Helmar Rudolph: My Blog :: Restaurant Reviews

First let's start with the name. It's certainly got you thinking, what on earth is meant by "the best ugly", and yes, it's certainly "sticky" from a marketing point of view, but the word "ugly" in a restaurant feels somehow dissonant to me. That said, once stuck, it's there to stay. :)

What does sound right, though, is a number of other factors. Ok, the interior isn't quite finished (yet), so a few details need to be added, but with a bit of imagination you are getting a good idea what Robert and Victor have in mind there once Cape Town's suppliers have risen from their life-long slumber. :)

Downstairs there is space for about 100 diners. The atmosphere is modern, yet intimate. Outside, on the "stoep", you're witness of the happenings on Main Rd, the many walkers-by, and enjoy a semi-obscured view of the new stadium. Day or night, it's a lovely place to spend some time, although inside they still need some sound-proofing, because the unfortunately rather noisy South African crowds would turn this into a madhouse, if all tables were filled, which I am sure will soon be the case.

Upstairs an area equal in size is dedicated to a Jazz Club cum cigar bar. There too, outside, tables have been placed, so that you can enjoy many a summer night there. Inside, re-upholstered leather sofas grace the area around the fire place, while round coffee shop table "sit" on the other side where the bar is. There, too, finishing touches have to be added, like lighting for the tables and around the sofas, and the stage, where Robert and Victor envisage many a famous and still to be discovered Jazz artist to play, will also see further improvements.

In fact, the two have already lined up some of South Africa's top artists, like Jimmi Dludlu, Maurice Gawronsky and Alvyn Dyers to play, so expect this place to be THE meeting place for those enjoying top Jazz and top food in one of Cape Town's trendiest places.

The colours are subdued, black and white photographs grace the walls, the kitchen lit bright, so that German-born head chef Mario Hirse can work his magic. And this brings us right to the food - the best for last, they say...

As it was the first time there, we ate ourselves right through the menu and shared the food to also get a "2nd opinion". To release the suspense, the food was simply AWESOME! All four were incredibly happy with what they were served. It took some time for the starters to arrive, but just as Anne and I were commenting on that, they did arrive. Tuna Carpaccio with Fresh Coriander and Smoked Chili (R49), Portobellino Mushrooms filled with Croutons in Parsley and Garlic and Coppa di Parma Ham (R45), 6 (!) months matured, layered Mountain Cheese with sundried Tomato and Herb Pesto (R49) and a Smoked Venison Carpaccio on Fresh Garden Greens with Strawberreis in Balsamic (R58) is what we ordered. All of them delightfully presented, absolutely yummy and very reasonably priced.

For mains, I chose a wonderful Orientel Spiced Couscous with White Beands, Marrow, Chick Peas and Sultanas, with a hint of mint and lovely flavours inbetween (R58), whereas the others chose Chicken Breast in Ginger, Lime and Coconut with Jasmine Rice, (R85), Roasted Ostrich Medallions on Root Vegetables with Apricot and Brandy Jus (R125) as well as slow-cooked Rabbit Casserole in Dark Beer with Vanilla and Celery and Caramalized Carrots (R125), all three obvious no-gos for vegetarian yours truly.

As mentioned before, we were all delighted with the food. Full of flavours, beautifully presented, and - given the current state of the Rand - still reasonably priced. That, by the way, is a very good thing, because we know that Cape Town also has an off-season where restaurants depend on the local crowd to gather, and it's therefore with great pleasure to see Robert and Victor pay attention to it.

Inbetween courses, both came to the table to chat about their plans, and even Marco arrived afterwards to say a few words about what is still to come from the kitchen.

For dessert, White Chocolate Parfait with Peppered Sour Cherries (totally yum and very light!) comes in at R36, while an equally delightful Yoghurt Mousse with Berry Lid and Sugared Lime Zest, served with Berry Sorbet comes in at R38. The Pinacolada Best Ugly Pineapple Sals awith Bacardi Rum Creme and Coconut Sorbet at also R36 was just as delicious, while the Nut and Toffee Tartlet with Expresso Foam and Vanilla Ice Cream (R40) should appeal more to those favouring a slightly heavier dessert.

The wine list is varied, offering pretty much all wine by the glass, too, which is a good thing, although wine in general has become a little too pricey for my liking, especially by the glass. Again, food prices at The Best Ugly are very reasonable compared to what you get in presentation, quantity and quality. Full marks for that.

Restaurant Manager Alexis Cameron and waiter Jonathan were very friendly and attentive, although among the other waiters a few minor details still have to be sorted, like making sure when water is on the table, everyone's got a glass or not pouring too much of the red wine into the glass. But that's all peanuts compared to the superb dining experience which soon will find its atmospheric match when all the decor is up and the team working in full sync.

Soooo, the only review this year ended up to be a rather long one, but deservedly so, because I think it's a great place with even bigger potential upstairs, but as for the dining experience, that was just outstanding.

An early 9 out of 10 for this, with the one missing surely be added once the minor glitches have been sorted.

If you're a keen diner, do yourself the favour and pay a visit to

The Best Ugly
79 Main Rd, Green Point
Cape Town

Bookings: 021 434 1590
Email: info (at) thebestugly.com

Restaurant open Mon-Sat, 11am-11pm
Sun, 5pm-11pm
Bar open Mon-Sun 5pm-late


PS: Oliver's comment just came in. Here it is:

Starter (Venison Carpaccio): awesome, plentiful. Strawberries an interesting combination with venison.

Main (Ostrich): mmmmh, can't possibly say anything bad about it.

Dessert (all 4): really good, the Yoghurt Mousse should have been served in a different dish, though, but otherwise YUM!

Service: friendly, but partly lacking attention in minor details, ie. lack of glasses, food out even though ladies in bathroom.

Setting: downstairs really nice, comfy chairs, tables large enough, not squeezed. Upstairs needs a bit more warmth, still a bit provisionary, but I'm sure that's just a matter of time.

Conclusion: will definitely be back.

  Restaurant Review: The Best Ugly Rhythm Bar and Restaurant

We arrived a bit early, although our table was only for 21:00. Needless to say that there was ample space available. In fact, when we came in, the entire bar section at the front was empty. Why they only allowed us to book for 21:00 will remain their secret.

Haiku is a pretty dark place, but quite stylish. As you come into the main dining area (which you cannot see from the street), there's a long kitchen and counter (to sit on) on the right hand side, with the dining area to the left. The decor is modern - a bit stark - yet exudes an elegant simplicity.

The welcome was very friendly, but our waiter a little too keen to clear the table - he could have left the stuff standing there a little longer.

Their menu is rather interesting. You pay per star, each one representing R35, and you need to consume at least four stars, read: R140 per person. Well, for that it had better be good - but it wasn't 100%.

It started with some rather spicy nibblies as we sat down - a nice touch. We then chose a Miso Soup and a Sweet Corn Soup, both of them nice, but not worth the R35, that's for sure. Willoughby's
Miso Soup is much nicer than this one, and IIRC it's only R19.

Then we went for the 2nd course. I had Tuna Sashimi sald, which was superb! It comes with an orangy sauce which makes it really delicious. I could have stopped after that, to be honest. Carla chose the BBQ Duck Spring Roll, which was also very nice. I'm not a friend of Duck... a bit too heavy for my liking.

The main course was also delicious. I had a whole fried fish (kingklip) while Carla had Beef Broccoli. Both were worth the 2 stars (R70). We kindly skipped desert as we were full after the soups, the starters and the mains.

The bill came to about R400 incl tip which was quite pricey given me just having one glass of wine. That said, I didn't expect Haiku to be cheap, but it wasn't the WOW experience either. It was a nice evening out, not only because Carla footed the bill (it's my turn next), but there are places where you get equally good food for less. I guess in the end it still balances itself out sortof ok, but for R200 a person it has to be tops - and it wasn't quite.

So there, my Haiku experience. If you're flush, pay them a visit and let me know what you think of it. Would love to hear from you!

Ah.. rating... 8 out of 10. There you go! :)

Haiku
Burg Street
Tel: 021 424 7000
www.haikurestaurant.com

Chicolate is where Cafe du Sud used to be. As I haven't eaten there I'd just like to give you a taste of things for now. The interior is totally up my alley: elegant simplicity. Very tastefully decorated, two rooms and a lounge area are inviting the guest to what they call "100% dining pleasure".

The chef explained to me some of the meals and the reasoning behind the at first sight not-so-cheap prices, but it appears to be justified. If it is, I'll tell you soon once I've eaten there. In the meantime here's a rundown of the menu, and don't be shy to let me know what you think of the place if you've eaten there already.

Starters
1/2 dozen Afro Style Oysters - R105
Carpaccio by Chicolate - R55
Butternut and Orange Soup - R25
Salmon Tartare - R60
Wild Mushroom Tart - R55
Seasonal Risotto - R42

Mains
Supreme of Free Range Chicken - R80
Pan Roast Fillet - R120
Five Spiced Duck Breast - R90
Black Sesame Crusted Salmon - R95
Venison Loin - R110
Fishmonger's Choice - R80
Pork Loin - R100

Desserts (all R35)
Death by Chocolate
Passion fruit and citrus tart
Tiramisu roulade
White chocolate and vanilla crème brulee
Spiced honez roasted stone fruit

Selection of cheeses (for two) - R120

Chicolate
Cnr Church/Long St.
Cape Town
Tel: 021 423 5187
Email: pj.chicolate (at) mweb.co.za

The complex houses Britta Sinn's "Sinn's Restaurant" and the adjacent "S-bar", as well as the Japanese restaurant Salushi on the other side, surrounded by Vida e Caffee and Knead, a bakery. Virgin Active's gym is just above, the residential complex towering on the other side.

The nice thing there is that you can sit at S-bar but order food from Salushi. Everything goes there. Sinn's Restaurant offers excellent fare too, and even S-bar's bar snacks are delicious.

Salushi also offers take-aways and is very very reasonably priced. A mixed veggie and nut stir-fry is only R30, a chicken and almond one R32. Juices come in at R11.50, a spicy California Roll R21.

Sinn's Tuna Salad (at R43) looks different every time I order it, but is very tasty and constitutes a full meal. (At Chef's Restaurant (see other short review) you'd get a pissy little starter salad for two Rand more!) I ate at the restaurant only twice, but enjoyed attentive service, a decent wine list and high quality food. I will write a full review with my next visit.

The service at both Salushi and Sinn's/S-bar is superb, and if you don't mind the place getting a little noisy in the evenings, go pay them a visit. It's a haven during daytime, except for lunch of course, so the ideal location for a "laptop worker" like me to make it my second office!

Coordinates:
Sinn's Restaurant
Wembley Square
Gardens
Tel: + 27 21 4650967
Fax: + 27 21 4650968
Email: sinns (at) wembleysquare.co.za
www.sinns.co.za

Salushi Restaurant
Tel: 021 465 0552

The interior is simple yet stylish, sand-coloured walls and small tables, with a bar tucked away in the back, making it comfortable, despite the high ceilings.

Nicolai is attending personally, explaining the different meals and specials. For starters Carla chose a beef carpaccio while I opted for a Kinglip one. Almost see-through slivers of Kingklip served on olive oil with cheese and tomato. Absolutely outstanding and - despite the choice of Kingklip - truly Italian. Yummy. Carla was equally enchanted with her choice.

For mains I had Ravioli while Carla chose Taglio Grappa. Both absolutely delicious. Can't remember anymore what we had for dessert, but with both the starter and mains being so yummy, we couldn't say no to it.

The service personnel was friendly and attentive, but Nicolai was doing most of the work.

Wine? I only had a glass of Chardonnay, so no comments on that.

After dinner we moved to the lounge, which is really only two sofas right next to the kitchen. There a capuccino and a Fernet Branca Menta rounded off a delightful evening.

The bill came to R347 excl. tip, which is still excellent value for money.

So, if you enjoy outstanding Italian cuisine, pay Nicolai a visit - you won't regret it.

For this flawless evening out, Chef gets full marks: 10 out of 10. Well done!

Chef Ristorante Italiano
3/5 Rose Street
Cape Town
Tel: 021 419 6767

The above was originally posted in December 2005. This is my March 2007 update:

Leila, Claire, Greg and I paid Chef another visit after Shoga's new menu left us rather unconvinced, not only price-wise but also as far as vegetarian choices were concerned.

The food was once very good, but I think they've lost it with the prices. A simple salad without any frills for R45 and the cheapest bottle of white wine for R90, and pasta choices starting (!) at R60 is really pushing it. I don't mind high prices as long as they are coupled with outstanding quality, but here the relation was a little too far out of sync.

Chef is still a nice place to eat out at, not only because in true European style they leave the plates on the table until everybody has finished eating, but in order to command such prices the quality needs to improve a wee bit.

Another thing I find annoying is that they as well as Shoga are trying to push a bottle of usually overpriced mineral water down your throat the moment you've taken seat. Maybe Nicolai Pareti should stick to his European roots here too and put a jug with filtered water on the table - as is the norm in places like Gibson's Grill in Main Rd, Tokai.

But that's just me. If you've been to Chef, I'd love to hear from you. Make use of the comment facility below.

There's really only one way to describe this new Madame Zingara experience: awesome! Cape Town, at least to the best of my knowledge, has never ever seen anything like this.

In their "Theatre of Dreams" they're offering the guest "a dinner theatre spectacular featuring a unique fusion of performance art, music & food". And that's exactly what it is. The tent is just plain beautiful; cut glass, mirrors surround two circles of tables and a center stage where the action is taking place all while you are enjoying a superb dinner. A spacious entrance with a lounge, bar, smoking area and restrooms completes the picture.

There is little one needs to say about the food. Their Chocolate Chilli Fillet is known beyond the borders of the country, but their succulent Norwegian Salmon is just as delicious. Your appetite is whetted with a selection of delights accompanied by breads and seasonal fruits. A pasta dish bridges the time between starters and mains, and for dessert a threesome of sweets arrive at your table.

The wine list ranges from a R75 Morgenhof Fantail to a R175 Warwick Three Ladies, but also includes the fake-ish but utterly decadent coffee-laced Diemersfontein Pinotage. Thumbs up for that, because many local restaurants seem to be losing it when it comes to wine prices, one of them the recently revisited "Chef, Ristorante Italiano", where the cheapest white wine is R90. That's really not necessary.

The service has always been outstanding, and now with a much larger audience, they are still managing fantastically well. It's a real pleasure. Our table was attended by Emanuelle, who did a superb job keeping us all happy.

But... as enjoyable as the food is, the circus performances are simply stunning, especially the rope acts by Natalie & Orlando, as well as Jenny Lill - absolutely breathtaking is their strength, skill and performance.

Irit Noble is superb as MC, and Gabriel van Helfin adds a devilish touch to the setup. Mitchell's Plain-based "Shy" entertain just as much as Madame Zingara's longest standing artist, the snake-charming belly dancer Lori-Kay.

This experience sets you back R300 excl drinks, but constitutes outstanding value for money. In Europe this is what you'd pay more for the food alone, never mind the entertainment

Madame Zingara also supports Ikamva Labantu, an NPO for social development.

All this combined cannot but result in a full 10 out of 10 thumbs up! Well done, Richard Griffin and crew! You've done an amazing job - keep up the magic!

Madame Zingara
Foreshore
Phone: (+27) 021 426-2458
Fax: (+27) 021 422-4554
Email: madame (at) zingara.co.za
Web: www.madamezingara.com

We arrived there Tuesday night after celebrating Tamara's 2nd birthday - she almost got nailed a year ago by one of South Africa's skilled drivers when doing her usual morning bicycle ride up Victoria Drive.

The dining room is separate from the bar area, which is nice. The room has deep purple walls and a ceiling of golden squares. Looks very intimate. Outside is a narrow strip with tables for coffee and breakfast. 2 storeys up is an awesome roof terrace with not only a 360 degree view of the Mother City, but a day bed, a swimming pool, sun loungers and a few chairs and sofas protected by umbrellas. The terrace is surrounded by bamboo plants - a lovely touch indeed.

To cut a potentially long story short: the food is awesome! the service that night left a lot to be desired. There is no better Thai food in the whole of Cape Town - at least not that I'm aware of. Wangthai is nice, but nothing in comparison to the food at Soho, who employs two Thai chefs, one from the north and one from the south of Thailand.

Also a nice discovery: they serve Ridgeback wines, and their Vansha (a blend of Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier) is absolutely yummy and still fairly priced at R80. The wine list is just fine as it is, as it caters for both the budget and the pricier tastes. Yet again, the Vansha is a lovely budget pick!

Am not going into the specific food details, but what arrived on the table was absolutely delicious. The problem was that the waitress messed up the order, so my fish arrived first (two of them, in fact), whereas the rest came something like 20min later. Apparently that's how she's given it through to the kitchen. Hmm.... well... when the rest arrived it still wasn't right, so Ilse ended up having Michaela's dish, David's didn't arrive at all, so Michaela then helped herself to the 2nd steamed fish that in the meantime had become a little less steamy.

In the end, I guess also because I picked up the tab, everybody left happy and jovial, and I guess Kim (the waitress) will from now on double-check before putting the order through with the kitchen.

Price-wise, starters are around R40, mains at around R70-75. We didn't have dessert, but that I think was understandable. The bill came to R1032 for 8 people, but only because we shared four starters, only had 7 mains, but still managed to drink 3 bottles of water and 3 bottles of wine.

My rating: 4 out of 10 for the service (that night). 10 out of 10 for the food.

PS: went there for lunch with Alison on Friday. This time we picked the roof terrace which we pretty much had for ourselves. Her prawn curry was delicious, my fried fish could have been less oily but was still delicious. Vansha was again consumed in appropriate quantities and the service this time was outstanding - nice personal attention by a Congolese waitress whose name I don't know.

Soho
49 Napier St
Cape Town
021 421 1106

31 March 2007 update: paid another visit to Soho on Thursday night with Vicky. Had the roof terrace all to ourselves, balmy night, starry sky and again superb food, this time stir-fried fish with a sweet-and-sour sauce. Soho's roof terrace must be Cape Town's best-kept secret, because in any other city in the world it would be packed every night and you'd pay a fortune for this privilege. So... go there while they're still sorting out their teething problems. It's the next best thing to having a full-service bedroom without a roof! :)

For the last year or so, quality has been steadily declining. Probably to appease the Dept. of Home Affairs, they chucked their white staff and replaced it with the darker variety. Nothing wrong with that as such, only that the latter is either not motivated or trained enough, but as friendly as they are, they are largely clueless. That's obviously lethal if your main product is something you have to be knowledgeable about.

It's not only the waitron's ineptitude, but since Cathy went on maternity leave, there's a new 'manager', one pretty miserable fellow, if I may say so. Disinterested, demotivated and clueless, he has been helping to run the place into the ground.

Capably assisted by a new chef, whose meals are a far cry from what they were only a couple of years ago, 'supported' by the aforementioned clueless waitrons, it no longer is a joy to go there. In fact, after sitting on what cannot possibly be decribed as a chair (and it wasn't the only one!), last night I decided not to return.

The wines they offer are also getting quite pricey, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to get a good glass of white under R20. That's R80 per bottle!

...and to top it off, while the manager was still scrambling to get the (admittedly) free access code to the Nose's wifi hotspot, we already connected to the one at Andiamo (1 mbit, nogal!).

So there you have it: bad cook, largely inept waitrons, demotivated manager, increasinly expensive wine - a recipe for disaster. This, of course, is my personal experience; your mileage may vary.

Sorry, Cathy, the Nose will not see my patronage anymore. I've had far too many negative experiences there, and no, this is not the first time I'm airing them. It's now time to move on for me.

  Restaurant Review: The Nose Wine Bar, Cape Quarter

The setting is warm, welcoming and cosy - a good start for a delightful evening with interesting and enlightening conversation, which is always the case when Nadège and I meet up.

The service was courteous and skilled, even managed to accommodate both of use mixing our mains - we preferred kingklip with a sauce they usually serve Cape Salmon with. The waitress also left us alone for at least half an hour while we were catching up with stuff, not even paying attention to menu or wine list.

Our custom main course was well prepared and delicious. Value for money? I'm afraid not.

We accompanied it by a glass of red (yeah, red goes with fish, dumbo! ;) ). It wasn't just any red, it was the Groot Constantia Cab Sav Reserve, at a stupidly expensive price per glass - over R70! And that's where my bone with Jonkershuis lies. First of all, their wine list isn't all that exciting (at least not to me), and it took me a good time to pick what I thought was a decent wine. However, although it wasn't bad, it wasn't worth near the price they charged for it. I think the most expensive glass I ever drank was R50 for a Knox/Jack Outsider Shiraz at the Nose Bar - and what a treat that was! The Reserve, however, tasted like a R40 a bottle of wine, never mind R70+ per glass. There are obviously several explanations for it, corporate greed and cluelessness of the person putting the winelist together being two of them.

As you will have noticed by now, Jonkershuis is anything but cheap, and there's nothing wrong with it. But high prices should be balanced by absolutely outstanding food and absolutely outstanding wines. Neither were really the case here, and because of that, Jonkershuis, despite its lovely setting and decent service, only gets a 6 out of 10 from me.

Greed that isn't matched by an appropriate performance has in general become the norm in South Africa, and this is, as many of you will know, obviously adquately balanced out by an increasingly violent, unlawful and disrespectful society. Chicken or egg - you be the judge! But I digress...

Restaurants have been increasing their prices all the time, and especially their wine prices have increased beyond what I find is acceptable. I know it's still cheap if you come from overseas, but to me I think it's time companies reevalued their stance on prices and quality. It may just happen that crime, violence and disrespect also decrease - it's all connected, you know.

Again, 6 out of 10 for Jonkershuis. Go there for a lovely atmosphere, but don't expect food or wine to have a good value-for-money ratio.
I don't know what the exact bill came to - I didn't pay this time - but that's irrelevant. My experience with Jonkershuis is mixed, hence the 6/10. On the other hand, evenings with Nadège are always awesome, and not even the high prices and mediocre wine could spoil it.

Jonkershuis Restaurant
Groot Constantia Estate
Reservations: (021) 794 6255
Functions: (021) 794 5834
Private Dining Room: (021) 794 6255
Email: jonkershuis # mweb dot co dot za

Urban Chic's interior is characterised by a modern decor, simple lines and a glass-encased verandah overlooking the hussle and bustle of Long Street. The walls are graced with modern art - I didn't check, but they are probably for sale. Given the situation I can't comment on the atmosphere, noise level, vibe, etc.

The menu - compared to other places I regularly visit - has a lovely variety and certainly begs a second or third visit.

We were attended to by Jacob, a friendly, attentive and competent waiter. He ensured we were being looked after well as we started the evening with alcohol-free cocktails from downstairs (R19 each). As they were quite filling we decided to skip starters.

Nadège chose salmon fettucini (R48)for mains while I opted for three different starters combined as a main course (R70). The pasta was delicious and well-prepared. The 'starters' were also very good except for the veggie spring rolls, which were too 'mushy' inside and not as delicate and crisp as one would expect.

We finished off a delightful evening with a lovely crême brulée (R27) and chamomile tea (R12). The bill came to R233, which was ok.

NB: Urban Chic is also a boutique hotel. Their website, see link below, is as trendy as the name implies, but pretty useless when it comes to content and navigation. It doesn't show anything about the restaurant upstairs, the bar downstairs or address/contact details. That's plain bad. The bill also doesn't give a telephone number and the website address shows www.urbanchic.com instead of urbanchic.co.za

A restaurant isn't only about food, and because of these booboos Urban Chic gets only a 7 out of 10, a rating that I may revise upon a second visit and their addressing of website and cash slip issues.

Urban Chic
Tel +27 21 426 6119
Fax +27 21 423 2086
E-Mail: info (at) urbanchic.co.za
Web: urbanchic.co.za

We were seated outside. A few minutes later two women sat down at the table next to us, but only because the restaurant manager 'indicated' them to sit there - in a rude and totally inappropriate manner.

Our service wasn't much better. Quite obnoxious and demotivated, actually, not exactly what you expect when dining out.

The food was mediocre at best, so nothing to write about. The house wine was on the same level, drinkable but really only just. The only good thing at La Perla is the bar, where you can sink into deep leather couches and chill to a glass of whatever.

Why so many people go to the restaurant, which is also overpriced for what it offers, I don't know. Must be the location, because there is nothing else, really.

So, La Perla in Sea Point Beach Road.... avoid it. 2 out of 10. There are tons of better places. Better food, better service, better prices. Don't waste your time or money on this establishment - it's not worth it. Consequently I don't see any need to provide contact details either.

Stay away from it.

The whole building is a beautiful combination of steel, loads of glass and natural stone - very elegant and pleasing indeed.

The dining area, which is really only one large room, is dominated by huge glass windows which provide said views, but despite the lack of sound aborbing material, it doesn't get overly noisy there.

The service was knowledgeable and extremely attentive without getting in your face. Top marks for that.

The food was delicious. Portion-wise somewhere between designer and substantial - it leaves you full but not to the extent of feeling overindulged. As we were 8 people, a variety of dishes were sampled. All were very happy with their choice.

We chose their wines instead of other brands. Here I must say that although the quality is good, given that it's 'their own stuff', the price was too high. Tokara isn't cheap by any standards, and you expect to pay for outstanding quality, yet I found their own wines overpriced. A bottle of their Chardonnay at R160 is a wee bit much, especially as it was that almost run-of-the-mill heavily overwooded 'new world' style that you should really only have one glass of. Nothing really distinct and outstanding, and thus too expensive.

The bill, including tip, came to R230 each incl. tip, which is ok given the wine and water we consumed.

We decided to come back some other time, but this time earlier and not just prior to sunset. Tokara is a beautiful place that serves excellent food. If it wasn't for the overpriced wine it would get full marks from me, so here's 9.5 out of 10.

Tokara is open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.

Tokara Restaurant
Tel: 021 808-5959
Fax: 021 808-5966
Email: eat (at) tokararestaurant.co.za

On a personal note, the only problem I constantly encounter with an equal splitting of the bill is that those who don't drink or eat a lot are paying for those who do. Quick calculation, for sure, but one often feels one is subsidizing those with a larger thirst and appetite. What's been your experience with this?

Pastis hasn't been around for that long and according to Eatout it's owned by the same people as Beluga. That night Pastis was well-frequented and unfortunately a little noisy. The interior is more that of a pub than a restaurant, with old French posters gracing the walls. Nothing to write home about, but it's ok. You can also sit outside if it's not too windy, maybe reminding you little more of a balmy night in France.

We came there for the food, though, and that was really good. The service was friendly and attentive, but promptly forgot to bring the starter, so the mains arrived first.

Leila opted for grilled Kingklip while I chose the butternut ravioli with hazelnuts. The delayed starter was a rocket salad with poached pears, blue cheese and walnuts. All three dishes where nicely presented, adequate in size and really tasty. Full marks for that.

Booze-wise we had a glass of Pongracz Cap Classique each - and we all know how good that is.

No desserts were chosen.

Rating? 8.5 out of 10. Again, full marks for the food. The service and the noisy atmosphere prevented it from getting a 10, but if you want really yummy food, pay Pastis a visit - it's worth it.

Pastis Brasserie
High Constantia Centre
tel: (021) 794 8334
fax: (021) 794 8335

The location is really anything but fancy, but then again, you go there for the food and not the place. If you wanna see and be seen, go to Wakame and get sushi so tiny that you need a magnifying glass. But for the real stuff you need to visit places like Hong or Minato.

Other than Minato, Hong is actually quite tastefully decorated. "Budgety" still, but warm and quite inviting. They have a bar as well as tables. A large glass window gives you panoramic views of... the Edgars building. :)

The service is friendly and competent enough, so good marks for that.

The food is pretty much standard fare - not much of a variation existing between all the Japanese restaurants in Cape Town - but then each still has their own speciality, including Hong, but more on that in a moment.

I ordered green tea as a "starter", and to my delight it arrived with the leaves in the cup rather than lifeless bag with a string wrapped around the handle. Green tea served this way tastes so much better than the bagged variety.

For mains Shannon, who couldn't wait to dine there again, opted for a mixed sushi platter, which turned out to be good value for money. I chose a Dragon Roll and Hot Spicy Handroll. The Dragon Roll could have been more 'rolled' as the sea weed wasn't wrapped around properly, making each piece prone to premature disintegration. Taste was great, though. The handroll could have been pepped up visually a little more - it looked rather lifeless. Taste: nothing unusual.

For dessert Shannon chose the Hot Banana and Chocolate spring rolls, a sweet and rather decadent treat while I went for the abovementioned speciality: Africa Dream. 4 pieces of smoked springbok, with avo and Brie cheese, placed on a sauce of mango and fig mayo. Now THAT was quite a treat. Sweet, delicious, and unlike anything you've ever had at a Japanese restaurant.

I must say that Hong isn't exactly cheap, but it's still ok and worth it. How much the bill came to I don't know - I was invited, after all. :) I will come back though to sample more of their food and to form a more lasting opinion, but for last night's experience, Hong gets an 8.5 out of 10 from me. If you're a sushi lover and are in need of a new place to try out, Hong may just be it.

PS: they do have an 'eat as much as you like' special on, but I can't remember the exact details. I know sushi is for connoisseurs, but sometimes you just feel like having plenty of it, so phone them for details.

Hong
First Floor
4 Vineyard Rd
Claremont
Tel 021-683 6700
Fax 021-683 1144

Five Flies is situated in Keerom Street, which runs between Queen Victoria and Long Street. Parking is on-street but patrolled. The interior stretches across two stories, upstairs also featuring a large and cozy lounge area. They have several private dining rooms - a rather welcome alternative if you really want to be left alone. One of them includes a wine cellar for a really intimate setting. Not my type with all the steel bar racks around you, but still. There's also a smallish courtyard with 5/6 tables, making for a dining experience with a difference.

The service (hello, Vanessa! :)) was outstanding. Never in your face, always there when needed, competent, very friendly, and just a pleasure to deal with.

A Hoopenburg Chardonnay was chosen as our wine for the evening, and still trusting Ernst Gous' winemaking skills, it indeed did please our palate. The food was outstanding. After savouring the starters - their goats cheese in phyllo is superb - Vicky chose beef fillet, Tamara Scottish Salmon and I Angelfish for mains. All three arrived promptly, were a delight to look at and pleasure to eat. Dessert followed suit, which in my case was sort of an apple tart - very yummy indeed.

The evening was rounded off with a Dom Pedro, an espresso and a Meerlust Grappa, after which we set about briefly exploring the many rooms of the restaurant. With the Hoopenburg at R115, the two course menu at R75 and the three course meal at R95, the bill came to only R431.50 - a never-to-be-repeated steal!

For all this Five Flies gets 10 out of 10 from me. I think that says it all.

Five Flies Restaurant & Bars
14-16 Keerom Street
Cape Town
Tel: 021-424 4442
Fax: 021-423 1048
email: fiveflies ( at ) iafrica ( dot ) com
web:www.fiveflies.co.za

In front of the restaurant, which also houses La Colombe, one of South Africa's finest dining experiences, was parked the Rolls Royce of Frank Swainston, the owner of Uitsig.

Inside the welcome was warm and friendly, and we opted to sit outside, with sweeping views of the back of Table Mountain.

The service was competent and friendly, attentive yet not in your face. The food (we both chose East Coast Sole) was delicious, the wines (an Uitsig Semillon and a Sauvignon Blanc) absolutely outstanding. For this, Uitsig gets top marks from me: 10 out of 10.

It was just lunch, so not much to report, but if you're in need for a superb lunch venue, go to Uitsig - you'll love it. You may have to book, but that's to be expected.

Constantia Uitsig
Tel: 021-794-4480
Fax: 021-794-3105
www.uitsig.co.za

Greyton is beautifully nestled in the mountains, and has retained its original character. There is nothing to do there, and that's exactly its appeal and charme. It's a great getaway from the City.

We had lunch at the Oak & Vigne Café/Restaurant, and what an experience that was! The service was outstanding, although the girls had had a late night function the previous night. They were friendly, competent and not in your face.

The food was not only absolutely delicious, but... fairly priced too. And THAT is becoming the exception rather than the norm. I had a spinach and feta quiche while Tamara ordered a mixed salad. As a drink I had a coffee and vanilla shake - yummy stuff, to say the least.

That's already it. Great location, great service, yummy food, great prices. 10 out of 10 for Oak and Vigne! I'll be back, that's for sure.

Oak & Vigne
Greyton
Tel/Fax: 028-254-9037

Tobago is currently undergoing major renovations, so the entire area is partitioned off. As a result, they moved the restaurant to the Harbour View room, indicating with a really cute Panda bear poster to please 'bear' with them.

The reception wasn't so cool. Upon indicating that we just wanted something small, the manageress (I presume) first wanted to show us to the bar, but then grasped that we weren't really into snacks. Eventually we were led to a table in the dining area.

Another minus: seconds after placing our order they turned off some of the lights, making it a little too dark and unwelcoming for my liking. "Didn't we order enough for you to afford your elecricity bill?", I quipped.

What saved the evening was a lovely wine-man (or whatever you call the person recommending, bringing and pouring the wine) and an awesome full moon rise. I wish they all would display the friendliness and warmth of that kind gentleman - it certainly would make it a better place.

Upon his recommendation we we chose a 2002 Havana Hills Du Plessis Carbernet/Merlot blend, which turned out to be smooth, complex and very tasty. Me always wonders how they get the tannins out of such young wine, though.

Food-wise there is little to report as all three of us went for a Salad Niçoise. We did this because it was "the real McCoy", and not the fake mutations you get served elsewhere. It had all the ingredients one would expect. The size was reasonable (acceptable); its presentation was ok, and the taste lekker.

How to summarize? Well, there is certainly room for improvement on the service side of things. I surely didn't expect Tobago to be cheap, but R100 for a Buitenverwachting Buiten Blanc (my traditional pricing yardstick) is just way out. Balducci's prices it equally insanely. Steamed Kingklip goes for R95. The way it was described sounded mouth-watering, but R75 would have been more appropriate. Yes, yes, it's a hotel, and the area is upmarket, but still, there needs to be a balance somewhere, otherwise not only products lose their value, but pricing becomes meaningless too - if you know what I mean.

Tobago gets an 8.5 out of 10 from me. If if wasn't for our kind wine waiter and the quality of the food that saved them, it would have been a 7. (NB: I have no doubt the quality of the food is excellent, so take this review appropriately; I will update it next time I have a full-on dinner there.)

BTW, Tobago's is one of the very few places in Cape Town where you can sit right on the water's edge. I take all my guests there, because not only is the setting superb, but the bar service excellent. This also shows how just one person can spoil a dining experience and mess up an otherwise excellent rating.

Tobago's Restaurant, Bar and Terrace
tel: (021) 418 5729
fax: (021) 418 5717

It was miserable outside, so Camps Bay was pretty empty. The outside chairs had been removed, and a plastic marquee screened us off from the elements, while still providing a view of the beach and sea.

I recall one of the owners of Paranga talking on 567MW CapeTalk a while back, and he said that they wouldn't cater only for overseas tourists, but keep prices reasonable to attract locals. Well, at first sight that wasn't really the case, but I'll come to that in a moment.

The ambience is oriental, with rugs on the floor, long sofa-like seats at the table and a tent-style ceiling. Not overdone - quite pretty, actually.

The wine list is comprehensive, up to a R6500 Dom Perignon Rosé - if I remember correctly. Upon the waitress' recommendation, we decided on a Rijks Sauvignon Blanc, which turned out to be well-balanced and nicely complementing the food.

The menu not really what I would call "catering for locals" when it comes to prices, but diverse. Halfrid opted for a steak, Christa for Kingklip and I went for a veggie platter ("Chefs choice") that wasn't on the menu, but that the waitress kindly organised.

Now, the prices are quite high, but unlike many other restaurants, the portions are large. If you have lunch there, you are unlikely to need dinner. The veggie platter was simply gigantic! Not only did the size impress, but the quality was outstanding too. Both Halfrid and Christa were raving about the meals, and my veggie platter was diverse and very tasty too - from fried mushrooms in batter with a berry sauce, to baked tomatoes with a cheese topping, yellow peppers stuffed with rice, red onions, asparagus and baked potatoes, it was all there.

All in all a very nice dining experience. Because of that and the skilled and unobstrusive service, Paranga gets a 9.5 out of 10 from me. Half a point deduction for clearing the plates too early and without really asking. Other than that, perfect.

Paranga
The Promenade
Victoria Road
Camps Bay
tel. (021) 438 0404

All outlets share the same minimalistic but elegant look. The seats aren't all that comfortable, but good enough if you don't want to stay that long.

Space permitting, the kitchen is visible from the dining area, so you can see exactly how your meal is being prepared.

The service is generally very good, the food not outstanding ("too fast" for that) but still good, the prices reasonable (starters R17, mains between R35-43).

Service at the Cavendish branch in particular is outstanding. Last night, three friends of mine and I dined there again before the movies. My noodle dish had more noodles than veggies, so I pointed this out to the waitress. She asked if I want to give it back, which I negated, saying "just for next time". Minutes later a complimentary dish of veggies arrived unannounced at the table. This is how it should be. This is how you remember good places and forget about the mediocre ones. Well done, Ms Porter! (...who is the manageress there)

Unfortunately the Cavendish branch is located at the Food Court upstairs, which has anything but an ambience. However, if you want a bite before heading for the movies, it's your best value for money option at Cavendish.

My rating: 8 out of 10, also because unlike many other places, they do have an excellent website (link below), which -among others- features PDF downloads of their menu, newsletter and recipe of the month. Well done!

Simply Asia & Noodle Bar
www.simplyasia.co.za
Tel: 021 674 0406
Cavendish Square
Shop No 73, Food Court