The Rabbit in the Moon, Illovo – Pleasantly over the Moon

I have driven past this restaurant countless times, the name stuck in my head, haunting me –and I decided it was time.

Honestly I do not know anyone that has dined here before, perhaps that lead to the delay in finally taking the plunge; and what a pleasant plunge into deliciousness it was.

 

The Good:

Pretty much everything!
Love the ambiance – it is quirky yet classic, with pops of colour here and there.
The menu is well balanced, offering something for everyone. From vegetarian, to light meals, to share, to the very hungry; and a decadent desert menu. Offering a little bit of everything, without having an ancient scroll of a menu which usually leads to being Jack of all trades Master of none.

Nice drinks menu as well, with super friendly and efficient service. The waiters are like wine ninja’s – you barely see them, but your glass is always full. They are also helpful in advise on popular dishes, with honesty.

Salads are offered in half and full portions (or large and small), which is always a very nice touch (for me at least). I had the Tabouli mint salad with halloumi, it was fresh and bursting with flavour.

The carnivore friends loved the Fillet Mignon (flambéed in brandy) which is properly portioned and comes with great accompaniments, like caramelised onions – who does not like a bit of caramelised onion?

There was 2 pasta dishes had at our table – Rigatoni vs Penne Bisanzio - the one a clear winner over its opponent. But then again, I just don’t understand ordering pasta at all, it’s a starchy vehicle for sauce. So ordering a sauce-less pasta, well… what do you expect? (Stupid move).

 

Desserts: Reviews praise the Tres Leches cake as a winner, however, we put this in the ring with the Trecolore Cioccolata, and the triple chocolate terrine was a knock-out!! I have to mention that I am not a very big chocolate fan, except for a 70-80% bitter dark chocolate (like my heart), but this was tres DELICIOUS! Silky, smooth chocolate-ness without a clawing sweetness. Did the waiter not recommend this slice of heaven, I would have agreed that the Tres Leches is fantastic, and don’t get me wrong, it is great – but has nothing on the choc terrine. This is a must.

 

The Bad:

… egehm…

 

The Ugly:

…cough-cough…

 

So nothing bad to say here, which is fortunate for the restaurant, but a bit less fortune for me – I’m rather fond of naming and shaming, and giving constructive criticism, to help restaurants better themselves… ah heck, I call a spade a spade.

Due to lack of negativity I will highlight more of the positives:

They have a sense of humour – which I love.

 

There are tiny rabbit statues as décor, and they are named. Sweet!!

You have 2 parking entrances available, either on The Thrupps Centre side, or at Illovo Muse Centre.

Coffee is lovely, and the bill comes with miniature tick-tac packs, which literally fit 5-6 tick-tacs!! Cute!

 

 

 

 

 

Tips:

-          Make reservations… Do it now!

-          Order the Trecolore Cioccolata, if it is the only thing you eat – eat this!

-          Go on, treat yourself.

 

Happy Tuesday lovelies.

Until we eat again.

 

Tokara Restaurant, Stellenbosch – Famed Mediocrity

On a recent culinary adventure, eating our way through Cape Town, we had dinner at Tokara.

This was our first time, and we were very excited as this was a nominee for one of the Top 10 restaurants in South Africa… I’ll give you the outcome of the nomination at the end of this post, for now, let me get started.

The Good:

The setting is beautiful, overlooking the lush green vines with a crackling fire giving a prefect ambience in dining room. Friendly and informed waiters, who are able to provide clarity on any aspect of the menu and its intricate dishes.

The menu is well balanced, and makes you salivate just by reading the descriptions of the dishes. Even for me as a vegetarian, I had difficulty deciding what to choose (this happens on very rare occasions).

The Bad:

Food arrived, looking gorgeous, but the taste unfortunately did not live up to the description or look.

Starters all around were pretty good, but nothing that made your taste buds dance, or which you’ll remember a week later.

Mains were disappointing all over, and the portion sizes very stingy! Some main portions were literally smaller than the starters.

Dessert was a disaster! I think this is where one should keep the “less is more” rule in-mind. It was just too many elements, of miniscule proportions, that just did not work together. And I’m still confused about the sickly-sweet the meringue shards featured on all of the desserts?

 

The Ugly:

No bad attitude or bad service, and again the ambience is lovely.

Look, I’m not saying it was horribly disastrous, but disappointing, definitely yes.

Tips:

All in all, I think the Deli at Tokara (aptly named DeliCat ) is a much better bet, for a lovely lunch among the striking scenery.

Compared to most other highly rated restaurants ( especially in Cape Town), I do not think that Tokara was a deserving nominee for the Top 10, and it seems that my instincts were right, as this restaurant did not make the cut onto the final Top 10.

Happy Monday ( and last month of work left for 2014, for most)

Until we eat again...

Il Leone, CapeTown – Effortless goodness.

The effortless goodness of the cuisine, is reflected in the simple and clean lines reflected in the décor and furniture, with a wonderful ambience created by the lighting. No frills no fuss. This restaurant is all about the food, and rightfully so.

The atmosphere is cosy and friendly, very helpful staff and a well selected wine/beer menu.

 In my previous posts I’ve made it very clear that I am not a fan of Pasta at all, that it is a vehicle for yummy sauces or ingredients that could be used more delightfully in a different dish, in a different way…and a fattening vehicle to boot.
It was at this humble Italian eatery that I had my first plate of pasta that my taste buds dance. ( This was a couple of months after I became a vegetarian, otherwise I would have never ordered pasta).
                                                                                 Perfect pockets of ravioli – so that you could see the orange colour of the butternut glow through, layered with a four cheese sauce.

This was absolute heaven! I never knew pasta could taste like this, and for the first time in my culinary noting life, I could understand how people in Italy could eat pasta every day.  I also have to add that I’ve been in Italy more than once – and never have I come across such a wonderful mouthful of pasta.
It was love at first taste!
Due to this, I make a point of dining at Il Leone every time I visit in Capetown.

I’ve also had the Melanzane which is good and proper, but in my eyes nothing will compare to the Butternut Ravioli with four cheese sauce.

For the meat eaters, they have a lovely selection of hearty meaty dishes, which I have heard the praises of, and seen and smelt the rich aromas.
The seafood also look fresh and juicy.

 

For dessert I once had the tiramisu, which was delightful, and the crème brulee which was backed and torched to perfection.

This restaurant is easily missed, as you only see a small plaque hanging above a small door on a tiny patio.
Even with the lack of advertising and huge signs, they’re always overflowing  with patrons – so do make a reservation a day or 3 in advance.
And be sure not to miss this hidden gem.

 

 

Happy mid-working week!

Until we eat again…

Crepisimo, Arequipa – Paper thin crepes oozing with flavour

If you have read a couple of my post on this blog, it is easy to spot that I love a bit of good French food. Crepes are the ultimate street food of French, and when made properly these delicate creations are marvellous.

On my 2 most recent trips to Paris I was utterly disappointed that it was so difficult to find a street vendor of café with a proper freshly baked crepe – mostly the batter was too think, and they were pre-baked and cold.

I could not in my wildest dreams think that I would find a prefect crepe in the middle of a small Peruvian town named Arequipa.

Situated at the entrance of the Alliance Francaise, this 10 table restaurant and bar – with an astounding selection of beers from across the globe is the epitome of excitement. People queue and comeback and queue and sit and eat at the bar. Incredible how such a small amount of people can create such a vibe.

Lovely selection of fillings for the crepes, and you can also create your own should you wish to do so. For the more health conscious they offer a brown batter on any savoury crepes, which is made from a Quinoa type of grain – this brown batter is bursting with flavour and a wonderful alternative to the classic white batter.

For dessert crepes in Peru, they have created their own signature – Dulce de Quinoa, and what a signature this is!

The best way I can think of explaining this, is something between a rice pudding and sweet risotto, delightful and sinfully sweet with the texture of the Quinoa.

The prices are extremely reasonable, service quick – not a lot of English, but they try very hard to assist where they can. And luckily pointing at the Spanish translation on the menu is really not difficult.

Aaah, the nostalgia is taking over and I’m salivating just think of these heavenly mouthfuls.

(PS - we dined here 3 times...twice for dinner, and once for lunch, yummy everytime!)

Until we eat again...

MAP café, Cuzco – Decadent and delicious

 

This is definitely one of my highlights in all of Peru.

Set in the courtyard of the Museum of Art in Cuzco on Plaza del Nazarena,  the elegant glass box is crisp and inviting.

We have read very good reviews on TA about the MAP café, but was not expecting this kind of deliciousness.
Absolutely everything was amazing, from the Pisco Sours (best in Peru!) through to the beautiful freshly baked bread, mains and desserts.

The service is friendly, professional and invasive. So happy that we went for an early lunch, as the restaurant filled up within 30min, and had sad patrons looking through the glass, and having to book for the following day.

 

So most vegetarians eat a lot of pasta, I’m not one of them. In fact I actually really dislike any pasta dish, it’s just a vehicle for sauce… a fattening carb vehicle.

In most restaurant however the vegetarian options are limited to pasta. MAP has a couple of other vegetarian options, but they had me at truffle perfume with this cannelloni. It was divine!!  The best pasta dish I have ever eaten, and probably just one of the top 5 best things I have ever eaten.

Also I have developed a slight obsession with Quinoa, and tried ordering as much Quinoa dishes as possible.

Put Quinoa and Truffle in the same dish and I’m sold. Desperately wishing that I could have that dish in South Africa, which means I’ll just have to practise my cooking skills to get it perfect.

 

The other dishes on the table were the Pork Adobe and the Chilli Pepper stuffed Lamb. Both of these were superb, but nothing compares to the Quinoa Truffle Cannelloni’s.

It was tough not to order all the dessert on offer, but the 3 we selected were the Sacha Inchi, Goat’s Cheese and honey Maki (yes – dessert sushi!!) and the deconstructed Suspiro Lemino. Last mentions was my favourite.

 

We decided to treat ourselves to this amazing culinary glass box on our last evening in Peru as well, but unfortunately they were fully booked – and rightly so.
This chef deserves a Michelin Star, and to be at the top of the TA list in Cuzco.

 

Do not miss this lovely setting and delicious food!

Until we eat again…

Le Soleil, Cuzco - The Fast-food of French cuisine

Aha, finally the time has come – and my fist restaurant is a bit of a shame, which after the owner’s petty comments and bad attitude on tripadvisor, has now turned into a big name and shame!

 

Whenever travelling I always have a look at restaurants on tripadvisor to see real-time opinions and reviews from “real-people”.

This French restaurant in the heart of Cuzco is rated as the number 1 in all of Cuzco – with many people raving about the interior of the restaurant, and claiming that you will struggle to find better French food, even in Paris! Now that is a bold statement to make.

To me this sounded like heaven! I love proper French food, and after traveling for between 24-18 hours, what could be more satisfying than a little bit of lush French cuisine?

 

This massive expectations we walked down the cobblestone street to Le Soleil. We were the only customers there, but thought perhaps we were early and this might be a pro, as it is not packed yet our food would be served a little quicker – we were starving.

 

The host and owner was very friendly and was happy to answer any questions about the menu, which looked rather yummy. And lucky me there was a veggie starter and main.

For starters we had the ginger pumpkin crème with truffle – this was really nice, nothing spectacular and no sign of the promised truffle, but a warming ginger flavour. Snails in butter and herb sauce – which was just that, nothing more, nothing less (presentation was lacking though). And the Avo Swilrs, this is avocado strips rolled and filled with cubed veggies such as tomato, cucumber and aubergine – a little bland, and actually a pretty presented four ingredient salad.

 

Mains were duck breast and I had ratatouille. The duck was nicely cooked, but no lush sauce or veggies to compliment this; and my ratatouille was pretty much a warm version of my starter, substituting the cucumber for baby marrow, and the avo for carrot.

 

Now maybe it’s just me, but I am 100% certain that it’s not, no-one goes to a restaurant and orders a main and expects just a chunk of protein, or a scoop of a cooked vegetables (and this comment is not only regarding Le Soleil – but I might as well rant about it now and get it over with).

Where is the harm in putting a portion of side veggies, salad, potato, sauce on a plate?? That’s right – no harm, in fact only goodness. You are ordering a meal after all. I see this “trend” sticking out it’s ugly little head in all the more restaurants, and frankly I think it’s ridiculous! Stop squeezing the money for your well-paying clients greedy restaurateurs! Tisk tisk tisk!

 

Anyway, back to our evening at Le Soleil. For dessert we had the chocolate fondant as someone on mention this to be the best fondant they’ve ever eaten; and the mango, tonka bean and passion fruit mousse – the passion fruit was super sour, you could taste nothing else, and also did not want to take a second bite for fear of burning a hole in your aorta with the sour acid ( a little dramatic, I know), surely the chef should taste what he puts on a plate? Unfortunately the fondant, which was supposed to be the king of the evening turned out to be a peasant in disguise. No rich chocolate lava flowing out when cutting open… An overcooked fondant for any restaurant is a no-no, and especially for a French restaurant, this is the mother of all no-no’s.

 

So all in all it was not the worst meal I’ve ever had, but most certainly not the best. There is not one thing that we ate that was exceptional or even great. I think due to the fact that this place received such amazing reviews it was an ever bigger disappointment, as we arrived with huge expectations.

In all honesty, the people that commented on that you could not find better French food, even in Paris – I’m having a sneaky feeling that they’ve probably never been to Paris, and the rest of the raving reviews might well be the owner himself, or his close friends… as we were the only table there for the evening. Does this sound like the kind of place that is the best in a city? Empty during the festive season? No, it does not.

 

Do not be fooled, give this a miss when in Cuzco.

 

Until we eat again…

The Foodbarn, Noordhoek - Real Food, Simply Delicious

Take a drive along the coast of the Cape, and take a turn to Noodhoek, just off the street you’ll find the vibey Noodhoek Village that offers a pub, some touristy shops, swings and playthings for little children on the grass lawn and an old hotel. Look to your right, there you’ll see a sign above a door, reading The Foodbarn. Walk towards it. Step through the door.

Once inside you are swept away by the serene all white innards of this building, with just little touches of blue to remind you that you are in fact not lost in the arctic snow. Bliss.

Simplicity is key with décor, and to a certain extent with the food as well, even though you’ll never know as Franck Dangereux manages to conjure the most define and powerful flavours out of any ingredient. A true artist who can make 6 ingredients taste like 16. Perhaps this is the freshness of the ingredients, or just his sheer brilliance in the kitchen? Who knows! I think it might be the combination of the two that gives your palate the buzz.

We were presented with dazzling Springtime menu, filled with choices and flavours that makes you want to be a glut, and order for 2...

A lovely wine list (which is to be expected when dining in the Cape) as well as a selection of local craft beers. The service is efficient, personal and friendly, without being familiar and having you feel like you should pull up an extra chair. Extremely helpful and knows the dishes off by heart.

 

Usually I’d now proceed on dissecting what was eaten and what the menu offered – today however, I’ll rather just give you the menu and photos of the delicious and beautiful food, as we were 5 people, all ordering starters, mains and desserts, so it might take a while.

 What I can and will say, is that no-one had an inkling of unhappiness about any bite of food they took. No surprize really, as it is Franck’s restaurant. I would have liked more than one goats cheese fritter as a starter though – very small portion, but I was slightly starry eyed at the spring risotto, which very rarely happens to me when eating risotto (or any pasta). Food is plated elegantly without being over the top or disguising what exactly it is that you’re eating – what you see is what you get, just with much more flavour and perfection than you could imagine.

 

 I expected a little more from the dessert menu, nothing really drew me... but the Pear tart Tatin was the perfect end to the meal.

 

When I’m in Cape Town again, I’ll gladly drive around the coast to enjoy the beautiful view, on my way to The Foodbarn.

***Note – you’ll definitely have to book in advance!!

 

Until we eat again…