After my recent positive post about Magica Roma, a few people have begged to differ. One regular commentator, Jurgen Seier, took the trouble to answer my question: “so where do you go for Italian?” at length:
Good question, no straight answer. I think the problem is that Italian restaurants have been around for too long in SA and have produced South Africanized – Northern Europeanized Italian food (spaghetti bolognese, pasta “smothered” in cream and ham), and the people expected it. Although things have changed since then, I think there is still some of that around. South East Asian cuisine is a relatively recent addition, and within a fairly short time there has been a proliferation. Leaving people with less time to develop pre-conceived ideas. In other words, I think it is easier to find a
good Asian restaurant than a good Italian.
Now for actual answer…
We find it somewhat difficult to get good comprehensive Italian, and tend to go to different restaurants for different things. You could not imagine a more uninspiring, less fashionable location and with less ambience than the Harlequin in Parow. They have been there forever and the owner is Italian. However, the pasta and gnocchi are consistently excellent, so is the carpaccio with capers and parmigiano, or the antipasto platter containing coppa rather than the ubiquitous prosciutto. The muscles in tomato and white wine we had the other day were huge, fresh, plump and delicious. The tripe (alle Milanese) was tender and tasty. I have not tasted much of their meat dishes. Rolls are also made in the house and the coffee is good. Apart from local, they have Italian wines on their list. We liked the ravioli at 95 Kerom Street and the pork, also a good Caprese. Just wish they would change their menu. We recently had a decent meal at Il Leone but too soon to tell. Some nice pasta at the Pasta factory but have not been there for a long time. We much liked Terra Mare in Paarl, we had good food at Mama Roma, and for Pizza we go to Col’Cacchio. Many restaurants have Italian or Italian-style items on the menu, which in some cases are better than in Italian restaurants. For example the squid ink risotto at Salt was outstanding.
Any other thoughts/recommendations from other readers welcome – on both Cape Town and Gauteng…
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15 Comments
95 Keerom for pasta, Magica Roma for risotto and polenta (not on the menu though), Nonalino for Pizza, Uitsig for Veal on the bone, Bizerca for Gnocchi. Most places kill pasta with too many ingredients, too much sauce and over cooked pasta. Italian food is all about amazing ingredients, not complicated sauces and dishes.
Italian is all about freshness and seasonality, there is also a subtlety to the best that is hard to fake. Thanks for your votes, I must say the best gnocchi I have recently had was at Mario’s (where a new chef is in the kitchen). Also Il Leone for good gnocchi.
Check my blog on Harlequin, I had a fantastic tiramisu there – another acid test.
=) leave the complicity to the french! bring on the Italian flavor with simplicity!
Ah, but don’t we sometimes need a little smoke and mirrors?
I can heartily recommend Assagi and Mastrantonio in Johannesburg, both within walking distance of each other in Illovo.
Assagi does seriously glam Italian food in a rather unpretentious spot. It’s haunted by surgically-enhanced Sophia Laurens and old men with Ferraris and they know what they’re eating. There’s a fantastic lamb shank that’s been roasted a bit after the normal cooking and is served with its cooking juices almost as a consommé which was brilliant. They’re also famous for an asparagus and brie lasagna which left me misty-eyed and in love with the place.
Mastrantonio is a bit more business/mafia lunchy in a well-lit, white tablecloth kind of setting. They served amazing antipasti, especially the melanzane, and they are strong on the pasta and sauce combos. Look out for a geriatric guy who takes his lunch solo every day. It’s a quaint idiosyncracy that speaks volumes about their consistency.
Thanks for the votes Angus. I also rate these two places highly – they both get 2.5 stars in the 2009 Rossouw’s Restaurants guide. What do you think of Pomodoro in Morningside? And La Campagnola in Bryanston?
Hi Jean-Pierre
I sent a hefty critique of La Campagnola in response to that spat that went down earlier this year (only discovered your website and guide today but am looking forward to getting more involved). I’d give La Campagnola 1 star. It’s pleasant and a little above average but not superb.
I’ve never tried Pomodoro so, in fairness, I can’t rate it.
for the best pizza in Cape Town go to Massimo’s in Hout Bay (www.pizzaclub.co.za), it’s the real thing!
They also do the best tiramisù!
I have just returned to A Tavola in Claremont and have to say i love the food, the service and the Proseco!
In my opinion Il Leone serves the best Italian food I have had in Cape town. The pastas and antipasti are delicious. You can still enjoy the fresh ingredients without the dish being drowned in cream or tomato.I had a Linguine with fresh tomato, rocket and crayfish, I have never received such a generous portion of crayfish(when in season) in any dish anywhere! The service is also delightful and attentive.
Magica Roma has jumped another notch for me last night. Pity there is not a 4 star rating! Ezio treated (all the food we had was not on the menu) us with a Pizza a la Dina (buffola mozzarella, fresh tomatoe), the lamb liver on pollenta and also parma ham, salami cakes. As maincourse we had risotto with fontina cheese and truffle oil. Accompanied by an incredible dark old testament Oxtail. Wow!! With all of this we also got informed about the JSE from Marco who also has a nack to suggest the perfect wine for these dishes. And to end all of it we were given a digestivo drink made from apple pits (recipe from ezio’s mother). Long live Magica Roma (off the menu)
You have obviously only “arrived” at Magica Roma when you get off the menu dishes. Since asking for them does not necessarily work, and most of us are not celebrities, how do you achieve that? Is there a secret handshake?
It is problematic doing a critique on a restaurant based on off-menu items that few others have access to.
I completely agree Jurgen. Which is why I do not base my review on (only) my experience (though I only “arrived” there this year) but deploy other reviewers.
Although not an Italian restaurant in any way, shape or form, i trully think the duck egg linguini a la carbonara served at The Roundhouse should have a mention. It’s just too good.