Abbey Manor Luxury Guesthouse in Cape Town » Restaurants

Live Bait: Restaurant review

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:55:01 +0000

Continuing on:Where to stop on a round-the-peninsular drive

Underneath the Harbour House restaurant, on the Kalk Bay pier, is a small space easily missed. It is light and airy, with huge windows overlooking the sea, and a view down the pier, it’s a remarkably pleasant place to have a bite.

The menu consists of the usual fare, mostly seafood. We tried the good old fish and chips, and the calamari. Both were excellent, the seafood still moist and delicious under a crisp crust. It reminded me of how often Cape Town restaurants get this wrong, a terrible crime in a seaboard city.

Prices are reasonable, and service a little slow. Wine list is good with a few gems.

Kalk Bay Harbour,
Kalk Bay, Cape Town
021 788 5755

Carne: Restaurant review

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:51:00 +0000

Meat, meat and more meat. Unsurprisingly that’s what Carne is all about. Vegans must be kept well clear.

Sister restaurant to 95 Keerom across the road, Giorgio Nava has a nice little money machine at the top of this legal road. We we taken to supper by a Senior Council, with just the deep pockets to cover the damage.

Carne certainly has the widest selection of Beef in the mother city. It is grilled just as you order it, so think carefully how well done you like your meat. When in doubt go for medium-rare. Starters are excellent, my carpaccio with rocket and Parmesan was amongst the best I’ve been privileged to eat,

But beware. We chose the chef’s special, prime rib, and we asked to choose from a plate. In the dim light we did not see the tiny tags on each piece, indicating the price. Mine cost R350! Then they charged extra for a small ration of chips on the side

The interior is industrial-modern, service is sharp.

The wine list is extensive, and very pricy.

I’d you love meat give this a try, but load up your credit card in advance. Otherwise rather go to Theo’s in Moulle Point.

0214243460
70 Keerom Street, City Bowl, Cape Town
6:30pm – 10:30pm, Monday to Saturday

La Mouette: Restaurant Review

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:58:06 +0000

La Mouette is based in an old house (which once belonged to Cape Town’s mayor), oddly placed in a shopping strip at the south end of Sea Point.

A fairly recent arrival, this restaurant has been making foodie waves in the local gourmet population, and has soured to number 2 on the Tripadvisor list, after La Colombe. Unlike that fine icon, you won’t be required to hock your mortgage to eat here. Chef Henry Vigar is building a reputation.

The menu is constantly changed to match seasonal ingredients, presentation is superb, and is accompanied by an excellent wine list.

Watch for the tasting menu special run from time to time.

78 Regent Road, Sea Point
021 4330856
lamouette.co.za

Restaurant Review: The Brass Bell

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:05:13 +0000

OK, OK, this one has been there forever, and there may not be one citizen of nor visitor to the Fair Cape who doesn’t know it well. Nonetheless, after lunch yesterday at this fine establishment I realised that it is always worthy of more coverage.

The Brass Bell has been in place for 42 years. You can read up on its history here.. For Abbey Manor guests they are most likely to get there during the mandatory round-the-peninsular drive. If going clockwise it’s a great stop for breakfast or tea, anticlockwise good for evening drinks of supper. Personally I go for a weekend lunch.

The Brass Bell is never going to win any culinary awards, going in more for standard seaside fare, calamari and chips, pizza, fresh fish. When you are there, particularly with a glass of good cheer at hand, you will not care. The food is fresh and delicious.

But the main reason to visit is the view. You sit almost on top of thee aves of False Bay, and the smell of sea and kelp is intoxicating.

Kalk Bay Station,
Main Road
Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek
Western Cape

021 788 5455
Email: info@brassbell.co.za

Miller’s Thumb : Restaurant review

admin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:43:18 +0000

Firstly, disclosure. Miller’s Thumb is one of the restaurants most likely to get bookings from Abbey Manor. So much so, that it’s probably well overdue for a review. The reasons we love Miller’s Thumb are simple: they look after our guests, who love the food, and in the long and distant past Judi worked for Solly and Jane as a waitron.

What not to expect:
- swish modern decor
- tiny portions on over decorated plates
- quiet

What to expect
- generous portion
- served promptly by happy people
- hearty, flavourful fare
- excellent local wine list

address:10b Kloof Nek Road, Cape Town
tel:021-4243838

Lunch: 12:30pm – 2:00pm, Tuesday to Friday
Dinner: 6:30pm – 10:30pm, Monday to Saturday

Roberto’s Signature Restaurant, Long Street

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:36:19 +0000

Long Street has long had the reputation of backpackers, dingy bars, and late night parties. At the same time only a few establishments survive the long dark winters, when tourists stay away, and Capetonians hunker down.

This year the is a new trend – more quality in better environments being set up in the space of older failed coffee shops.

One such is Roberto’s Signature Restaurant. Now only a few months old, it has settled in and become a thriving outlet. The eponymous chef is Roberto De Carvalho, and the walls are decked with the outfits he has worn as executive chef in many, many places, lately the Twelve Apostles.

Food is Portuguese, but upmarket freshly cooked and beautifully presented. Nice compact wine list to accompany the food.

44 Long Street Cape Town
021 42201195

Restaurant Update 2 / Bizerca Bistro

admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:41:40 +0000

Continuing from yesterday:

A number of restaurants have closed over the last year. While there is always a turnover of eating places every year, as chefs move on, banks call in loans etc., the past winter has been particularly brutal.

Restaurants closed:

Jardine on Bree Street
Maze (Gordon Ramsey’s only SA spot) closed, replaced with Reubens
Blonde – after a very short showing
Sandbar in CampsBay
Blues (an old fighter) in Camps Bay has shrunk to the Blues Beach Bar
Green Dolphin Jazz Club at the Waterfront
221 Waterfront

Bizerca Bistro

An old favourite of ours, Bizerca earned the “Best Bistro” title in the Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards, but did not make the top 10. It is no secret that we think this is just wrong – this is the most innovative, high-quality restaurant inCape Town, excepting only the Test Kitchen.

Repost Hidden in a back street downtown near the convention centre – the interior is cool and light. Award-winning Australian chef Laurent Deslandes applies his classical French training to create some truly dramatic food.

Wife Cyrillia keep front of house running perfectly, with well-trained staff. Excellent wine list to compliment.

Our favourites are the Beef fillet tartare, and the Salmon Salad.

Booking a must.

Jetty Street Foreshore
tel 021-4180001

Pierneef Restaurant, La Motte

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:07:53 +0000

On Saturday night we joined friends at the Pierneef Restaurant on the La Motte wine estate in Franschhoek .

This is the second time we have been, and were just as blown away as the first time. The restaurant is visually astonishing – at the end of a long drive through perfectly kept vines, you come to a modern version ofCapeDutcharchitecture. Chandeliers are made from crockery hung from fine wires, and when the air-conditioning blows, they clink tunefully. The walls are hung with Peirneef linoprints and some photographs.

Chef Chris Erasmus – ex Le Quartier Francais and Ginja – is doing fine dining with a South African twist. An example is bokkom salad, bokkom being local dried fish and not what you would expect from a top chef. Quality and texture is excellent, and prices are reasonable.

A bit far out, but more than worth a visit.

Pierneef restaurant

La Motte wine estate

R45 Main Road, Franschhoek

Tel +27 (0)21 876 8800

Limoncello

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:51:47 +0000

This is our local Italian. Luca and his wife Celia opened this little treasure some years ago and have never looked back. Tiny, but packed with great things, here you will find risottos to die for, fabulous lamb and pasta dishes and a comfortable down-home real Italian family ambience which money cannot buy. Obviously, the homemade limoncello liqueur is part of their signature and not to be missed, on cake, iced in a shot glass, or even better, take a bottle home. Wine list small but adequate.

8 Breda Street, Gardens tel: 021 461-5100

Bizerca Bistro

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:35:15 +0000

This is one of our favourites. Hidden in a back street downtown near the convention centre – the interior is cool and light. Award-winning Australian chef Laurent Deslandes applies his classical French training to create some truly dramatic food.

Wife Cyrillia keep front of house running perfectly, with well-trained staff. Excellent wine list to compliment.

Our favourites are the Beef fillet tartare, and the Salmon Salad.

Booking a must.

Jetty Street Freshore
tel 021-4180001