Posted on: November 12th, 2008 THB: Bizerca: Better than a Bistro

TH: ****
GS: *** ½
RL: ****
BH: ****
Average Rating: ****

Amidst the madness of daily life, and the excitement of getting the Eating Alphabetically site up and running, November has rolled in, almost unnoticed by us busy EA bees. With it have come the first hints of a hot (and windy) Cape Town summer to come, the earliest of the Christmas-explosion shop-displays, and, of course, the letter “B” slot in our alphabet of gastronomy.

After our less than memorable experience at Aubergine, we were searching for somewhere we’d love (lest you, our readers, think us overly critical and negative). We decided to pick a restaurant that was not just new, hip and happening on the Cape Town food scene, but also came with several very complimentary recommendations from friends and acquaintances alike. Bizerca did not disappoint.

Do not let the name fool you. Far from the exotic barbarian war images that may come to mind (or a particular song from the movie “Clerks”, if you’re a fan), Bizerca proved to be a neat, modern, corner Bistro, tucked away in a pedestrian thoroughfare in the middle of Cape Town Foreshore. Granted, not the most bustling of night life locations, but at least parking is readily available.

On first approach the restaurant appears a little disappointing, but give it time to grow on you. As you sit and interact with the owner and staff, the personality begins to shine through. The décor is simple (if a bit austere): white poly-prop chairs, black and white pattern-printed café tables, exposed A/C ducting, Perspex panelled garage door entrance, glazed wine cellar, slightly incongruous chandelier, an open hatch to the kitchen, gloss-sealed screed floors, and orange accent lighting around the shopfront-style windows. You can see that a real effort has been made to make this place look good, but the evening ambiance still left a little to be desired, with the décor suggesting a better daytime feel. The patrons were a strange mix of middle-aged couples and tourists, with us being, yet again, the youngest table. Altogether not exactly what we were expecting.

This is, perhaps, the time to give a little background history on how Bizerca came about. Run by a husband and wife team (Laurent and Cyrillia), it’s very much a family establishment. Originally based in the Blue Mountain region outside Sydney, Australia, the couple ran a highly acclaimed guest house, combining Laurent’s French background, with Cyrillia’s South African. After a decision to return the family to Cyrillia’s homeland of S.A. the concept of Bizerca was born – they had to be a little berserk to just up and move everything, right? We, for one, are glad they did.

The menu is displayed on mobile chalk boards, and changes nightly, or so we are told. It is presented to you personally by Cyrillia, who not only explains the dishes (for those of us who may not be familiar with some of the French terms used), but does so in such a way that everything sounds fantastic. We certainly had difficulty choosing. Despite Laurent’s international chef training, do not expect haute cuisine-type tiny portions of meticulously displayed, insubstantial works of culinary art. While the food is far from mundane or unattractive, it is not overly precious in arrangement, and portions are healthy, if not huge.

European in style and ingredients, with personal twists we assume come from Australian and/or South African influences, we were definitely impressed with the quality of food on offer.

The Pig Trotter starter (a Bizerca specialty – de-boned and moist beyond belief) was sublime, the Raw Salmon Salad (another specialty) incredibly fresh and flavourful and the Duck Pate (not duck liver pate) unexpectedly difficult to share. The Ostrich Carpaccio alone was sub-par and this only because of the comparative deliciousness of the other entrees.

Main course too, did not disappoint. An original combination of minted lamb, on a bed of ratatouille, with fondant potatoes and harrissa was delicious, marred only a little by the meat, which, while mostly tender and moist, had some slightly fatty areas and the occasional chewy vein. In comparison, the Veal Shoulder blew us away. This tender, melt-in-your mouth dish was complimented perfectly with the unexpected pine fruit jus and mash. The beef fillet too was succulent and tender, although one shouldn’t expect anything less from an establishment of this calibre. The Duo of Duck was perhaps a little dry on the breast (as duck often is) but the leg portion was moist, tender and tasty, and the stack of thinly sliced pear and accompanying baby potatoes complimented the flavours well.

A fairly extensive wine list is available, although the average price of between R150-R250 per bottle (with a handful of cheaper options, and plenty far more expensive) is perhaps a little on the pricey side. Wines are also available by the glass, and are displayed on the back of the chalkboard menu, as we discovered a little too late in the evening. Our cocktail aperitifs were pleasant enough, but not the best we’ve had, so we’d recommend sticking to the wine.

Finally: desert. The ladies of our party, typically, could not resist the soft centred chocolate brownie with berry sorbet and white chocolate crème caramel, while BH had the renowned Apple Tart Fine, ordered the requisite 30 minutes before (it is made up from scratch on order). The apple tart was perfectly balanced, not too sweet, not too tart, and delicately flavoured - fantastic with its Vanilla pod ice cream. Be warned, the chocolate brownie is very dark, and very rich, and not to everyone’s taste. RL found it too bitter for her liking, and ended up sweetening it with the berry sorbet. If, however, you like your chocolate black as night, and as sweet as Marilyn Manson on a bad day, you can’t afford to miss this hot, gooey piece of heaven on a plate. The berry sorbet and crème caramel also deserve a mention, as they were both very good, and beautifully displayed. GS chose rather to sample the Port, but was not entirely impressed with the fairly light and fruity result of his choice.

Before wrapping up, a necessary word on the bathrooms: take a compass. The directions of “outside and to the right” are so far from sufficient it’s as if they are trying to get patrons lost in the maze of back corridors that stand between them and their destination. While there are small signs leading the way to the single, unimpressive, unisex stall, and one disabled stall, they have failed to consider labelling the route back, and more than one of our party was left to open door after door, hoping to find a familiar passageway. Just so you know: the door marked “exit” does not lead back to the restaurant, but to the fire escape.

Overall Bizerca is a fun, fairly casual dining experience, well worth the praise it commonly receives. We had a wonderful meal for a fair price, enjoyed the personal attention of one of the proprietors, and had generally good, friendly service from the waiting staff. Our only recommendation would be that until Bizerca becomes more widely known, it may be better at lunch time, when the atmosphere is likely to be livelier.

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

Bizerca Bistro / Jetty Street / Foreshore / Cape Town / Tel: 021 418 0001

One Response to “B: Bizerca: Better than a Bistro”

1. Shaun B Says:
   December 4th, 2008 at 11:41 am

   Hmmm, sounds yummy and very quaint. Will bring my GPS to locate the bathroom.

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