF: Five Flies: Flippin’ Fantastic

TH: ****½
GS: ****
RL: ****½
BH: ****½

Average rating: ****

For lack of a better suggestion, this month we agreed to review Five Flies. I have to confess that none of us were particularly excited, as we’d all visited this restaurant several times before and had never been overly impressed. Still, we were looking forward to good company, and secretly hoping that enough time had passed and that Five Flies would surprise us.

To our delight, our quiet desires were answered and Five Flies blew us away. For such a long time, we have failed to find a restaurant where every one of us has enjoyed every one of our meals. Each dish seemed to balance presentation, size of portion and good, solid flavour, while service was discreet, and on point. The atmosphere is still a little bland in my opinion, and I do think the decor could use a refresher, but the old world style is not amiss, and the somewhat empty tables are easily hidden in a series of small rooms. Most importantly, despite Five Flies being an upmarket, haute cuisine restaurant in the CBD, not once did I feel unwelcome, or “hushed”. Rather, we all enjoyed the casual atmosphere and this, combined with perhaps a little too much wine, left for a very pleasant evening indeed.

For Starters, although all were excellent, the two most remarked on were the Beef and Springbok Carpaccio and the Chilli Salt Squid. I have made it a personal rule that if carpaccio is on the menu I have to give it a try - how else will I know who offers the very best in this regard? Thanks to this philosophy, I can now tell you, without equivocation, that Five Flies does. The freshness of the beef and springbok, in combination with the delicious dressing, micro herbs, pepper and flavoursome mushrooms was perfection. The Chilli Salt Squid also struck just the right note with its incredibly tender morsels and lovely flavours that brought a spicy heat. Presented with a well seasoned salad and you have an excellent Starter.

The Main dishes were no less scrumptious. In the past, Five Flies has always been accused of serving bite size portions, with many a diner being forced to visit Mac Donald’s on the way home. I am pleased to report that this no longer seems to be the case. In fact, they seem to have found that delicate, and often difficult, balance between satisfying their customers while still keeping the dishes small enough to appear attractive. On top of this, the dishes also taste good - an all round win. The Lamb Shank fell off the bone with such ease that you could quite easily do away with your knife, while the Kingklip was cooked to perfection, cleverly paired with a curry sauce and brought together with a sweet potato purée. The Seafood Curry and Rack of Lamb also proved to be excellent choices, with none of us feeling that we had made a bad selection.

Desserts, although far more subtle and traditional, were as beautifully presented as each course preceding, and rounded the meal off nicely.

And so, with this wonderful meal, which I hope is a rule, rather than the exception, Five Flies has gone from a grey, vague association tucked in the back of my thoughts, to a multi-coloured rainbow of flavour, presentation and satisfaction. Too much? Perhaps, but then, I also have another philosophy - if you’re going to enjoy something, relish the enjoyment.

Ambiance: ***
Service: ****
Food: ****½
Wine: ***

Five Flies / Rembrandt House / 14 Keerom Street / Cape Town / Tel: 021 424 4442 / Email: info@fiveflies.co.za / www.fiveflies.co.za

Posted on: August 12th, 2011 THE: Eight: Okay, not great

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 29th, 2011 RLD: Den Anker: Don’t expect much

TH: **
GS: **½
RL: **
BH: **½

Average rating: **

Found on harbour’s edge of the V&A Waterfront, I could waffle for a bit on the virtues of location, but despite this, the sad truth is that Den Anker disappointed almost from the moment we stepped through the door. Not that anything was “bad”, mind you, just that it never lived up to promise, and more importantly, price.

Yes, we were greeted at the door by a very friendly hostess, but her sense of dress was a little strange and her etiquette was lacking - when we asked if there was somewhere we could hang our jackets she looked around aimlessly and then eyed out the handles on the top windows. She may have been joking, but I’m just not entirely sure. Neither of these points are particularly problematic, but - and I’m afraid I may repeat this - when you’re paying R300 or more a head, without wine, you come to expect a certain level of sophistication. At the prices they were charging, I could be eating at a far more eloquent restaurant with staff that near perfection in presentation and training.

The same casual service carried through to our waiter. Again, he was friendly, but lacked that certain polish we were hoping for. His descriptions of the meals offered no more detail than the menu and when asked to make recommendations, he largely listed everything on the offer. This is not to say that we didn’t like him - we did - and he would have been perfect in a pub or casual dining establishment but we wanted…more.

On a side note, there were an awful lot of staff for a very empty restaurant. Not always an issue, you never know how many walk-ins you may get, and I assume that the weather was a bit of a deterrent, but this does not mean that at 9:30pm, if you start getting bored, you begin packing up the glasses and table settings around the guests you do have. This is one of my particular pet hates as it’s inconsiderate and nothing will make diners feel more unwelcome.

Enough ranting however, back to the core of our story, which brings us to the food. The menu presented some small challenges as all dishes were described, somewhat inconsistently, in multiple languages; a clear indication of the market they’re aiming at, and a common complaint about the Waterfront. Of course, this just further explains the gap between the prices and the actual offering. It’s sad that this often backfires on narrow-minded restaurants, as when winter comes their seats are left empty and the atmosphere desolate, as was the case with Den Anker.

Despite this, the selection of dishes showed promise and I was excited to be adventurous and try out the Marrow Bone starter. Silly me, I was picturing quaint chop bone-sized marrow bones, but what I received was, well, dog bones. Huge things thrown on my plate in some sort of clear, watery, oily stock and served with toast.  I made it through one and half before I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it, and was forced to pass. In contrast, GS’s Goat’s Cheese starter looked beautifully presented, even if the bacon was a little pale. Apparently he enjoyed it, but wasn’t overly impressed. BH however made a good selection in the Seafood Bisque which meant we had a least one good dish to recommend.

Unfortunately, Mains also left a little to be desired, with only TH really enjoying her Fillet with white pepper sauce. This she described as one of the better cuts of meat she’d enjoyed, but she would have preferred to enjoy it in a more appropriate setting. My Tiger Prawns were so spicy that I couldn’t enjoy them, and BH could best explain his Rabbit dish as “nondescript”. GS faired a little better with his Kingklip, but it arrived somewhat congealed from standing too long. Also be warned that not all dishes come with accompaniments, a trap I almost fell into as the menu doesn’t state anything of the kind. So, once again, only one really good dish, not a good average.

Desserts were more basic and enjoyable, but presentation lacked on occassion. I enjoyed the flavour and tartness of the Crepes, but TH remarked they looked like dead jellyfish, lying on the plates. She herself tucked in to a healthy dose of Ice cream and Chocolate Sauce which seemed to go down well. GS’s Cheesecake looked beautiful, but he may have been a little disappointed with the portion size, a comment which could also apply to some of the Starters and Mains.

This again brings us to price. At a certain level of expense, you expect the dishes to either be beautifully presented and absolutely delicious or very very large. Den Anker offers neither. The same applies to the wine selection. Yes, there were numerous options on offer but they were so exorbitantly priced that we didn’t even bother. Luckily however there is also an array of beers to choose from and these proved to be the best decision of the night. Needless to say, we sampled several, and all were greatly enjoyed.

In summary, I would say that Den Anker is more than a pub, but less than a restaurant. Unfortunately it doesn’t fully deliver on either point.

Ambiance: **
Service: **½
Food: **½
Wine: **
Bathrooms: ***

Den Anker Restaurant and Bar / Pierhead / V&A Waterfront / Tel: 021 419 0249 / Email: Denanker@mweb.co.za / www.denanker.co.za

Posted on: June 3rd, 2011 BHC: Carne: Could Do Better

TH: **½
GS: ***
RL: **½
BH: ***

Average rating: ***

For “C”, we thought we’ve give 95 on Keerom’s sister restaurant; Carne.

As their website puts so elegantly, Giorgio Nava, well known chef and proprietor of Cape Town’s award winning 95 Keerom, has spread his Milanese flair with the opening of his second signature restaurant: “Carne SA”, situated directly opposite 95’s front door in Keerom Street. Dedicated entirely to meat, as is evident from its Italian name, Carne SA is a carnivore’s paradise; serving a unique offering of the finest cuts of Romagnola beef and Dorper lamb, off Giorgio’s very own Karoo farm.

As with 95, Carne’s interiors are well considered and the the slick masculine finishes are well suited for an (almost) meat only menu.

The menu boasts free range, grass fed meat, dry aged in their own fridges and, as I’ve mentioned earlier, the Dorper lamb even hails from Giorgio’s farm in the Karoo. With all this, you expect the meals to be phenomenal and the meat to make you cry as you taste the first bite. High expectations indeed…

As usual, we wanted to give the Featured Restaurant every opportunity to impress, so we ordered 4 different starters, mains and desserts.

For starters, TH had the “Primi” Raviolo, which she found a little unremarkable, while GS sampled the Veal Tongue with poached tongue salad. Again, nothing exciting to report, but more concerning was that the dish looked a little bit like suspect sandwich meat. RL had the Carpaccio which was “fine”, although cut a little thicker than she liked. Not a great start, but not an awful one either. Wanting to see what they could do with a veggie dish, I ordered the Asparagus. Surprisingly, I actually quite enjoyed mine. Unlike the usual flash-blanched asparagus you’d normally receive, Carne gives theirs a quick flip on the griddle for a smoky, chargrilled touch that worked very well with the distinct Asparagus flavour and parmesan shavings.

For mains, GS tired the marinated leg of Dorper Lamb which he found unusually tough and not at all “lamb-y” in flavour or experience. A great fan of lamb dishes, RL admitted that if she had ordered his dish, she would have been greatly disappointed.

As an experiment in different meat cuts, TH, RL and I decided to give their three classic steaks a go. In theory, this would give us the best of tenderness, flavor and the middle ground. TH had the Sirloin, the most tender, I had the Rump, the most flavoursome, and RL had the Ribeye, a mix of both. The result were not as one might have expected… the Sirloin had a stronger flavour than the Rump and both were equal in their mostly-tender texture. Unfortunate as we had hoped the Sirloin would melt in our mouths, and the Rump would shout with richness. In contrast, the Ribeye, the supposed “happy medium”, was the most tender and flavoursome, but a little too chargrilled and tasted like braai meat at times. Surprised? We were.

Not having had such a great meal so far, we moved onto desserts. TH & GS decided to simply have a glass of dessert wine while RL surcumed to the “95″ Chocolate Soufflé. Although this dessert was more fondant than soufflé, it was rich and decadent with a runny centre, but not over the top. RL naturally wolfed it down. I decided to check out the infamous Grappa trolley - literally a trolley filled to the brim with various grappa’s and digestifs. After smelling a few and listending to our waiters explainations, I selected one I thought wouldn’t kill me and a single espresso to accompany, in true Italian style. It was a little different, but in a good way and the grappa I chose, the name of which I can neither remember or pronounce, went down smoothly

All in all, we went to Carne expecting the meat to blow us away and it simply didn’t. It was simply “okay” but we had high hopes and were probably overly critical as a result. That said, the prices weren’t outrageous so I didn’t leave feeling ripped off, although the starters are a little steep. I was simply disappointed. On the other hand, if it weren’t for the average food, Carne would be amazing. The service was spot on; a healthy mix of casual and professional, our waiter was very knowledgeable and eager to please. The venue is chic and modern with a timeless elegance to it. So many “hits” but such an important “miss”.

I think the lesson to be learnt here, is that if you’re going to specialise in a particular type of dish - make sure it’s as close to perfect as possible.

Ambiance: ****
Service: ****
Food: **
Wine: ***
Bathrooms: ***½

Carne SA / 70 Keerom Street / City Bowl / Cape Town / Tel: 021 424 3460 / Email: info@carne-sa.com / www.carne-sa.com

Posted on: May 15th, 2011 GSB: Bombay Brasserie: Bl**dy Good Indian

TH: ****
GS: ****

Average Rating: ****

Bombay Brasserie, located in the upmarket Taj Hotel in the centre of town, offers some of the best Indian food available to those willing to meet its prices.

Upon entering, it becomes immediately apparent that you are visiting a 5-star restaurant. The elegant chandeliers, the subdued yet regal detailing on the blue walls, the embroidered chairs and the perfectly laid out place seatings are all on par with other first-class establishments.

The service keeps pace with the environment - you very quickly realize this is a premier restaurant that happens to serve Indian cuisine, rather than an Indian establishment striving to be the best at it’s game. We were welcomed with an attractive, multi-colored plate of snacks with subtle mango chutney. I felt the chutney could have done with a bit more flavor, but it served to keep us nibbling until our starters could arrive.

Before our starters, we were treated to an amuse bouche of a dried fruit filled with a mixture of nuts, spices and raisins. Whilst quite dry, the taste could best be described as an Indian Christmas. Certainly something different, and enjoyable.

And oh, what starters. We ordered two of the more interesting sounding options from the menu - home-made cottage cheese, spiced and then char-grilled; and apricot-and-potato cakes with a spiced yoghurt sauce. Both of these were amazingly good. The cottage cheese had a fantastic texture, slightly chewy, and it was served with a coriander dressing that paired perfectly. So good was the cheese that we felt forced to keep some aside to try with our mains. It deserves to mentioned that the portions on the cheese were such that we had a bit to spare! The apricot-and-potato cakes, whilst smaller, made up for it by being delicious. The sauce was both sweet and nicely spiced, and a fair bit of it ended up being used with the cottage cheese. If those cakes were available as a main, I may well have been tempted to go for a second serving.

To refresh us before our mains, we were served a guava sorbet. Whilst I cannot say that guava is my favorite fruit, the presentation on this dish was incredible. It came on an “Aladdin’s lamp”-style pot with a reservoir of dried ice that continually bathed your sorbet in wreathes of smoke as you ate it. A visual treat!

Our mains were on the more traditional side, and we ordered from the selection of restaurant specialties. The lamb shank with a saffron-tinged gravy was excellently cooked, although the saffron was unnoticeable behind the otherwise subtle curry flavors. The gravy itself was wonderful, and very little was left on our plates afterwards. Equally enjoyable was the other main, a Chicken Tikka curry with a surprisingly thick sauce. Again, the flavors were surprisingly subtle. Those worried about heat can relax - a perfect balance was struck with just enough heat to tease the mouth without ever needing you to resort to a tissue.

The wine list on offer was varied enough to provide an option for any occasion, including offering a number of Nederburg International Wine Auction wines for those looking for something a little different. However, be warned - your options for under R180 are almost non-existent.

In conclusion, Bombay Brasserie offer another excellent addition to Cape Towns haute cuisine establishments. Whilst the prices preclude it becoming a regular haunt; I can unreservedly recommend it to those looking for an interesting option for that special occasion.

Ambiance: ****
Service: ****
Food: ****
Wine: ***
Bathrooms: ***½

Bombay Brasserie / The Taj Hotel / Crnr Wale and Adderly / Cape Town / Tel: 021 819 2000

Posted on: May 5th, 2011 BHBread Cafe at the Bromwell

Bread Cafe can be found within one of the convention-challenging establishments popping up in Woodstock’s Albert Road, The Bromwell. Claiming to have Cape Town’s best Almond Croissant, this small cafe would great for breakfasts before or lunches after a morning of shopping some of Cape Town’s big name designers’ showrooms.

Prices are pretty average for a Cape Town establishment, meaning that while there may be a few cheaper options, most meals will be more than R50. That said, having sampled the Bread Club Sandwich, Salmon Bagel & the Green Chicken Curry Wrap I can tell you that the fare is fresh and tasty and well worth the visit. On top of that, they make a mean cup of coffee with their special blend, accompanied by a mini-meringue.

Bread Cafe / The Bromwell / 250 Albert Road / Woodstock / Tel: 021 447 4730 / enquires@breadcafe.co.za / www.breadcafe.co.za

Posted on: March 31st, 2011 THA: Anatoli: Effortlessly Authentic

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.

Posted on: February 16th, 2011 RLZ: Zibaldone: Doing it right

BH: ****
RL: ****

Average: ****

We’ve been slacking, we know. We promised monthly Featured Reviews, and for the last 2 or 3 months we’ve been slipping. We apologise profusely and will endeavour to make sure it doesn’t happen again. That being said, this month we decided to kill two birds with one stone, and earlier this week (yes, on Valentine’s Day), we journeyed to the Northern Suburbs and one of our favourite foodie restaurants, Zibaldone.

Situated in the Tyger Falls complex the restaurant is a little awkward to get to, and can be a little cold when empty, but on a good night the waterside positioning lends it a wonderful, relaxed atmosphere. Interiors are sophisticated, but in no way uptight, especially when the restaurant is full. Small details in texture and colour make it a welcoming set-up which is balanced and reflected by the staff themselves.

Much like the interiors, the service is knowledgable and polished, but still manages to be friendly and inviting. Staff remain subtly in the background, but are always there when you need them, whether it’s to make good recommendations or top up your wine glass.

The wine selection, although small, offers a decent selection provided you don’t mind spending a little more. Unfortunately, they don’t support the more cost effective options for those with a budget but, then again, if you’re visiting a restaurant like Zibaldone, you’re probably not there to sample Two Oceans. As an Italian restaurant, they also offer a few imported Italian wines if you’re feeling the Italian spirit.

In keeping with their chosen cuisine a variety of pastas, risotto’s and tasty Italian delicacies are on offer as well as many veal, meat, chicken and seafood options. No matter what you’re in the mood for, you’re sure to find something on this menu. Again, prices aren’t cheap, but that’s not why you come to Zibaldone - you come for the beautiful presentation, fresh ingredients and expertly combined flavours. In truth, I have yet to have a meal at Zibaldone that disappoints.

During this visit my Sweet Chilli Calamari Starter was a delightful mix of spicey and sweet, poured over plump calamari tubes while BH’s Asparagus Parcels were a wonderful display of colours and flavours. His only concern was that baking Parma ham seemed a little unsual. This didn’t stop him from enjoying the dish however.

My Main was a customer favourite, the Lamb Tortellini. Hand-made by the restaurant, each mouthful is melt-in-your-mouth lamb shank filling and fresh pasta paired with creamy pearl barley. Hmmm….not to be missed. BH’s Crumbed Sole was chosen from the special’s for the day and even made me, rarely a fish eater, take a longing stare. A healthy piece of fish, crumbed and stuffed with prawns and other goodies, BH tucked in without a word, and happily devoured the whole lot without stopping. Desserts rounded the meal off nicely and left our bellied perfectly sated.

On top of all this, as we left the restaurant, we realised we had no change to pay for the garage parking, but were pleasantly surprise and thankful when a very kind waiter gave us R10 to help us out.

Zibaldone, I have to say, from start to finish, you impressed. Thanks for a great evening.

Ambiance: ***
Service: ***½
Food: ****
Wine: ***

Zibaldone Italian Restaurant / Shop 1B / Tygerlake Building / Tygerfalls Entrance / Tygervalley Waterfront / Durbanville / Tel: 021 914 1771 / Email: info@zibaldone.co.za / www.zibaldone.co.za

Posted on: December 6th, 2010 RLY: Yindee’s: You could do worse

BH:***
RL:***

Average: ***

Found just off the popular Kloof street is Yindee’s, a Thai restaurant which is considered to offer some of the more authentic Thai flavours in Cape Town. Having been to Thailand, and having often longed after those wonderful flavours, BH and I decided to test the truth of this. Unfortunately GS and TH were unable to join us on this journey, but we were determined to make the most of it.

In typical laid-back Cape Town style, the restaurant is located in an old Victorian building with an unassuming entrance and atmosphere which continues into the restaurant itself. Everything about this place is casual and relaxed.

Service is chilled and friendly, but not particularly efficient, but, then again, not particularly slow either. At times, you are left feeling a little like Goldilocks trying to find the perfect balance, but in no way does this have a negative impact on your evening. Just be prepared to sit back and go with the flow.

The décor however, leaves a little to be desired as some sections or rooms are a bit sparse, remedied only by the fact that the restaurant is reasonably popular and therefore has some atmosphere created by the guests themselves. On occassion it also feels as though the restaurant were decorated by somebody who has a vague idea of what Thailand is about, without actually paying attention to the details. Either that, or they think others won’t notice the sometimes strange juxtaposition of Thai elements with other Asian cultures.

What saves this restaurant is the food. Presentation is none existent, although perhaps this can be considered true to culture, and you end up ordering by number, a pet hate of mine as I feel waiters working in a cultural restaurant should be encourage to learn to pronounce the dishes, but the dishes themselves are delicious. There are a good variety of dish options available, the flavours are well balanced and truth be told, although not perfect, they did bring back memories and hit the spot. We were even able to order a Singha beer.

All things considered, although Yindee’s isn’t going to become a frequent haunt of mine, I did enjoy my evening and I’m not adverse to going back again. Although mostly average, if you’re in the mood for a relaxed evening, with a Thai flair, you could do a whole lot worse.

Ambiance: ***
Service: ***
Food: ***½
Wine: ***
Bathrooms: **½

Yindee’s Authentic Thai Cuisine / 22 Camp Street / Gardens / Cape Town / Tel: 021 422 1012 / Email: nirun@yindees.com / www.yindees.com