Whale Cottage Portfolio Blog

It is a strange feeling to enter the newly opened Asian Leaf Restaurant and Bar in what was the location of two favourite restaurants - The Showroom and Portofino - in that the restaurant interior is exactly as it was when Cormac Keane closed Portofino in April, with a few changes - grass green serviettes on the side plates, brand new staff wearing green Leaf-branded T-shirts, and a massive ghetto-blaster out on the deck, with too-loud music.  The hardest thing about going to Leaf will be to choose what to eat, its choice of dishes being so vast.  In general, the prices are very reasonable, and the portions generous, offering excellent value for money.  Anyone looking for the two previous restaurants and their cuisine should stay away.

The opening of the restaurant was delayed due to a problem in getting the credit card machine installed. The restaurant had opened just more than a week before I visited it, and I went back on the following day, as I did not have much time on my first visit.    I sat outside on the deck for my Saturday lunch, and almost choked on my calamari when I saw the massive ghetto-blaster, which had been set up on the deck, on a table with a table cloth.  I asked if they were going to have a party, but it was meant to create atmosphere outside, to attract a younger crowd, said the Manager Ambrose.  Fortunately the music was switched off when I sat outside, it being unbearably loud.  The deck looks fuller in having more chairs and tables than in the past, and each outside chair has a red blanket, a clash with the green theme.    A hand-written blackboard welcomes one on arrival, advertising a most amazing sushi special offer - 51 % (no, not a typing error) off all a la carte sushi from 11h00 - 19h00 daily, and all-day on Sundays.

Owner James Ye (Chinese for ‘leaf’) bought the restaurant from Keane, and took over all fixtures and fittings.   Manager Ambrose, with ‘cheffing skills’, he said, when he prepared my calamari for the first lunch, worked at the Cape Town Fish Market for the past twelve years, leaving as Executive Head Chef responsible for menu development and costing.  Ye came from China to be a sushi chef at the V&A Waterfront branch of the Cape Town Fish Market, and left to open The Empire on Main Road in Sea Point, and also opened Saki in the Sable Centre in Montague Gardens.  He is also a frozen seafood supplier.  A number of staff at Leaf have worked at the Waterfront branch of the Cape Town Fish Market, and this made me nervous about my first meal there.   I was pleasantly surprised when my calamari was served - a massive plate with a very large portion of Patagonian calamari tubes, egg rice, tartar sauce made with Japanese mayonnaise, and the most wonderful steamed carrots and beans, an absolute steal at R79.  I was the only guest in the restaurant on this first visit.

I returned for Sunday lunch, now sitting inside, and having two more tables for company.  The ghetto-blaster had been moved under the outside table, but the table cloth which was meant to hide it was not long enough to do so.  The table cloths and serviettes look badly ironed, if at all, and we questioned the side-plates being on the right - Ambrose said he wants Leaf to be different!   Some knives had their serrated edges to the outside, rather than facing inside the setting, little signs of how new the staff are.   Staff stretch in front of one when clearing items away, or in bringing additional cutlery, a pet hate.  Any ex-regular would cringe if they saw the rose patterned cushions that are placed over the definitive ghost chairs of the restaurant.  We were served a very tasty onion focaccia bread with a crispy cheese crust, with a milk jug each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.   It is clear that things are less pretty and more functional at Leaf, and I missed a woman’s hand in the management.

We were offered a complimentary cocktail, and I chose the ‘virgin’ ”Peach Tree Mosquito”, a refreshing mix of fresh mint, lime juice, cane sugar, peach juice, soda and crushed ice.   Two champagnes are on the winelist, Veuve Cliquot and Pommery Brut Royale, at R999 and R1100, respectively.  MCC sparkling wines offered are Simonsig (R29/R175), Beyerskloof Brut Rose (R24/R145) and Pierre Jourdan Belle Rose (R265).  An innovative touch is the choice one has of ordering wine by the glass in 175 ml and 250 ml quantities, as well as by the bottle, allowing one to have different wines with each course or dish one eats.  The Sauvignon Blancs, for example, start at R 19 (175ml), R27 (250ml) and R79 (bottle) for the Du Toits Kloof brand, Zevenwacht 360 being the most expensive (R40/R60/R170).   For Shiraz lovers the entry level is Robertson (R20/R29/R87), and Diemersdal (R14/R62/R185) the most expensive.   A good selection of wines is offered per varietal.

Leaf has three menus: Sushi, Hot Pot and Dim Sum, and a standard a la carte menu. None of the three menus are integrated design-wise, and some have photographs of some of the dishes, while others do not.  The a la carte menu is the most professional looking, and is dominated by leaves on the pages.  I started with a Hand roll of avo and prawn from the Sushi menu, which normally has salmon and caviar added, but which I declined - the normal price is R 39, but with the 51 %-off, it only costs R19.   I cannot eat a hand roll by hand, so I was brought a steak knife to cut it.  I love the prawn and avo hand roll at Fu.shi in Plettenberg Bay, and that is my benchmark.  That of Leaf came close, but the end bits were dry, with the mayonnaise too concentrated in the middle.   Sushi lovers will delight in the vast variety offered, including Sashimi platters (16 pieces for R138), Salmon platters and Tuna platters (21 pieces for R149), and eight combination choices of R99 Sushi platters.   The Sushi menu also offers Crab, Prawn, Vegetable, Seared Tuna and Japenese (sic) Seafood salads, ranging from R30 - R58.   Other options are smaller portions of Sashimi, Nigiri, Fashion Sandwich, Maki, Inside Out Roll and Edo Roll, as well as Tempura vegetables and prawns, and a selection of hand rolls.

The Dim Sum menu offers eighteen choices of steamed and pan-fried dumplings, deep fried wontons, and more, with prices ranging from R28 - R48, while the Hot Pot menu offers sixteen choices, ranging from R22 for Tofu to R150 for Crayfish.  I did not have anything off this menu, being overwhelmed by the menu options offered across the three menus.

The a la carte menu tries hard to get away from the “Chinese” label the restaurant has already earned prior to its opening, and Manager Ambrose asked me specifically to not refer to it as a Chinese restaurant.  The Starters include Oysters (R15 - R20), Harumaki (deep-fried spring rolls), Calamari, Mussels, Tuna Tartare, Tempura, and Dumplings, no item costing more than R59, and Crayfish Cocktail (R99).  The Tempura prawn starter had five Indian Tiger Prawns, served as the most wonderful deepfried crispy thick “Japanese style battered morsels of food”, with sweet chilli sauce, at R40.  The Chicken springrolls were delicious, with a different crispy batter, costing R25.  Soups are Eastern in style, including Tom Yum, at R48.  Salads range in price from R48 - R58.  Fish and chips cost R40. Three calamari dishes range from R59 - R79.  Crayfish is served grilled or steamed, at R249, or Thermidor, at R299 - no weight/size is specified.   Seafood platters, served with a choice of two sides, range from R99 for line fish to R499 for the Executive (crayfish, scallops, line fish, prawns, baby squid, calamari and mussels).   Steak options are Sirloin (200 g for R79, 300 g for R109), and fillet (250 g for R119), and one can also order lamb shank, lamb chops and oxtail.  Three chicken dishes range from R59 - R79, while two Duck options are available, Peking Duck at R149, and Marinated Duck at R119.  I chose the latter, and was disappointed with its taste and presentation - it was served on a bed of chopped lettuce, with a very rich dark sweet soy sauce, making the plate look very messy.  The duck was nowhere near my duck benchmark, being that of Haiku.  Sticky rice and steamed vegetables were well prepared.   I was surprised to not see any desserts on the menu, but I am sure that no one could manage to eat any, after the great selection of starters and main courses. Coffee is by LavAzza.

One leaves Leaf confused about whether one likes the restaurant or not, and one tends to think back of wonderful meals and chats one had with Bruce and Cormac, given the familiarity of the furnishings.   If one loves Eastern food, and seeks value for money, one can do no better than to eat at Leaf.  The staff need time and practice to get their service up to speed, but in general they are friendly and eager to please.  Food is served the whole day, and not in lunch and dinner time bands, as is so common, which means that one can pop in at any time if one is feeling peckish.  Given time, Leaf can blossom, and bring new life to this restaurant space.

Leaf Restaurant and Bar, Harbour Edge Building, Chiappini Street, Green Point, Cape Town.  Tel (021) 418-4500. www.leafrestaurant.co.za (The “webside” is still under construction).

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

We have been tracking recent restaurant opening, closure, and restaurant and chef change information in Cape Town and in the Winelands on our Winter Restaurant Specials blog post, but have decided to do an update for those not looking for specials necessarily.  

Restaurant openings

*   La Mouette has opened at 78 Regent Road in Sea Point.  

*    Brio is a new jazz restaurant, in half of the ex-Riboville in town (on the Adderley Street side)

*    Liquorice and Lime has taken over the other half of ex-Riboville (on the St George’s Mall side)

*   Van Hunks has opened at 1 Union Street, off Kloof Street in Gardens

*   Cafe Nood has opened in Wilderness Road, Claremont

*   shu has opened next to Doppio Zero on Main Road, Green Point. 

*    Ryan’s Kitchen has opened at Rusthof guest house in Franschhoek - the chef Ryan Smith is ex-Mont Rochelle. 

 *   Madame Zingara has re-opened at Century City, after a two-year absence.  

*   The House of Meat has opened in the Pepper Club Hotel, corner Long and Bloem Streets, offering a full braai for R 295  

*   Spiros has opened in Hout Bay

*   La Cantina has opened in the Alliance Francaise.

*   The De Leuwen Jagt restaurant on the Seidelberg wine estate outside Paarl has opened The Fabulous Bakery.  

*   Gesellig has opened on the corner of Church and Regent Roads in Sea Point, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.  

*   Indochine has opened at the Delaire Graff wine estate in Stellenbosch. 

*   The Long Table Restaurant and Cafe has opened at Haskell Vineyards in Stellenbosch. 

*   The Wild Peacock Food Emporium has opened in Stellenbosch.  

*   De Oude Bank Bakkerij has opened in Stellenbosch.  

*   Knife Restaurant has opened in the Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa, a sister restaurant to Fork.

*   Sommelier Restaurant has re-opened, after a two-year closure, at Sante Hotel & Wellness Centre

*   Illyria coffee shop has opened in the Eikestad Mall in Stellenbosch

*   Pierneef a la Motte will open at La Motte in Franschhoek on Saturday.

*   The Artisan Cafe opens inside Table Thirteen in Green Point on 30 August, with a barista

*   The Fish Shack opens in The Paddocks, Milnerton

*   Reuben’s at One&Only Cape Town opens on 1 October

*   The Satay Bar has opened where Zucca used to be on Kloof Street

Restaurant closures

*  Josephine’s Patisserie on Loop Street

*   Ginja on New Church Street

*   maze at the One&Only Cape Town 

*   Panarotti’s and Shimmi’s Bar in Hermanus

*   Bouillabaisse in Franschhoek.     

*   Yum in Vredehoek. 

*   Cape Town Fish Market in Camps Bay

*   Vista Mare in Camps Bay

*   La Table de France in Sea Point

*   Miguel’s in Plettenberg Bay

*   La Brasserie in Franschhoek

Restaurant name-changes/take-overs/chef changes

*   Leaf Restaurant and Bar has opened where The Showroom/Portofino used to be.  

*   Mason’s Cafe and Grill has opened where Cafe Gainsbourg used to be

*   On Broadway has moved to the New Space Theatre building, and is using the ex-Anytime restaurant space as one of the restaurants its patrons can eat at before the show.

*   Camil Haas, the co-owner of Camil’s in the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel, has left the restaurant and is doing wine and food pairing evenings with wineries in Franschhoek.

*   Tank in the old Cape Quarter is to get a new name.

*   Luke Dale-Roberts is no longer the Executive Chef at La Colombe, but will consult to the restaurant.  

*   Cafe Rouge in Franschhoek has been renamed Chez d’Or.

*   Richard Carstens has left Chez d’Or in Franschhoek, and will be the Executive Chef and Wilhelm Kuehn the owner of Tokara Restaurant in Stellenbosch, from October

*   Buena Vista Social Club has moved to the top end of Portswood Road in the Waterfront. 

*  The Restaurant at One&Only Cape Town has taken over from maze, until Reuben’s at One&Only Cape Town opens on 1 October.

*   Cafe Le Chocolatier has taken over from Cafe Vendome in Place Vendome in Franschhoek.

*   Dutch East has taken over from Burgundy in Franschhoek

*   Cafe des Arts has taken over Topsi’s in Franschhoek.

*    Amazink, ex-Roots, in Khayamandi in Stellenbosch, has opened, with Bertus Basson from Overture an advisor.

*   Chef School owner Kevin Warwick has taken over Kate’s Village in Hermanus, now called The Class Room

*   Luigi’s from Hout Bay is said to be opening where Vista Mare was in The Promenade in Camps Bay

*   Satay Bar has opened where Zucca was in Kloof Street

Restaurant winter break closures

*   Camil’s in Green Point re-opens on 1 September. 

*   The Mount Nelson’s Cape Colony re-opens with a new interior and new menu on 1 November. 

*   Reubens in Franschhoek is closing on certain dates: 3, 4, 10, 17, 18, 25, 26, 31 August and 1 September

*   Vaudeville is closed between August and October, and is set to re-open only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. 

*   Massimo’s Pizza Club in Hout Bay is likely to reopen in November, in a new yet-to-be-announced venue in Hout Bay. 

*   The Salmon Bar in Franschhoek is moving to a main road outlet in The Yard (part ex-Bouillabaisse and Pam Golding), and is closed for renovations, re-opening on 1 November

*   Bistro 1682 is closed until 5 September

*   The Grand in Camps Bay has closed for renovations, and re-opens on 31 August

*   Cafe Max in Green Point is closed for renovations from 23 - 31 August

*   Rust en Vrede closes between 5 - 28 September

*   Madame Zingara leaves Cape Town shortly, for Johannesburg.

*   The Sandbar in Camps Bay has closed until 16 September

NOTE: This information will be updated regularly, as we receive new information.

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

Cape Town’s restaurants are feeling the hospitality winter blues, with a large number of restaurants announcing their restaurant specials.  The winter has claimed its casualties too, and there could be more in what has been a poor winter for many businesses.

La Mouette has opened at 78 Regent Road in Sea Point.   Brio is a new jazz restaurant, in half of the ex-Riboville in town (on the Adderley Street side), while Liquorice and Lime has taken over the other half of Riboville (on the St George’s Mall side).  Van Hunks has opened at 1 Union Street, off Kloof Street in Gardens.  Cafe Nood has opened in Wilderness Road, Claremont. shu has opened next to Doppio Zero on Main Road, Green Point.  Ryan’s Kitchen has opened at Rusthof guest house in Franschhoek - the chef Ryan Smith is ex-Mont Rochelle.  On Broadway has moved to the New Space Theatre building at 44 Long Street, with a new restaurant where Anytime was.  Buena Vista Social Club has moved to the top end of Portswood Road in the Waterfront.  Madame Zingara has re-opened at Century City, after a two-year absence.   The House of Meat has opened in the Pepper Club Hotel, corner Long and Bloem Streets, offering a full braai for R 295, from 3 pm every day.   Amazink, ex-Roots, in Khayamandi in Stellenbosch, has opened, with Bertus Basson from Overture an advisor. Spiros has opened in Hout Bay.  Mason’s Cafe & Grill has opened in the ex-Cafe Gainsbourg.  La Cantina has opened in the Alliance Francaise. The De Leuwen Jagt restaurant on the Seidelberg wine estate outside Paarl has opened The Fabulous Bakery.   Gesellig has opened on the corner of Church and Regent Roads in Sea Point, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.   Chez d’Or has opened in Franschhoek, with Richard Carstens as consultant Chef, scheduled to stay until September, but he left on 28/7.  It has been confirmed that Carstens will take over the running of Tokara in October, given that Etienne Bonthuys is set to open a new restaurant on Dorp Street in Stellenbosch.  Gesellig is a cosy and friendly new eatery in Sea Point.   The Restaurant at One&Only Cape Town has taken over from maze.  Indochine  has opened at the Delaire Graff wine estate in Stellenbosch.  The Long Table Restaurant and Cafe has opened at Haskell Vineyards in Stellenbosch.  The Wild Peacock Food Emporium has opened in Stellenbosch.  Knife Restaurant has opened in the Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa, a sister restaurant to Fork.  De Oude Bank Bakkerij has opened in Stellenbosch.  Cafe Le Chocolatier has taken over from Cafe Vendome in Place Vendome in Franschhoek. Leaf Restaurant and Bar has opened where Portofino/The Showroom were located.  Epicerie Fine is the new name of the L’Ermitage Deli in Franschhoek, and has a new owner.   Sommelier Restaurant at the Sante Hotel and Wellness Centre has re-opened.  Illyria coffee shop has opened in the Eikestad Mall in Stellenbosch. Babylonstoren is to open a restaurant in October, next door to Backsberg.  The Fish Shack has opened at The Paddocks in Milnerton.  Reubens at One&Only Cape Town opens on 1 October.   Luigi’s from Hout Bay is said to be opening where Vista Mare was in The Promenade in Camps Bay.   Satay Bar has taken over from Zucca in Kloof Street.

Portofino, which opened where The Showroom was, has closed its doors. The first review of Portofino appeared on this blog.   Cafe Gainsbourg on Kloof Street, Anytime on Long Street, Josephine’s Patisserie, Ginja, maze at the One&Only Cape Town, La Table de France in Sea Point, Panarotti’s and Shimmi’s Bar in Hermanus, Miguel’s in Plettenberg Bay, and Bouillabaisse and La Brasserie in Franschhoek have also closed down.   Camil Haas, the co-owner of Camil’s in the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel, has left the restaurant, but is doing food and wine pairing evenings in Franschhoek.  Yum in Vredehoek has closed down.   In Camps Bay the Cape Town Fish Market and Terra Mare have closed down.  Luke Dale-Roberts is no longer the Executive Chef at La Colombe, but will consult to the restaurant.   Tank in the old Cape Quarter is to get a new name.   Cafe des Arts has taken over from Topsi’s in Franschhoek.  Satay Bar has taken over from Zucca in Kloof Street.

Some restaurants are closing to have a winter break after the World Cup. The Mount Nelson’s Cape Colony re-opens with a new interior and new menu on 1 November.  Vaudeville is closing between August and October.  Marianna’s in Stanford is re-opening on 14 October. The Salmon Bar in Franschhoek re-opens on 1 November, undergoing renovations in a new location (parts of ex-Bouillabaisse and Pam Golding venue). Massimo’s Pizza Club in Hout Bay has gone into winter hibernation, and is likely to reopen in November, in a new yet-to-be-announced venue in Hout Bay.  Bistro 1682 re-opens from its break on 5 September.  Rust en Vrede is closed from 3 - 28 September.  The Sandbar in Camps Bay is closed until 16 September.

The following restaurant specials have been announced (NOTE: This Specials list is updated continuously).  We have seen our list used without acknowledgement on other bloggers’ blogs - please acknowledge Whale Cottage Portfolio Blog as your source:

CAPE TOWN

*   The Cru Cafe in the Cape Quarter: breakfast for 2 for R 85, 2 pasta dishes + 2 glasses of wine for R 119, all days of week, lunch and dinner, until 30 September

*   Wang Thai: half-price sushi and cocktails, Mondays - Thursdays 12h00 - 18h00, at V&A Waterfront, Constantia, Somerset West, and Lagoon Beach branches 

*   Five Flies:  Pay for one main course and get the other free, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, until September.  

*   Andiamo in the old Cape Quarter: R 49 breakfast special (juice, cooked breakfast, cappuccino), until 11h30 daily; 2 pizzas or 2 pastas with 2 glasses of wine R 125; Basil, chilli chicken/salmon salad with bottle of water or colddrink R 59, until 31 October. Tel (021) 421-3687

*   Pure at Hout Bay Manor: 3 course dinner for R 220, and R 280 with a glass of wine added

*   Catharina’s at Steenberg Hotel in Tokai: 2 course lunch at R 135, 3 course lunch R175/3 course dinner R195, May - September

*   Vanilla in the Cape Quarter: 50% off the second person’s main course, and 1/2 price sushi 12 - 6 pm

*   Tuscany Beach in Camps Bay - 50 % off second person’s main course, and 1/2 price sushi 12 - 6 pm, until August

*   Pepenero in Mouille Point : sirloin and chips R 79, seafood platter R 129, prawn platter R 99, oysters R 9 each, half-price sushi

*  Sinn’s Restaurant at Wembley Square:  lunch (6 options) at R 50, including a glass of fruit juice.  Dinner (5 options) at R 95, including a glass of wine.

*   La Colombe : 3-course lunch at R 280 and 5-course dinner at R 380, with a carafe of wine, Mondays - Saturdays, May - September.

*   Hussar Grill, in Camps Bay and Green Point: 1 kg ribs or kingklip plus chocolate mousse for R 99.

*   Pepper Club on the Beach in Camps Bay: “Nip and Tuck promotion” - Prawn platter R98; Potjies R79,95; Sirloin and Prawn combo R89,50; Seafood platter R139,95; half-price sushi - until end September

*   Kuzina in the new Cape Quarter:  Meze platter for two plus bottle of wine R 189, Mondays - Fridays 12h00 - 18h00 and Sunday evenings from 18h00. Tel (021) 418-8000

*   Saul’s Sushi@Vegas, 118 Main Road, Sea Point: “Eat as much as you like” sushi R 120 Mondays and Tuesdays, “two for the price of one” sushi Fridays and Saturdays

*   Cape Town Fish Market: Salmon special, 1 course R 54,95, 2 courses R 69,95, 3 courses R 89,95.  V&A Waterfront Cape Town, Parkview Pretoria. Eastgate Johannesburg, Hemingways East London.

*   Cassis in Garden Centre: Lunch Box special - coffee/juice/colddrink + savoury tart (quiche/tomato tart/sandwich) + sweet tart = R 40, Mondays to Sundays

*   Theo’s on Beach Road, Mouille Point: oysters R 6 each, 1 kg prawns R 99, line fish R79, for lunch and dinner.  300 gram sirloin steak, spatchcock chicken peri peri and 500 gram spare ribs all R 79 for lunch only. Tel (021) 439-3494.

*   Salushi Intaba, 25 Protea Road, Claremont: 50 % off sushi on Mondays, Tuesdays and Sundays, from 12h00 - 17h00 (until end May), and other days of the week.  Springroll + noodle dish R 70 on Wednesdays.

*   Sevruga in the V&A Waterfront: Sole special, between R89 - R180, half price sushi 12h00 - 18h00 Mondays - Saturdays

*   1800 in the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel, Main Road, Green Point: Sparkling wine + 200 gram “Beef Wellington” + parking for R 99 (be warned - this is not a classic Beef Wellington - just a small fillet with a few chopped mushrooms and wrapped in pastry, no pate de foie gras).  Until August.

*   Myoga at Vineyard Hotel, Newlands: lunch: 2-courses R 95, 3-courses R 125, or salad or soup with bread at R 55, Mondays - Saturdays

*   Myoga at Vineyard Hotel, Newlands: 6 course dinner for R 150, Mondays - Saturdays  

*   Tank in old Cape Quarter: 2 courses R R140, 3 courses for R 165, both with a glass of wine, until end September.  Tel (021) 419-0007  

*   Beluga, The Foundry, Green Point: Prawn & Kingklip R 99, 24 sushi pieces for R 89.  Tel (021) 418-2948.

*   Butler’s Pizza, Newlands, Rondebosch, Wynberg, City Bowl, N1City, Bellville, Tableview: 3 pizzas for the price of 2; 2 medium pizzas + 4 toppings each at R 89.95; 2 large pizzas + 3 toppings each at R 109.95, Sundays - Thursdays.

*   The Kove, Victoria Road, Camps Bay: 2-course meal with glass of wine R120; Fish and chips R 79, 400g ribs R75, Oysters R 9,  Seafood Platter R129, Rump 250gm R 79, Rump 500gm R 109, 1kg of prawns R 99, Lamb chops R99.  Tel (021) 438-0004

*   St Elmo’s: 2 large regular pizzas cost R 105.  2 Dipping Strip pizzas and 3 dunking sauces R 99,90.  On Tuesdays 2 large pizzas out of a choice of five cost R79,90.  At lunch buy one pizza with Coke for R 29,90 Monday - Friday, until 16h00.  Belgravia, Brackenfell, Claremont, Durbanville, Fishhoek, Gardens, Hout Bay, Kuilsriver, N1 Value, Paarl, Parow, Plumstead, Rondebosch, Somerset West, Stellenbosch, Strand, Tableview, Three Anchor Bay, Tokai, Tygervalley, Woodstock and Worcester.

*  Cafe Sofia in Camps Bay, Green Point, etc: All pasta dishes R 49, 250 ml soup + ciabatta toast R 19. 

*   221 Waterfront: two drinks for price of one, Mondays - Fridays, 16h30 - 18h30, two dishes on “Lite” and Sushi sections of menu for the price of one

*   River Cafe, Constantia:   four courses lunch + a carafe of wine R 195, 4 courses dinner + wine R 225.  On Mondays to Thursday 1 child eats free, Mondays - Saturdays, May - September

*   Diva Pizza, 81 Buitenkant Street: 2 pizzas + 2 toppings each take-away special price R 75

*   Pastis in High Constantia Centre, Constantia: free glass of wine with meal.

*   Trattoria Luigi in Hout Bay: margherita pizza plus Savanna for R 45 on Wednesdays.   Mondays - Fridays pizza and pasta half price, until 31 August

 *   Constantia Uitsig: 3 courses and wine R 260 for lunch, and R 290 for dinner, until end September*  

*   Jakes in the Village/on Summerley, in Steenberg and Kenilworth, respectively:   25 % off all dishes, 5 - 7 pm only, Mondays - Saturdays, until end September

*   Buitenverwachting in Constantia:  2 courses R 149, 3 courses R 169, 4 courses R 199, until 31 August

*   Duchess of Wisbeach, corner Main and Wisbeach Roads, Sea Point - free bottle of wine for a table of four

*   Salt, Ambassador Hotel, Bantry Bay : 2 courses R 140, 3 courses R 170, Mondays - Sundays, lunch and dinner

*  Le Restau Paradiso, Kloof Street: Marie’s Menu 3 courses R 110; Capetonian Menu 3 courses R 130; French Classics Menu 3 courses R 150, until December.

*   A Tavola in Claremont: 50 % off all pasta dishes on Mondays, prices reduced by R 4 - R14 per dish on menu (except for desserts) 

*   The Lookout Deck, Hout Bay: 1 kg tiger prawns R 125 (lunch and dinner), 6 oysters R 36 (5 - 7 pm only)

*   La Mouette, Regent Road, Sea Point: 6 courses for R 175.  Express Lunch - 2 courses (with 2 choices each) at R 99.   Monday - Saturday dinner, Tuesday - Sunday lunch, September

*   Blonde restaurant, Hatfield Street: “two …blondes are better than one” promotion of 33% off the bill, until September

*   Lagoon Beach, Milnerton - 2 course meal from R 75, “all-you-can-eat” Sunday buffet R 99

*   Jardine, Bree Street: 3-course dinner at R 150, Tuesdays - Saturdays

*   The Round House in Camps Bay : 7 course menu for R 245, until 30 September

*   Berthas in Simonstown: 1 kg mussels, 1 kg Queen prawns or 1 kg mini seafood platter cost R 99 each

*   Ricks Cafe Americain, lunch special for R 39, Mondays - Saturdays, until 31 October

*   The Square Restaurant, Vineyard Hotel, Newlands: 5-course dinner costs R 165.  2-course lunch R116, 3-course lunch R145.  Tel (021) 657-4500

*   Adega Sea Point, corner Main and Glengariff Roads:1 kg Tiger Medium prawns, R99. 300g Mozambican Pepper Fillet R79.   Oysters R4,90.  21-piece Sushi Platter R 99.  Lunch and dinner, until 31 August. 

*   Pepperclub Luxury Hotel & Spa: 6 oysters and a glass of bubbly R60, Fridays from 16h00, with jazz

*   Aubergine:  2-course lunch R184,  3-course lunch R235, Wednesdays - Fridays

*   Balducci’s: All pizzas (except Flaming Prawns) R49, 26-piece Platinum Sushi Plate for R99, Burgers from R55.  Monday - Sunday, 12h00 - 18h00, until September.

*   Ferrymans, V&A Waterfront: 3-course pairing meal, with wines matching starter and main course, at R200, until September.

*   Bukhara : 2 course lunch or dinner plus glass of wine R125, Monday - Saturday, Sunday lunch

*   Haiku:  2 course lunch or dinner plus glass of wine R125, Monday - Saturday, Sunday lunch

*   Cafe Caprice, Victoria Road, Camps Bay: two burgers for the price of one, Mondays - Thursdays, 12h30 - 22h00

*   Saul’s Taverna: for every meal ordered from main menu, the second person get’s a free main course from chef’s special menu

*   Caviar Deli in the V&A Waterfront is offering 2 ready-made meals for R40 (one costs R25)

*   Societi Bistro: “Tour of France” - 3-course French menu R 150, until October

*   Chapman’s Peak Hotel, Hout Bay: 1kg Tiger Prawns R99; order 2 steaks, and get a bottle of wine and 2 Amarula creme brulees for free.  Tel (021) 790-1036

*   Quay 4: Snoek and chips R59, until October

*   Black Marlin: Snoek on braai R55, half crayfish on braai  R75, Saturdays and Sundays;  3 course meal plus glass of sherry R125, until October

*   Hildebrand: 2 courses R 89, 3 courses R 120; 2 pastas for the price of one with a glass of wine, until September

*   Chenin Restaurant and Bar: Sirloin steak R60, until September. Tel 021 425-2200

*   Leaf Restaurant and Bar : 51 % off sushi from 11h00 - 16h00, and all day on Sunday.

*   Cafe Chic: half-price off all dishes except Tapas, until 31 August.

*   Gesellig, Regent Road, Sea Point: 2 courses plus soup or dessert = R 90 for dinner; lunch costs R40 for dishes usually costing R65 - R77 12h00 - 14h00

*  The Fish Shack Restaurant and Wine Bar, Paddocks, Milnerton: Shack Platter and glass of wine R 90

*   Blowfish in Blouberg: Seafood platter R 179, 20-piece sushi platter R99, 500g rump steak R 95, Lamb shank R95, Fish & chips R59, Prawn curry R69, Seafood Paella R79, until September. Tel 021 556-5464

*   Ocean Basket: Starter, seafood platter, and bottle of Two Oceans wine for 2 for R 235 (only at Hout Bay, Plumstead, Tygervalley and V&A branches), until 31 October.

THE WINELANDS

*   Reubens in Franschhoek : 3 course meal for R 150, or R 220 for a glass of wine per course.  Mondays - Fridays, May until August. Tel (021) 876-3772

*   D’Vine Restaurant at Willowbrook Lodge, Somerset West: 1 course R100, 2 courses R145, 3 courses R170, includes a glass of wine.  Dinners only

*   96 Winery Road between Stellenbosch and Somerset West: 3-course meal plus a glass of wine for R 165, Mondays - Saturdays, lunch and dinner

*   Terroir at Kleine Zalze, Stellenbosch: two-course meal at R 165, and 3-course meal at R 195, until the end of September

*   Allee Bleue, outside Franschhoek: choice of four 250 gram steaks at R 99, including a glass of estate wine, May - September

*   Allee Bleue, outside Franschhoek: 3 course meal plus a glass of wine, at R 130.

*   Mont Rochelle Hotel in Franschhoek: 2006-priced 3-course dinner, each course accompanied with a glass of wine, as well as water, costs R 2006 for a party of six persons (R 334,33 per head).

*   Olivello, Klapmuts, outside Stellenbosch: 2-course meal R 99, 3-course meal R 119.

*   Mon Plaisir @ Chamonix in Franschhoek: 2 courses at R 170

*   Le Bon Vivant in Franschhoek: 2-course meal for R 115, 3 courses for R 150

*   iCi at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek: 2 courses cost R 120 and 3 courses R 150, Monday - Friday, until August

*   Grand Provence in Franschhoek: Chef’s Table for 8 or more persons, 4 courses R 200 per person, June - August, lunch and dinner

*   Warwick Winter Bistro, Warwick wine estate, Stellenbosch: Butternut soup R 30, Bobotie R 57, Steak and Mushroom pie R 70, Mushroom Risotto R 75.  Mondays - Sundays.

*   Jordan Restaurant with George Jardine, Jordan wine estate, Stellenbosch: 3 course Menu de Jour lunch R 180, R220 with 2 wines.  2-course a la carte lunch R 200, 3 courses R225.  Wednesday - Saturday lunch, May - August

*   Cuvee, Simonsig wine estate, outside Stellenbosch:   2 course lunch or dinner + glass of wine R 170, 3 courses R 200, August - October

*   Clos Malverne wine estate outside Stellenbosch: autumn special - 2 course meal + quarter bottle of wine R 125, 3 course + half bottle of wine R 155, Tuesday - Saturday lunch and Wednesday and Friday  dinner 

*   Bosman’s, Grand Roche Hotel, Paarl: 3-course lunch and 2 glassses of wine for R 260, Sundays

*   Lanzerac Hotel in Stellenbosch : 2-course lunch R 145, 3 course lunch R 175, includes a glass of red wine.   Chef’s soup of the day with rolls and house wine R 55.    June - September

*   French Connection, Franschhoek: 2 courses R 95 and three courses R 125 

*   Le Petite Ferme, Franschhoek: 2 courses R 100, 3 courses R 150, plus carafe of wine, every Friday evening

*   Fyndraai at Solms-Delta wine estate: 2 course lunch R 135, 3 courses R 155.

*   Ryan’s Kitchen at Rusthof, Franschhoek : 3 course meal and glass of wine at R 195, until August.

*   Boschendal in Franschhoek:  Buffet reduced cost R 145 (R 50 extra cost for dessert and cheeses) 

*   Noble Hill, Klapmuts: Farmer’s Lunch costs R 62, Mondays - Fridays

*   Restaurant Christophe, Stellenbosch: business lunch - 2 courses R130, 3 courses R 150, Tuesday - Friday, served within one hour, all year

*   Rickety Bridge Restaurant in the Vines in Franschhoek: 3 course lunch for R 150, and R25 extra for three Rickety bridge wines, paired per course. Monday - Sunday, until end September

*   Allora in Franschhoek: 3 course winter menu at R89.  Main course lunch plus live music plus ”drink” for R100 Saturday lunches.  Tel (021) 876-4375.

*   Epicerie Fine Deli/Coffee Shop, L’Ermitage, Franschhoek - bowl of pasta plus salad plus homemade bread plus glass of wine = R 45.  Tel (021) 876-9200

OTHER AREAS

*   Season in Hermanus: 2 course meal R 75, bredie of the day R 48, Sunday roast R 65, 3-course Sunday lunch R 110. Tel (028) 316-2854

*   Mediterrea in Hermanus: 2-course R 105 and 3 course meal R 135, Monday - Thursday dinners and Sunday lunches, April - August

*   Nguni in Plettenberg Bay:  main course R 50, different every week, Wednesdays.

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

Copyright: Whale Cottage Portfolio

A Twitter friendship with co-owner Wilhelm Kuehn, and a challenge from him to visit the restaurant to do a review, was the reason for returning for a meal at Jardine Restaurant in the Cape Town city centre, after 18-months since the previous visit.  

Jardine Restaurant makes me think that it is somewhat ’schizophrenic’ - a fine-dining ex-Top 10 restaurant, which also has an informal take-away at its Jardine Bakery section, and an informal sit-down lunch at tables and benches outside the door on the pavement.   Restaurant founder and co-owner George Jardine has opted out of city living, to start a new country restaurant on Jordan wine estate in Stellenbosch, and now only cooks at Jardine Restaurant ”2 or 3 times a week”, I am told, but the restaurant still carries his name.   Wilhelm tells me that Waterkloof and Tokara were alternate options George Jardine had evaluated for his new restaurant.

Jardine has handed over the chef reins to Eric Bulpitt, who has worked at the Winchester Mansions Hotel, The Showroom, Ledbury in London, and at Jardine Restaurant with George.  Kuehn was a lawyer, and now is the General Manager, keeping a fine eye on things upstairs, walking the floor to check that all runs smoothly.

Jardine Restaurant had to face the humiliation of falling from 3rd place in the Eat Out Top 10 Restaurant list of 2009 to between 12 - 20th place last November.  One does not know if the judges felt that things had slipped, or because they felt that an award cannot go to a chef when he is not cooking there all the time any more - Jardine’s move to the winelands had been widely announced.   Kuehn says the Top 10 award result last year created introspection, but Bulpitt’s new menu for the restaurant is drawing in regulars.   I heard tourists, and recognised Howard Godfrey, MD of @home, as patrons, on an almost-full Thursday evening. 

When one arrives one is met by Johan.  I had not booked, but he made a plan to make a table available.  I told him I would be out by 9 pm, but Jardine is not for fast in-and-out dining, mainly because the menu requires one to have a minimum of two courses, and I therefore only left after about two hours. 

The downstairs section has never made an impact, and is set up as a bar and lounge.   Upstairs the restaurant space has a central middle area, and tables against the windows, separate from the rest.   It is not a particularly attractive space decor-wise, only a pop-art painting by Richard Scott on the far wall creating a splash of colour, one of a few artworks on the walls, coming from Worldart.   A functional shelf holds functional cutlery holders and crockery.  Close by, an old-fashioned cash register has an untidy collection of paperwork next to it.  The tables have white tablecloths, and attractive and comfortable brown leather chairs. I sense a woman’s hand is lacking in the decor of the room (as I did at the Warwick tasting room recently) - all is very functional here.   The chef and his kitchen crew of five work in a very small space, preparing each dish.  Chef Eric is in the centre, finishing things off. 

Wilhelm comes to chat and we talk about Twitter, other restaurant Twitterers, and the soon-to-open nearby Cookery School.  A waitress brings the menu, printed on strong board, and it changes day by day.   One chooses two (R 230) or three courses ( R 260), a 5 course chef’s menu (R 400) or a wine pairing menu (R350), the last two options not being explained by the waitress.   A side salad is specified as costing R 45 extra, and other (unspecified) sides at R 35.

The menu choice was five starters and mains, and four desserts.  The starters seemed esoteric (’Evita and Princess figs’ -two varieties of figs, I was told and ’vegetable patch’) or too fishy (oysters, mussels and salmon) for my taste.   Main choices were line fish, Frazerburg lamb leg, seared Kroondal duck breast, rump, and grilled elf mushrooms.  

An amuse bouche is served, almost over the top and ’airy-fairy’, very foamy in general, and is meant to be an olive tapenade covered by a “tomato spoon” (missed the tomato taste), white pepper and a basil leaf.  It is extremely light and aerated, and I am brought another because the air will have escaped while Wilhelm and I talk too much.  I love duck, and was surprised when it was served - I call it “deconstructed”, with four little bits of duck, and little portions of “parfait en croute, celeriac, pomegranate and shallot” spread out on a wooden platter.   The tiniest of tiny flowers, nuts and other ingredients are sprinkled across the plate.   Had I not ordered a side of the most wonderful crunchy green beans sprinkled with flaked almonds, I would have still been hungry after the main course.   The parfait is outstanding, the little that is offered.

The dessert options were chocolate torte, citrus tomato minestrone, pineapple souffle flambe, and a selection of South African cheeses (gorgonzola, camembert, labare-style cheese, ash-rind goat’s cheese and gruyere served with walnut toast and watermelon konfyt).   The cheese platter, served on an extremely heavy granite slab, was an excellent choice, and was an enjoyable slow eat.  It was decorated with the finest apple slices, always great with cheese, and slices of strawberry and raspberries, as well as nuts and blueberries.

The waitress was very efficient in explaining the menu items, but each item has so many components, that when the dish is brought to the table, one has long forgotten what exactly the chosen dish entails (Opal Lounge has the same problem).  But the waitress was patient in running through the ingredients again.  One irritation is the waitress offering her personal recommendation of the duck - I know that many restaurants do not allow their staff to eat the restaurant’s food, so I always reject such “recommendations”, as tastes do differ.  I chose the duck, because I love duck, not because she recommended it.

The winelist is attractively presented in a brown leather cover, matching the chairs.   It is an extensive list, separating bubblies, whites and reds, each sub-divided into varietals and blends, followed by two pages of mainly French and some Spanish wines.    Wines by the glass are reasonably priced - a Villiera by-the-glass costs R 40, a Tribout R 120.   A Jardine (made by Paradyskloof) Unwooded Chardonnay costs R 25, a Lammershoek Roulette Blanc R 40.  The La Motte Millenium and Sterhuis cost R 45 each (for 125 ml).  For the tasting menu one can order 60 ml portions of wines too.   Billecart-Salmon champagne is served in various options, ranging from R 950 - R 7 000 a bottle.  Two Graham Beck Cap Classiques cost R 410, the VIlliera R 190.   Red wine options number 35, and range from R 95 for a MAN Shiraz to R 990 for a Muemve Raats De Compostella 2006; 27 white wine options range from the Jardine Unwooded Chardonnay at R 100 to R 780 for the Platter 2010 White Wine of the Year, the Sadie Palladius.  French wines start at R 1 600 per bottle, to R 8 600 for a Chateau Lafitte-Rothschild 1995.

The sommelier Jaap-Henk Koelewijn is told that I have ordered a glass of La Motte Millenium 2007, and that I would like it poured at the table (I distrust wine-by-the glass service).   Johan tells me that they have actually found a bottle of 2006 - what luck!   Koelewijn comes to the table, does not show me the bottle, as I ask of him twice, and just carries on pouring the small portion. I ask him if I may not taste the wine.  He retorts that he has done so already!   There was no “hello, my name is Jaap, I am the sommelier, let me tell you some more about the La Motte Millenium…” from him.  Why is that sommeliers have such attitude and arrogance (like at Bosman’s and Reubens in Franschhoek)?   The minute I started the cheese platter, he was back to offer me another top-up of the wine or a port.   No question was asked whether I had enjoyed the first glassful.   The empty glass was probably taken to communicate that it was good!  I had to ask for a cappuccino to accompany the coffee, as this was not offered as a beverage option.

The lunch menu changes regularly too, and that of 11 March had four starters (oysters and mussels as per the dinner menu) and two salads, 3 mains (line fish, rump and mushrooms, as per the dinner menu), and 3 desserts (chocolate torte and cheese as per the dinner menu).  Here the prices look reasonable, and one can order per dish.    The sums do not add up if you see the lunch prices for individual menu items, compared to paying for 2 or more dinner courses.  Wilhelm says the lunch menu dishes are simpler.   

If Wilhelm had not come to chat, I would have left without the “connection” to Jardine Restaurant.  There is some very soft music, so soft that it is inaudible.   It gets progressively hotter in the room, as the airconditioning is on but the windows are open, defeating the function of the aircons.   A fan is brought from around the corner, and makes a difference.

Jardine Restaurant, corner Bree and Bloem Street, Cape Town.  Tel (21) 424-5640.          www.jardineonbree.co.za.  Twitter @JardineCapetown.  Open for dinner Monday - Saturday evenings, lunch is served Wednesdays - Fridays.

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

The “Boozy Bloggers Picnic” at Warwick wine estate on Sunday was a disappointment in a number of respects, despite the bloggers (and other visitors) present having a good time on a perfect picnic Sunday.

WhaleTales has not written about wine estates much, except if they have restaurants on them.   Warwick wine estate, on the R44 between Klapmuts and Stellenbosch, attracted attention because Chef Bruce Robertson, a previous Top 10 chef when he owned The Showroom, was contracted to put together the picnic at Warwick.   When the invitation was received that bloggers were welcome to attend the picnic on Sunday, and that a generous special bloggers’ rate was offered, the booking was made immediately  

Despite being a big fan of Chef Bruce, and enjoying meeting Warwick owner Mike Ratcliffe on the day, one left the picnic disappointed in that a golden opportunity had been lost by Warwick.   Whilst the bloggers were on a special list, they were not told to sit in a defined section with other bloggers, so that they could get to know each other, and exchange information about this new medium.   Not even Ratcliffe knew who the bloggers were and what they looked like.   On a Big 5 wine safari drive during the afternoon, the Backsberg bloggers were on board, and at least one connection was made.  Anel Grobler from @spitorswallow was also present, and came over to chat later in the afternoon.   By this time Ratcliffe had left for his home already.

The vast picnic area is located around a dam, with lawns, and a section with tables under trees, as well as private “picnic pods”, resembling birdwatching ‘houses’, so one has a good choice.  Unfortunately one is not told where one can or should sit.   Also unfortunate is that one cannot see vines from the picnic area at all, so it feels less like a wine farm when one is there.   When one goes on the drive there is no mistaking that Warwick is a wine farm.

The picnic is a little higgeldy-piggeldy, much like the character of the wine estate.   The building houses the wine tasting section when one enters, and here the dissonance begins.  On the right is a beautiful modern wine cooling “cabinet”, with glass and modern white shelving.   In the middle of the room, along the wall, is a ‘mature’ wooden shelf with wine related gadgets for sale.   Behind the ordinary wooden counter the wines are sold.   It is a long room, not well filled, with wasted space at the back end of it.   One walks through to the picnic section, and there is another ordinary looking counter, with a table behind it, filled with the picnics.   It is a vast room, with a single table with things to sell, lost in the open space.   A decor hand is clearly missing in this venue, all is functional but not particularly attractive.

Given this decor, a ‘gourmet’ picnic concept for this wine estate is ill-matched.  One gets the feeling that the staff are very friendly, but things are not well organised.  Time is a commodity the staff have, but maybe not their guests.    The staff are still putting things together for the picnics when one arrives, even though they have taken bookings for them in advance.  One pays and receives a most unusual “picnic basket”, nothing like one has ever seen before.   A bottle of water is sold as is a cold drink, but no glasses are provided.   No attempt is made to sell one a bottle of wine with the picnic - is that not what the picnic is all about?   The wine sales department is in the first room, so the two departments do not marry their services and sales.  The sweet picnic lady tells us that it is the first day that the guests have to collect their picnics - previously they were brought to the tables.  Perhaps the former method would have caused less of a queue at the collection point.

We sit at a table under the trees, in what is meant to be the bloggers’ section, but see no one familiar, not that a list of names has been provided.   We unpack our picnic:   it has been cleverly put together in a stacked fashion, with two boards, one plastic and one wooden, a baguette wrapped in a massive “Warwick News”, a box of treats, a table cloth, and plates and cutlery, with a silver handle that clips underneath the boards, making one able to carry everything.   The tablecloths are brightly coloured (ours a grass green polka dot). The cutlery is ‘green”, being biodegradable, made from “a starched (sic) based bioplastic”.   

The box of treats contains the food in little plastic and cardboard boxes, and it is a treat to open them to see what is inside:   a delicious “Bruce’s ‘lekker’ biltong and brandy pate”, hummus with peppadew coulis, a small camembert, charcuterie (2 tiny slices of smoked something), poached chicken breast with truffle mayo (chicken tastes bland, but interestingly cut in tiny round slices), “frikkadelle” with tomato bredie (not out of the ordinary), “tabouli” - a green salad with couscous sprinkles (difficult to eat), baby potato salad with yummy mayo), “maketaan” - a yummy watermelon and ginger preserve, a box of Maynards wine gums, and a ‘death by chocolate’ brownie (not very special).   The most gourmet out of all this is the biltong pate.  The food is more wacky than gourmet, and is enough.  We hear bloggers mutter about the price of R 150 per head.  The pink paper menu is not of a “gourmet” standard.

We buy a bottle of wine (we would have loved a Rose with the picnic, but Warwick only does a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc on the light side), but receive no ice bucket on a 30+ C day.  No staff come to the tables at all, to sell us more to drink.  When we do see some, and call them over, they look at us in surprise that we could ask them for another bottle of water and for an ice bucket.  But it is brought to the table.  Do not expect any proactive service from the staff. 

Verdict - Warwick is sooo laid back, that it does itself a disservice in not focusing on its wine sales.  We left the wine estate knowing little more about Warwicks’ wines (except that there are 5 varieties planted on the farm, hence the Big 5 Landrover drives they do).  The newspaper wrapped around the baguette was placed under the boards for later reading, and was cleared by the staff before one could think of reading it - it is massive, and one is more interested in the contents of the boxes than in the newspaper at that stage.

Great concept, but on the wrong wine estate, in that its design does not reflect “designer” nor “gourmet”, normally associated with Chef Bruce Robertson.   Very child-friendly, and the kids get their own picnic box.   Mike Ratcliffe is a very nice owner, and he came to check on us regularly, and very friendly staff.   Very clean and modern bathroom, which is commendable.  A lost opportunity by Warwick, in getting bloggers together and connected, the prime reason for them coming.  A lost marketing opportunity in that the paper menu does not have contact details nor the web address if one wanted to book again or tell others about it.

Warwick wine estate, R44, Stellenbosch, tel 021 884-3144. www.warwickwine.com   Twitter @mikeratcliffe

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

The Cape Town restaurant scene has been buzzing this month, with a number of new restaurants opening, and an e-mail exchange creating the biggest restaurant stir ever experienced in the city.

The opening of the Cape Quarter extension on Somerset Road in De Waterkant has seen two restaurants open in the centre to date: Cru Cafe, a restaurant which has created “its own terroir” in the centre, says director Elsie Pells, in serving a selection of 150 wines hand-picked by Pells, a Cape Wine Master.   Voila, an all day breakfast and light meal restaurant, owned by the owners of Wakame, is a friendly addition, with cakes, muffins, croissants, fudge, toffee apples and many more treats prepared on site.   A clever touch is that glass domes presenting the treats are placed upon stacks of cookery books!  Downstairs, at the entrance, is an Andiamo Espresso, which is a sister coffee shop to the one in the original Cape Quarter, but on a very much reduced scale, only selling coffee, ice creams, juices, sandwiches and muffins.  It belongs to the same owners as the amazing Spar Gourmet Food Store at the entrance to the center.   Vanilla will open at the end of the month, and is owned by father and son duo Nigel and Simon Newhouse from Tuscany Beach in Camps Bay.   It will be the lead restaurant in this centre, with 180 diners catered for on two levels.   The chef  Evan Coosner worked at Reuben’s  and Ginja previously.   Kuzina - Greekooking, LAZARI, and BICCCS (Bread, Ice Cream, Cakes, Coffee, Croissants, Sandwiches) are restaurants still set to open in the centre.    To celebrate its opening, the Cape Quarter has organised a Food & Brandy Festival on 13 and 14 November, with Giggling Gourmet Jenny Morris, in conjunction with the Alchemy of Gold (Klipdrift, Flight of the Fish Eagle, Oude Meester, Nederburg, Uitkyk and Van Ryn’s brandies), talking and preparing food all day long.

The talk and tweet of the town has been an e-mail exchange between Cormac Keane, owner of new restaurant Portofino, and a client, who cancelled a 5 pm dinner reservation one hour before time of arrival.  Keane expressed his frustration to the client in no uncertain terms and with true Irish directness.  The client was not happy with the replies he received from Portofino, and made contact with some websites that had written favourable reviews of the restaurant, including WhaleTales.    He also sent it to a hip website called 2oceansvibe, which decided to post the e-mail exchange on its blog, leading to an outburst of mainly critical and at times extremely crass and defamatory attacks against Keane.  On the other hand, many readers of the exchange admired Keane for standing up to an inconsiderate customer, and lauded him for his bold and direct stand. The end result:  the customer has gone into hiding, and has requested that his name be deleted from the exchange on the 2oceansvibe website.  For Portofino, it has meant a fully booked restaurant ever since the e-mail exchange was circulated around the city, reinforcing that there is no such thing as bad publicity!   The WhaleTales’ review of Portofino, which was written shortly after Portofino opened, was offered as a link in some of the website comments, and the review attracted more than 2000 readers in the past week, a record readership.   A vindictive customer tried to show up what he felt was a rude restaurateur, and got more than he bargained for.  Instead of spreading the word to prevent others from going to Portofino, he has done the restaurant the best possible favour by creating wide-spread exposure for it, a bonus for a restaurant which only opened 6 weeks ago, and now has become the best known restaurant in town!   Portofino is not the first restaurant to have told a customer to not return: Le Quartier Francais, Carne, Beluga and Sevruga are known to have done so too!    Carne and Le Quartier Francais are finalists for the Prudential Eat Out Top 10 restaurant awards, and it begs the question whether such poor restaurant customer care should make them eligible for such a sought-after award.  

Another restaurant that is on the Eat Out Top 10 restaurant shortlist is The Roundhouse in Camps Bay, which has demonstrated its arrogance almost since its inception, stating at the outset that its goal is to become the best restaurant in Africa.  A response of the owner Fasie Malherbe to a customer comment on the Eat Out website is a scary reflection of what one might encounter at this ‘Big Brother’ restaurant: “every guest that has ever walked through our door and dined with us is on record to the extent that I will outline your exact time of arrival, what you ate, what you drank as aperitif’s, digestif’s wine that was served to you, the guests comments made on each dish, positive or negative feedback, special dietry (sic) requirements, the guest interaction between staff is noted, what car you drove, whether you smoked or not, how many times you went to the restroom and any other details that we could use to ensure that when you return that we may ensure consistency in offering or if you have complaints as we have here that we have all our ducks in a row and can learn from the ordeal”!

Bruce Robertson, the previous owner of The Showroom, which is where Portofino is now located, has confirmed that the Franschhoek restaurant that he is consulting on is that of La Motte, which is due to open in May.   The wine estate has just opened its new tasting room.   Robertson is also working with Warwick wine estate outside Stellenbosch on their gourmet picnic offering, which will be available from 1 December.  Robertson is also a gourmet food tour guide now, and he led the editor and 8 readers of USA foodie magazine Bon Appetit around the culinary delights of the Cape, including Reuben preparing a meal at Boekenhoutskloof in Franschhoek; a winepairing dinner at Grand Roche with Cederberg Wines; a malas tasting at Paul Cluver matched to organic farm foods; a seafood braai paired with Hamilton-Russell wines at Birkenhead in Hermanus, with the Southern Right whales frolicking in the ocean as a backdrop; and an interactive Cape Malay cooking demonstration with Cass Abrahams and paired with L’Omarins wines. 

OYO, the restaurant in the V&A Hotel in the Waterfront, is offering a crayfish special at R 185 for 500 grams.  A choice of hot or cold crayfish is offered.  Sister restaurant SALT at the Ambassador Hotel in Bantry Bay is also offering this special.

Alle’e Bleue wine estate has opened its beautiful top class winetasting room, and has a new outside courtyard restaurant seating about 80 linked to it, serving only five options:   Flammkuchen, Bobotie, a cheese platter, a chicken/spinach salad and a mixed grill.

Delaire Graff has made three changes after only being open for four months:  its prices have increased, its staff have changed, losing their exceptional Maitre’d, and their menu has changed.   Read a report on the latest visit here.

New Italian restaurant Alla Posta is to open at 51 Kloof Street shortly.  It will not only offer Italian delicacies, but also Italian furniture, decor and books, and show Italian movies.

Two new restaurants are set to open in Franschhoek soon, both owned by one of Franschhoek’s largest retail and hospitality landowners Robert Maingard.   In the old station building once hosting the Tourism Bureau, a sports bar is set to open, while a creperie should have opened a few months ago already close to the Huguenot Fine Chocolate shop.   A Franschhoek branch of Gelato Mania, which already exists on Somerset Road, in Green Point, opened recently and is tucked away alongside Col’Cacchio.

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

Sixteen of the 20 finalists on the Prudential Eat Out Restaurant Awards list, from which the Top 10 list will be selected at the Awards function on 22 November, are from Cape Town and the Western Cape, proving that the Cape is the Gourmet Centre of the country. 

Eight finalists are from Cape Town alone, four are from Franschhoek and three are from Stellenbosch.

The three Stellenbosch finalists all made the Top 10 list last year - Terroir, Overture and Rust & Vrede.  Franschhoek’s finalists are Reubens (Top Chef and Top Restaurant winner five years ago), The Restaurant at Grande Provence, Bread & Wine, and The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais (the only current Top 10 restaurant in Franschhoek).   All the Franschhoek finalists have been previous Top 10 winners.

New entrants to the Top 20 list, having been open for more than a year, are Carne, The Greenhouse at The Cellars Hohenhort, and The Roundhouse, all based in Cape Town.   All other finalists were finalists last year as well.

Finalists of last year that did not make the Top 20 list this year are The Showroom (closed down earlier this year and now houses Portofino), Myoga, The Saxon (chef Rudi Liebenberg has moved to The Mount Nelson Hotel) and Linger Longer.

The full list of Top 20 finalists is as follows:

1. 9th Avenue Bistro, Durban
2. Aubergine, Cape Town
3. Bizerca Bistro, Cape Town
4. Bread and Wine, Franschhoek
5. Carne SA, Cape Town
6. The Foodbarn, Cape Town
7. The Greenhouse at The Cellars-Hohenort, Cape Town
8. Hartford House, Mooi River, KZN
9. Jardine, Cape Town
10. La Colombe, Cape Town
11. Mosaic Restaurant, Pretoria
12. Overture, Stellenbosch
13. The Restaurant at Grande Provence, Franschhoek
14. Reuben’s Restaurant & Bar, Franschhoek
15. Roots, Johannesburg
16. The Roundhouse, Cape Town
17. Rust en Vrede, Stellenbosch
18. Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français, Franschhoek
19. Terroir, Stellenbosch
20. Zachary’s, Knysna

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

A week ago I heard about Portofino opening in the ex-Showroom space at a dinner party, and all I could find out was that an unknown Irish 30-something, with no previous restaurant experience, by the name of Cormac Keane, was opening the restaurant.   I googled his name, and there were no entries for him.  I bumped into Vaughn Johnson, and he told me that he is doing Portofino’s winelist.   The opening date was vague, being sometime this week.

On Thursday evening I drove by, coming from a concert close by, at 10 pm.  The security guard assured me that the restaurant was open.  I went in, unsure if it had indeed opened, and whether I would be welcomed at that time of night.   The door was opened by Keane himself, and I received a most hearty welcome.   He was intrigued about what I had heard about him, and sat down to chat, sharing some of his story with me.   I noticed his red sneakers immediately and told him that they reminded me of David Kramer’s red velskoens, but he had not heard of Kramer.   The shoes stand out in the otherwise white interior. 

Whilst Keane has had an interior decorator attend to his restaurant, few changes are visible.  The ghost chairs of The Showroom are still there, giving the restaurant a familiarity if one has been there before.   White curtains separate the restaurant from the luxury car showroom next door, and help to protect oneself against its bright light.   Noticeably, the counter is uncluttered, relative to its predecessor, and the chef, Stephen Kruger, previously working alongside Richard Carstens, is very clearly to be seen and willing to assist customers.

Keane grew up in Ireland, with a teacher father and principal mother, but says he was not a good scholar, and never wrote any exams.   He did not do anything after finishing school, except fly around the world with a friend in that person’s private jet, partying for three years all over the world.   Despite his lifestyle he did not have a cent to his name, he says.  Returning to London, he was headhunted to become the social secretary of Oleg Deripaska, a close personal friend of Putin, Russia’s richest man, and 9th on the Forbes international billionaire’s list, with a worth of $ 40 billion prior to the credit crunch, created mainly from aluminium.   Keane worked for him for a year, and rubbed shoulders with Silvio Berlusconi, Tony Blair, Putin and Roman Abramovich.   A six-month stint working for an American hedge fund investor living in London followed.   In this time he discovered Cape Town, and came to Cape Town regularly.

No matter how little money he had, Keane has never cooked food for himself, and has been eating out since he was 17, he says.   “I have never cooked a meal in my life, and I have no fridge, and no ‘cooker’ in my home”, he says with pride.   This has made him an astute restaurant-goer, who knows what he wants, and is not afraid to ask for it, and to express his dissatisfaction, having been thrown out of restaurants as a result.

His view on other local restaurants is interesting, and he has a few favourites - Bizerca is his top favourite, but he also rates the Foodbarn, Manna, and Table 13.    He does not like La Colombe.

Opening a restaurant is something Keane feels he can do well.  He is hands-on, changing a table cloth, welcoming guests arriving even later (the ambassador to the United Nations, who lives in the apartment block above the restaurant).   He put the menu together himself, buying the best Italian cookbooks in London, and choosing recipes that he likes for his menu.

The prices are reasonable, with starters ranging from R 40 - R 85, pasta dishes at R 50 - R 85, mains mainly costing R 105, and desserts at R 40 each.

Generously Keane offers me a glass of Bruce’s Merlot, which is still in the restaurant.  He is selling off the old Showroom wine stock, so that he can bring in new wines, as per Vaughn Johnson’s recommendation.   He has the staff bring a platter of dessert samplers, including a pure pannacotta, a mint pannacotta, a delicious Lindt chocolate mousse cake, and an unusual tiramisu.  The honey and mustard pork fillet is tasty, and I particularly liked the pumpkin and potato mash and green beans.

Portofino is Cormac Keane, and he is a most amusing host.  He is who he is - cross him in his own space, and you stand the chance of being thrown out.   Should he not be there, it may not be the same experience.  He is irreverent, and a rebel, and has the confidence to believe in his new project and in himself, and to not have to compromise on what he is and what he wants from his staff and his clients.   He feels like a friend already, something one does not experience in restaurants easily.

I felt at home at Portofino, and will definitely go back.

Portofino menu 

Antipasti

Bruschetta x 3 – fresh tomato and basil, griddled courgettes and mint, chicken livers R55
Antipasti plate (for 2) – chilli salt squid, marinated vegetable rolls, Parma ham, salami, olives R85
Beef carpaccio – watercress, parmesan shavings, olive oil and lemon R 60
Melanzane all parmigiana – layers of griddled aubergine, mozzarella tomato, basil R45
Tuscan minestrone soup R45
Orange, almond, parmesan and goats cheese salad with lemon dressing R 45
Seasonal salad R 40
Pumpkin, goats cheese and pumpkin seeds salad with honey mustard dressing R 45

Pasta

Risotto of the day R75
Warm risone with pancetta, peas, asparagus, porcini mushrooms with truffle infusion R70
Fresh gnocchi of the day R60
Lasagna alla Bolognese R70
Spaghetti Carbonara R65
Broccoli and anchovy pasta R65
Penne Arrabbiata – fresh tomato and chilli R60
Butternut and ricotta ravioli with pine nut butter R55
Tagliatelle with fresh mussels R85

Mains

Veal parcel filled with pesto and buffalo mozzarella and ricotta and butternut stuffed ravioli R 105
Grilled fish of the day R105
Honey and mustard pork fillet – pumpkin and potato mash, green beans R 90
Lamb cutlets with rosemary jus – cannellini bean puree, vegetables R 105
Grilled baby chicken marinated in olive oil, garlic and chilli with baby pesto potatoes R 105

Desserts

Pistachio andalmond cake with yoghurt and honey sorbet and mint pannacotta
Homemade lemon tart with lemon ice cream
Ricotta and honey tart
Lindt Nemesis cake with honeycomb ice cream
Portofino Tiramisu
Selection of ice creams or sorbets
R40

Portofino Bar & Restaurant

Harbour Edge, 10 Hospital Street, Green Point

tel : 021 418 4500
info@portofinoct.co.za

POSTSCRIPT: Portofino closed its doors on 10 April 2010.

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

Good news for Cape Town food lovers is that the restaurant closures trend seems to have stopped, and is being reversed by new restaurants opening up.

The most interesting of the new restaurant openings is The Quarter, a gourmet bunny-chow restaurant owned by Bruce Robertson, previously of The Showroom.. Located at 44 Long Street, underneath The New Space Theatre, The Quarter is more of a take-out than sit-down restaurant, due to its small size, but is not for the faint-hearted. Robertson has glass jars quirkily “decorating” his restaurant, containing various food types preserved in glass jars, including octopus, crayfish, and the most off-putting of all, a de-skinned rabbit.

The New Space Theatre building also has the popular Italian style Anytime, Boo Radleys and Union at St Stephens Church connected to it.

The Eastern Food Bazaar has opened in the old Wellington Fruitgrower’s building, on the corner of Darling and Adderley Streets, and serves value-for-money Indian foods.    It is taking Cape Town by storm.

Sadly, the latest restaurant to close is Nova, off New Church Street in Cape Town.  Chef Richard Carstens has been a Top 10 restaurant chef.   Nova tried to appeal to guest houses to visit the restaurant, offering them a special discount, instead of inviting these owners to experience the restaurant with their compliments.    In Hermanus too, the excellent Joubert closed on 3 July.   The chef and owner says he is just not able to keep the restaurant alive financially, and is looking for a job.

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com.