The Cape has its share of exciting restaurants, but in general Gauteng can show it a thing or two about service. Not necessarily finessed service – I am just talking about getting served, promptly and with some friendliness. I really don’t care for the waiter or -tress sharing their name with me, if they are good enough I shouldn’t need it for calling across the room. But if they share their name with me in a relaxed fashion, without that formulaic line we know so well, that’s also ok.
Hout Bay’s Kitima has good service. The Thai ladies greet you at the door, they seat you. The waiter service is smiling but not overly familiar, and the managers are clearly on the floor. Kitima is a wonderful space, the old Cape Dutch Kronendal manor house – now spruced with Thai touches, a suprisingly successful combination (mind you, it has been done with style). The rooms are noisy however, making low conversation difficult. The middle room is a popular bar, and out back they have added another bar/lounge called Raya Lounge, which is a wonderful in summer, a flowingly open tented space. We wanted to take our coffees in the lounge and walked there – the waiter took this in his stride, even though it is a fair way away from his “station”. This good service does come at a price. Every page of every menu refers to the general terms and conditions, to be found at the back of every menu. A list of non-negotiables marches down the page like a cellphone contract and I had to laugh when I got to clause 16.4: “No bare chests”. I have heard the bar here gets out of hand…
The menu is predominantly Thai, but the ubiquitous sushi has snuck in, as has fashionable dim sum. The sushi is worth avoiding, the dim sum is ok. The Thai dishes are far from profound, this is functional Thai – all the bits, but lacking integration or layering. It’s quick, it’s reasonably tasty, and the scene is heaving with wealthy southern suburbanites, many of whom clearly love the German mixologist’s creations very dearly (no doubt why clause 16.4 exists).
Limoncello, Cape Town
This tiny up- and downstairs pizzeria is showing some wear and tear and is certainly a very casual bet, but the pizza remains really good, light and crisp, especially when you request fior di latte cheese… Main plates are fine in a rustic fashion, grilled fish and meats from a very small and controlled selection, though on the day their fish filleting and cuts left something to be desired. The highlight of a recent lunch was the lamb penne – unctuous chunks of tender meat with a lovely marrow richness.
Breda Street (alongside Garden’s Centre). 021 461 5100