Whale Cottage Portfolio Blog

Our blog has been running a Restaurant Winter Specials list for the past few months, with more than 100 restaurant offers attempting to attract locals into restaurants in Cape Town and the Winelands towns, in what is traditionally a poor time for the hospitality trade.  The winter special of The Kove in Camps Bay only is good value relative to what the restaurant normally charges for its dishes, and does not compare favourably to many of the restaurant specials offered.

The Kove is part of a quartet of restaurants owned by Paul Kovensky (the surname being the inspiration for the naming of The Kove, no doubt), three of them being almost next door to each other in The Promenade building in Camps Bay (The Kove, Zenzero and Paranga).  Pepenero is located in Mouille Point.   The latter restaurant occupies a large space, and clearly was not able to attract enough custom to fill the space, and since last year has attracted food bargain hunters by offering specials.  The Kove is the only other restaurant in the Kovensky Quartet to be offering winter specials this year.

When we entered the restaurant on Saturday evening, after having left the over-heated and over-priced Zenzero next door, we were offered a table closest to the fireplace, which we declined, not without some attitude from the Manager Bevan (the type that knows better than you do where you would like to sit).   The first thing I noticed was the tattoos on Bevan’s arms (I am sorry, but it is the most off-putting thing, something that I experienced at Leaf Restaurant recently as well).   Waiter Casper presented himself soon thereafter, and gave me one of those looks that declares attitude without saying it.  By “mistake”, waiter Richard also presented his services to our table, and he was genuinely nice and we requested that he be our waiter, and he did a great job in looking after us with what seemed like genuine interest.  

The restaurant has a raised back section, with different chairs compared to the street level section, in which the chairs look like lawn furniture, in smart white and silver frames, with white or green chairbacks (the same grass green as at Leaf Restaurant), with green blankets over the chairs, should one still be cold inside the warm interior.  The lighting is dimmed to very low, making it difficult to read the menu.  We had flashes of white light from the World Cup TV above us, when it changed its picture!   Music was vibey, from an iPod playlist, along the lines of the Gotan Project.   Riedel glasses are on the table, and good quality linen and cutlery is used.  A faux library on both sides of the restaurant is meant to add a homely touch, I assume.  The ceiling of the street level section of the restaurant is adorned with a mock grapevine in autumn colours, and there are plastic marigolds on the table.

The menu for the Winter Specials covers two pages almost hidden at the back of the menu, and one is not told about them spontaneously (as at Five Flies and 1800 Restaurant at the Cape Royale).  One has a number of choices of specials, making it feel like one is really getting a good deal, but the Specials prices are average compared to other Cape Town restaurants.  First, one has the option of a two-course special, consisting only of a starter and a main course, and a glass of wine, at R 120.   The problem starts with the wine.   Why would a reputable restaurant offer an unlabelled unidentified white and red wine as part of the special?  It cheapens the Winter Special immediately.  They must have paid next to nothing for it, if they have to hide the wines’ origins.   Starter choices are mussels, Prawns 3 Ways, calamari, chicken livers and a house salad.   My partner had the prawns, brought to the table with a finger bowl, and the “3 ways” are 2 minute prawns each served with mustard and brandy, garlic and ginger, and orange and cumin.  It was a struggle to get them out of their shells.  The main course choices are fresh line fish, sirloin steak, baby chicken, beef burger and pork ribs.  The portion sizes are not indicated, and a starch is served with these.   (On the a la carte menu, one has to pay extra for starches, sauces and salads).   The steak was served medium rare, as ordered, but was not as tender as my partner would have liked it to be, with a tendon running through it, showing that a cheaper cut of meat had been used.   A good spicy and creamy Pepper Sauce was served with the steak.  No desserts are offered as part of this special.   Two small slices of older white bread were served, which I did not even bother to try.  To do the mathematics on the special: normal price for 1/2 prawn portion R45 + sirloin steak R85 + sauce R 20 + mash R20 = R170 (Special price charged plus glass of unidentified wine R120) - however, paying R125 for the 200 - 250 gram sirloin, mash and sauce on the a la carte menu is excessive anyway. 

In addition to the two-course special, one can order oysters at R 9 each, 1 kg of prawns or Karoo lamb chops at R99, fish and chips at R79, 400 gram ribs at R75, and a seafood platter at R129.  On the surface these prices are not bad at all, until you realise that these are standard prices elsewhere, and more expensive than some of the other specials offered elsewhere at the moment (e.g. a 6-course dinner for R150 at Myoga and at La Mouette).  I had the lamb chops, three served on a large plate with the mash served lukewarm after the meat was brought to the table, in a side dish. The steak knife provided was super in getting to the bone.  I loved the ‘braai’ taste of the chops, which Richard told us came from the special basting sauce.  I would have liked to have a finger bowl.   The chops were ordered medium, but the meat closest to the bone was raw.  Ten cocktails are part of the specials list, at R25 each, but we were given the cocktails menu (with peeling plastic cover), showing a Mojito at R40, and were not told about the specials.  As part of the Winter Special, The Kove also serves “tappas” between 3 - 7 pm, and two cost R 45 and three cost R60.  One has a choice of twelve, including hake goujons, pop-corn prawns, deep-fried halloumi, teriyaki salmon and stuffed jalapeno poppers.

The a la carte menu has starters ranging from R 50 for a mussel pot, seafood chowder, goat’s cheese tartlet and buffalo wings, to R 90 for 12 of the prawn 3-ways (having seen them on the special, and being seawater prawns, this is hugely expensive for what one gets), and salads cost R 40 - R 75.  A wide selection of steaks (fillet, sirloin, entrecote, chateaubriand), each in two weight options, is offered, a 250 g sirloin costing R85 and a 500g Chateaubriand costing R200.  Unspecified Venison costs R120 for 250g, as does baby chicken.  Starches are extra at R 20 each, as are a selection of five sauces, also at R 20 each.  A Braai section offers a 1,2kg fillet to share at R395, “kreef” at R 195, ribs, an identified skewer and fish.  A number of seafood options are available, a seafood platter costing R295, calamari costs R80, and baby kingklip R130.

For dessert we shared an odd item on the a la carte dessert menu, being waffles with syrup and cream, perfectly executed, at R 45. Other desserts include apple crumble, and pecan nut pie, costing between R35 - R45.  The Cappuccino was made with LavAzza coffee, but was thin and not the best I have had. 

The wines-by-the-glass at The Kove are very expensive, being based on three glasses out of a bottle.  The difference in price between the cheapest shiraz (Spier 2009) at R 30 and the next up at R95 per glass of Kevin Arnold made me choose the former, a grave mistake, in that it was so bad that I could not finish it.   I asked for the wine to be poured at the table, but the manager was about to refuse this, when he changed his mind.  I wondered what I would have been served (perhaps the same unlabelled wine for the special?).   No vintages are specified on the winelist, nor are the wine varietals or brands described.  The 15-page beverage list is Fleur du Cap-branded throughout, on every page, even though only two of their wines are offered out of the more than 100 wines on the winelist (and typed as “Fleur de Cap”!). 

The winelist is introduced with notes on “Matching wine with your food”, highlighting the essence of “paring” being “seeking to achieve a balance in your personal tastes”.   It indicates which wine types (e.g. “high acid wine”) go with which food types, and lists white wines with high acid as including Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and sparkling wines; and red wines with high acid level Pinot Noir, Sangiovese and Gamay. The effect of adding salt to the taste of the wine was an eye-opener, in that it reduces the astringency of wines.   Riedel gets a half page punt and branding, and the benefits of decanting wine is highlighted (although not practised, in that it may have made the young Spier more palatable). 

Fifteen champagnes are offered, ranging from R1 000 for Laurent Perrier Brut Rose and Louis Roderer Brut, to R6000 for Dom Perignon Rose’.  One can order seven of these by the glass, starting at R 140 for the Moet et Chandon Brut Imperial to R 220 for Veuve Cliquot Vintage. Only five Methode Cap Classiques are offered, two Graham Beck and Pongracz each, and Boschendal, ranging from R180 - R320. The Graham Becks are served by the glass too.     A large selection of Chardonnays is offered, dominated by Hamilton Russell (R420), with Muratie Isabella at entry level (R175), and Sauvignon Blancs (between R180- R250).  Fewer red wine choices are offered by varietal - the Shiraz category costs from R200 - R280, but has the Spier at R130.  Four Organic wines (Avondale Chenin Blanc,  Reyneke Reserve white, Waverley Hills Cabernet Sauvignon and Stellar Merlot), and two Kosher wines made by Backsberg, are also available.

Bevan came to the table, to give us our Loyalty Card, and annoyed me when he told me that it is only for South Africans.  10 % of the value of one’s meal is added as points to one’s Loyalty Card ‘account’, redeemable at any time on presentation of the card.  This would bring value to dining at The Kove, but problems with the system in the past two years has made me sceptical about the accuracy of their record keeping, as they claim to have lost details of our guests having eaten there in the past, and therefore the redeemability of the points.

The Kove is one of the few places that has served a good steak in Camps Bay in the past, but the winter special does not reflect this quality.  It is expensive if one orders off the a la carte menu, and its “winter specials” are only specially priced relative to the normal high prices the Kovensky Quartet charges, and seem to be poorer quality cuts, with unacceptably poor quality wine, thus not making The Kove value for money.

The Kove, Shop 2A, The Promenade, Victoria Road, Camps Bay.  Tel (021) 438-0012.                  www.thekove.co.za (full menu and winelist featured).

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

One of the most beautiful restaurant interiors in Cape Town is the newly opened Brio 1893 jazz restaurant on Adderley Street, one half of the previous Riboville Restaurant that closed down more than a year ago, and close to The Taj Twankey Bar. ”Brio” is a musical term, meaning lively and spirited, and that is what this restaurant embodies.

The German owner of the 1893-built ABC Building, in which the restaurant is housed, invited Skippy and Lauren Shaked to check out the building, despite both having sworn that they would not open another restaurant.  “It was love at first sight”, beams Skippy, despite the original interior having been a mess, only the beautiful wooden floor and original lamps still in the space when they saw it. 

Skippy and I have been Camps Bay “colleagues” for twelve years (he is the owner of Codfather, and ex-owner of Summerville).  I accepted an invitation to try out the restaurant, shared with Clare and Eamon from Spill blog, after I had popped in for a coffee and a drink about ten days before. 

Lovingly Lauren and Skippy have created a most beautiful restaurant, with a lovely ambiance.  Near the bar counter a cosy lounge area has gilded chairs with a lovely purple fabric.  A separate smoking lounge with its own fireplace also is beautifully decorated, and feels homely.  Another dining section can be cordoned off for a private dinner for 30 guests.  Soon the downstairs vault will be turned into a function venue.

Beautiful chandeliers hang over the bar area, whilst modern small chandelier-style lights light up the passage to the bathrooms, a good blend of old and new.  In the bathrooms the lighting is very modern, with a lighting panel above changing colour.  The original marble walls of what was once a Standard Bank add an unusual decor touch.  Lauren was in charge of the decor, and has an amazingly simple touch, a less is more approach, and it says CLASS.   It is not surprising to hear that she had a decor shop in Hout Bay.

The lower restaurant level has retained the beautifully restored wooden floors, whilst the raised section has my favourite black and white tiles.   One is separated from other diners by classical brown leather benches, with modern black chairs on the other side of the tables.   From the band stand in the middle of the lower floor we were entertained by Skippy’s pianist and guitarist, with soloist Robin.  The highlight was when Skippie took the microphone - he is a singer of note, singing with passion such standards as ‘Georgia’ and ‘Georgie Porgie’.  There is no cover charge for the music, and a couple danced, making this good value for a romantic evening out, celebrating a special birthday (with Skippy singing for a birthday girl the night we were there), an anniversary and even an engagement.  Compared to other restaurants with live music, Brio has the benefit that one can carry on a conversation whilst the live music is performed.   

Arlene, our medical student waitress, was exceptional, one of the best I have experienced.   She brought us the gold covered menu and winelist.  The menu is restricted, making it easy to choose.  We received cheese coated bread sticks and a peppadew dip to start with, and we felt that the breadsticks would have been better served warm, and without the dip, but may have been superfluous anyway, given that the starters arrived almost immediately.  I had the deep fried camembert with caramelized nuts and figs, the camembert having a lovely soft centre contrasted with the crispy crumbed exterior (R 62).  Clare enjoyed her oysters, at R15 each, beautifully presented.  Eamon was happy with his grilled calamari (R49).  Other starters offered are roquefort snails (R59) and springbok carpaccio (R88). 

The signature main course is the peppered fillet (R130), which both Clare and Eamon had, prepared perfectly medium-rare, as requested.  I found my grilled calamari (R96) too sharp in taste, making my eyes water, and Skippy explained that it has a sprinkling of cajun spice, which is not mentioned in the menu.  He immediately replaced it with an unspiced plateful, which was served with basmati rice.  Other mains range from the Brio Burger at R79, to a seafood platter at R420.  One can also order carpetbagger steak (have not seen this on a menu for years!), oxtail, steamed mussels (temporarily not available due to the red tide), linefish and crayfish thermidor.   Starches, vegetables and sauces cost extra, between R18 - R 25.   Side salads cost about R50.

Two desserts offered (malva pudding at R45 and creme brulee at R39) is too restrictive a dessert choice, in my opinion.  Clare’s creme brulee was a generous portion, and was perfectly prepared.  I enjoyed my cheese platter (R89).

The winelist offers about ten choices per variety, but does not contain vintages.   Champagnes range in price from  R1 100 (Moet et Chandon Epernay NV) to R3660 for the Dom Perignon Epernay).  Cap Classiques cost around R250, for Simonsig, Steenberg 1682, Pongracz and Graham Beck.   Fleur du Cap Sauvignon Blanc costs R118, and Klein Constantia R238.  Chardonnays start at R116 for Brampton, with Hamilton-Russell the most expensive at R649.  Guardian Peak’s shiraz is reasonable at R138, and Ernie Els’ the most expensive at R484.  Fleur du Cap’s Pinotage costs R128, while the Guardian Peak Lapa costs R468.  Eamon was kind to me, knowing my preference for shiraz, and ordered a Neil Ellis for us and I was surprised that the 2008 bottle came with a screw top.   It costs R222.

We loved the evening at Brio - the beautiful decor, the ambiance, the friendliness of the staff, the generosity of Skippy and Lauren, the live music (Skippy’s singing in particular), the reasonable prices and the good food.  We will definitely be back. 

Brio 1893, ABC Building, 130 Adderley Street, Cape Town.  tel 021 422 0654.  www.brio1893.com (website under construction).  Open Mondays - Saturdays.   Dinners only.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

The Sweet Service Award goes to the FIFA Ticket Collection office in Hans Strydom Avenue in Cape Town, where the collection of tickets booked via the Internet took 15 minutes in total.  The process was efficient, in that the ID Book was checked, one signed electronically on a screen (with instant signature verification for the credit card companies, no doubt), and the tickets were issued in a folder, with transport guidelines for match days.   

The Sour Service Award goes to Gordon Ramsay and the organisers of the Good Food & Wine Show in Cape Town two weeks ago, who had egg on their face when a charity dinner at maze at the One&Only Hotel in Cape Town turned into a fiasco.  Some guests had booked and paid for their tickets but were not on the restaurant’s booking sheet, and had to sit at a counter on bar stools, having paid R 1 500 per ticket.  The sponsored Fleur du Cap wines ran out before the end of the evening.  The hotel does not stock this brand, so it could not be replenished from its stock.   Ramsay delivered a short welcome to the guests, and a live feed from the kitchen was meant to allow them to see Ramsay slave away in the preparation of their meal, but he soon disappeared off the screen.   A promised Question and Answer session with Ramsay did not materialise, as he had long left the kitchen and the hotel, and went clubbing at Tiger Tiger in Claremont, amongst others.   Seriously annoyed guests, some of whom had flown to Cape Town from Johannesburg or Durban, expressed their disgust at the poor organisation of the dinner on Food24’s Comments page for maze restaurant.   The Good Food & Wine Show’s Christine Cashmore took a week to issue a short and sweet media statement, apologising on behalf of her company and Ramsay.  It appears that some of the guests had tried to slip into the kitchen, and this had annoyed Ramsay, as had the cameras, it was written, and he had stormed out of the kitchen in one of his ‘famed’ fits.   Ramsay however performs best under the TV camera, according to his fans. Cashmore has offered to refund all guests that booked but did not get a table.  The One&Only found a similar wine, and poured that, Cashmore denying that any guests were left without red wine.

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com.   Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.

The highly regarded South African wine guide Platter’s has announced its two winning white and red wines for 2010, being Palladius 2008 from Sadie Family Wines, and Le Riche Wines’ Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005.

Platter’s Wine Guide has given an early taste of its winning wines, and has also revealed that 41 wines have made the highly-sought after 5-star category, the highest number of 5-star wines since Platter’s was introduced.  As the Platter’s Wine Guide will only reach the shops in November, few clues as to the Winery of the Year, Superquaffer of the Year, and the five-star wines have been revealed.

However, the Platter’s media release states that 6 000 wines were evaluated this year, and 105 of these made the five-star shortlist, for the final selection of 41.  By wine variety, five-star winners include 5 sauvignon blancs, 5 Bordeaux-style red blends, 4 Bordeaux-style white blends, 4 shiraz wines, 4 unfortified dessert wines, 3 ports, 3 chardonnays, 2 cabernet sauvignons, 2 Pinot Noirs, 2 red blends, 1 grenache, 1 chenin blanc and 1 pinotage.

Platter’s has also revealed that multi 5-star winners are Woolworths, with four 5-star wines, which include a sauvignon blanc and a bordeaux-style red blend.  The other two 5-star Woolworths wines have not been revealed.   Boplaas Family Vineyards, traditionally a port winner, Cape Point Vineyards, Distell (5-stars for its Nederburg and Fleur du Cap wines) and Sadie Family Wines are also multi 5-star winners.

The Platter’s South African Wine Guide will be launched in November, with a detailed evaluation of all the South African wines tasted.

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

The 2009 Platter Wine Guide has been released, and its record 33 five-star wines were announced earlier this week.    Kanonkop scooped the prestigious honour of being recognised as the best wine as well as best winery.    Only Boekenhoutskloof and De Trafford had two five-star wines in the top wine list.

Wine of the Year

Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Winery of the Year

Kanonkop

Chenin Blanc

Ken Forrester The FMC 2006

Chardonnay

Ataraxia 2007
Jordan CWG Auction Reserve 2006
Uva Mira Single Vineyard 2007

Sauvignon Blanc

Quoin Rock The Nicobar 2007

Semillon

Constantia Uitsig 2007

White Blends

Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh 2007
Nederburg Ingenuity White 2007
Sterhuis Astra White 2006
Tokara White 2007

Pinot Noir

Meerlust 2004

Cabernet Franc

Buitenverwachting 2005

Cabernet Sauvignon

Boekenhoutskloof Winery 2006
Kanonkop 2004
Thelema The Mint 2006

Pinotage

Simonsig Redhill 2006

Red Blends

De Toren Fusion V 2006
De Trafford CWG Perspective 2005
Kaapzicht Steytler Vision 2005
Morgenster 2005
Vilafonté Series C 2006
Waterford Estate – CWG Auction Reserve 2004

Shiraz

Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 2006
De Trafford 2006
Eagle’s Nest 2006
Hartenberg The Stork 2005
Signal Hill Clos d’Oranje 2006

Dessert Wine Unfortified

Fleur du Cap – Noble Late Harvest 2007
Klein Constantia Estate – Rhine Riesling Natural Sweet 2006
Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Vin Pi Two (NV)

Dessert Wine Fortified

Mons Ruber Estate Muscat d’Alexandrie Jerepigo 1997

Port

Boplaas Vintage Reserve 2006
De Krans Vintage Reserve 2006

Franschhoek La Vigne winemaker Ossie Sauermann has been announced as 2008 Diner’s Club Young Winemaker of the Year.   Last year Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof was selected as the Winemaker of the Year.