What's happening to all the great chefs of SA
Sep 19th, 2006, 10:50 PM
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What's happening to all the great chefs of SA
I just posted the message about Yum and then returned to looking at the Eat-Out website. Now, I've discovered that the chef at Cape Town's La Colombe (where we have a lunch reservation) left there in June. Has anyone eaten there since then? Is it still so highly recommended?
Sep 22nd, 2006, 10:06 AM
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I haven't been ot La Colombe yet but have also made a reservation for october. I was really looking forward to the experience and hope it still lives up to the hype.
I will be doing a trip very similar to yours and just a little behind you. Londolozi tree early october followed by cape town, vic falls , kenya and than zanzibar.
Have a good time.
j
I will be doing a trip very similar to yours and just a little behind you. Londolozi tree early october followed by cape town, vic falls , kenya and than zanzibar.
Have a good time.
j
Sep 24th, 2006, 03:23 PM
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Mediatorr and Jonnys,
You are going to hate me for this mail.
I had dinner at La Colombe two nights ago. My verdict is that this is a restaurant that is well marketed and has much hype created around it however if ever there was a pretentious and <b>horrificaly expensive </b> (by SA standards) restaurant in Cape Town it is La Colombe
Firstly let me explain that I have been to La Colombe before but this was for lunch. After this meal I felt the restarant was a rip off and highly overrated. This visit was about 2 years ago. Since then I have heard good reports about the establishment and decided to go to the restaurant once again but this time in the evening.
The service at the restaurant is not good, it is simply outstanding. That unfortunately is where the La Colombe compliments end I am sorry to say.
The restaurant menu in on a blackboard that is brought to your table and is all written up in French. This means that every part of the menu has to be described to you by your waiter/waitress. This is a most painful experience to go through especially when you have to continuously return to parts of the menu for re-explanation due to you not being able to understand the menu. Any restaurant that puts out a menu in a language that cannot be understood by its patrons does not deserve to be in business no matter how good they are supposed to be. To add insult to injury the staff do all their explaining loudly resulting in the fact that if you are surrounded by four tables you have to go through the pain of listening to all 5 times in the night. Pretentious is not even a word to use to describe this issue.
When it came to the meals we ate I was very disappointed with 2/3 of my meal. I ordered steak tartare as a starter which believe it or not came surrounded with balsamic vinegar on the plate. If you ask me steak tartare and balsamic vinegar just dontgo together. My wife order a salad which as could be expected was very ordinary. For mains my wife ordered grilled fish which she said was very nice but just above average. I ordered duck which I must be honest I were warned was half served in a honey sauce and the other half was rolled in salt and cooked as such. While the honeyed duck was delicious the second half of the meal was way to salty and spoilt the whole meal in my opinion. My wife never opted for a dessert while I had a berry mixture served in a custardy/milky sauce. I have to say this was delicious. To accompany this meal we had what turned out to be a very average bottle of very dry local Rose wine. We ended off this very, very ordinary meal with a caffe latte and a cappuccino. As the service was superb I tipped the staff 15% which believe me takes some doing for me to do as I always tip 10% or even nothing if the service is poor. This whole meal came to R600 <b>(SIX HUNDRED RAND)</b>. Trust me by South African standards this is not a a rip off, it is a <b>grand sized rip off</b>. Bear in mind that I eat in Cape Town restaurants at least 3 times a week. I eat at restaurants of all standards however a R600 bill is ridiculous to say the least when I know that I could have an equivalent, or even better meal, for R300 in so many other wonderful places in the city.
By foreign standards people on this forum might argue that the type of meal that you will obtain at La Colombe is good value; in response I say you don’t come to South Africa to enjoy foreign standards.
My opinion about La Colombe is steer clear of this rip off restaurant and if you want to enjoy this type of meal then rather go to Les Bon Vivant in Franschhoek where you will enjoy a much better meal at half the price.
Cant say much mpre than the above about a restuarnat that simply is well mareketed and for which you pay a hiuge marketing fee.
Very proudly part of the wonderful
nation of South Africa
You are going to hate me for this mail.
I had dinner at La Colombe two nights ago. My verdict is that this is a restaurant that is well marketed and has much hype created around it however if ever there was a pretentious and <b>horrificaly expensive </b> (by SA standards) restaurant in Cape Town it is La Colombe
Firstly let me explain that I have been to La Colombe before but this was for lunch. After this meal I felt the restarant was a rip off and highly overrated. This visit was about 2 years ago. Since then I have heard good reports about the establishment and decided to go to the restaurant once again but this time in the evening.
The service at the restaurant is not good, it is simply outstanding. That unfortunately is where the La Colombe compliments end I am sorry to say.
The restaurant menu in on a blackboard that is brought to your table and is all written up in French. This means that every part of the menu has to be described to you by your waiter/waitress. This is a most painful experience to go through especially when you have to continuously return to parts of the menu for re-explanation due to you not being able to understand the menu. Any restaurant that puts out a menu in a language that cannot be understood by its patrons does not deserve to be in business no matter how good they are supposed to be. To add insult to injury the staff do all their explaining loudly resulting in the fact that if you are surrounded by four tables you have to go through the pain of listening to all 5 times in the night. Pretentious is not even a word to use to describe this issue.
When it came to the meals we ate I was very disappointed with 2/3 of my meal. I ordered steak tartare as a starter which believe it or not came surrounded with balsamic vinegar on the plate. If you ask me steak tartare and balsamic vinegar just dontgo together. My wife order a salad which as could be expected was very ordinary. For mains my wife ordered grilled fish which she said was very nice but just above average. I ordered duck which I must be honest I were warned was half served in a honey sauce and the other half was rolled in salt and cooked as such. While the honeyed duck was delicious the second half of the meal was way to salty and spoilt the whole meal in my opinion. My wife never opted for a dessert while I had a berry mixture served in a custardy/milky sauce. I have to say this was delicious. To accompany this meal we had what turned out to be a very average bottle of very dry local Rose wine. We ended off this very, very ordinary meal with a caffe latte and a cappuccino. As the service was superb I tipped the staff 15% which believe me takes some doing for me to do as I always tip 10% or even nothing if the service is poor. This whole meal came to R600 <b>(SIX HUNDRED RAND)</b>. Trust me by South African standards this is not a a rip off, it is a <b>grand sized rip off</b>. Bear in mind that I eat in Cape Town restaurants at least 3 times a week. I eat at restaurants of all standards however a R600 bill is ridiculous to say the least when I know that I could have an equivalent, or even better meal, for R300 in so many other wonderful places in the city.
By foreign standards people on this forum might argue that the type of meal that you will obtain at La Colombe is good value; in response I say you don’t come to South Africa to enjoy foreign standards.
My opinion about La Colombe is steer clear of this rip off restaurant and if you want to enjoy this type of meal then rather go to Les Bon Vivant in Franschhoek where you will enjoy a much better meal at half the price.
Cant say much mpre than the above about a restuarnat that simply is well mareketed and for which you pay a hiuge marketing fee.
Very proudly part of the wonderful
nation of South Africa
Sep 24th, 2006, 05:44 PM
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OUCHH,
Selwyn, I have come to trust your opinion on all things in cape town from your many fans. Your review is certainly a downer as we were really excited about going to La colombe. We are going to africa cafe one night and have one other night that i wanted to be very special in cape town as it is our honeymoon and i am big foodie. We are going to La petite ferme for lunch. I will probably cancel our reservation at La colombe based on your review. Anyone with suggestions for a great meal in cape town? Selwyn?
jonathon
Selwyn, I have come to trust your opinion on all things in cape town from your many fans. Your review is certainly a downer as we were really excited about going to La colombe. We are going to africa cafe one night and have one other night that i wanted to be very special in cape town as it is our honeymoon and i am big foodie. We are going to La petite ferme for lunch. I will probably cancel our reservation at La colombe based on your review. Anyone with suggestions for a great meal in cape town? Selwyn?
jonathon
Sep 25th, 2006, 09:29 PM
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OK, you convinced me. I'm cancelling, too. I especially don't want to be bothered with it if it isn't excellent because it seems rather inconvenient to get there for lunch (which is when our reservation was). We do already have a reservation at Le Bon Vivant based on your earlier recommendation (as well as theshowroom and Ginja) so what other restaurant would you substitute or should we just play it by ear. I appreciate your help so much; I know it has made a big difference in our trip -- which is almost upon us now.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Sep 26th, 2006, 03:36 PM
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Mediatorr and Jonnys,
Well I see that Jonnys will be going to the Africa Cafe which I definitely would recommend and that Mediatorr will be going to Ginga's which I also think is a fine restaurant. The seating is a bit close to one another but the food is great. Le Petit Ferme is a great choice for lunch Mediatorr and I am so pleased that you will be going to Les Bon Vivant too. Please go to www.ILoveCapeTown.com/bv/bv.htm to wet your apetite in anticipation. (Kavey what did you do to us when you found this great restaurant? )
You both seems to be looking for fine dining experiences so let me make some suggestions to you that you dont always see on this board:
95 Keerom Street (fabulous restaurant)
http://www.frommers.com/destinations...wn/D56718.html
Baia is a great seafood restaurant
Bon Appetit in Simonstown is a huge hidden secret and I would recommend the venue for lunch. The owner/chef catered for the Agassi/Shields wedding and is no pushover when it comes to fine foods. Also nowhere near the prices of La Colombe. http://www.dining-out.co.za/member_d...erID-2242.html
If you are prepared to travel slighty outside of the Cape Town downtown region (25 minute drive) Wheatfields restaurant on the Meerendal wine estate is an establishment well worth visiting.
http://www.meerendal.co.za/restauran...eatfields.htm#
Well I reckon the above suggestions should keep you well fed in my city.
Very proudly part of the wonderful nation of South Africa
Well I see that Jonnys will be going to the Africa Cafe which I definitely would recommend and that Mediatorr will be going to Ginga's which I also think is a fine restaurant. The seating is a bit close to one another but the food is great. Le Petit Ferme is a great choice for lunch Mediatorr and I am so pleased that you will be going to Les Bon Vivant too. Please go to www.ILoveCapeTown.com/bv/bv.htm to wet your apetite in anticipation. (Kavey what did you do to us when you found this great restaurant?
)You both seems to be looking for fine dining experiences so let me make some suggestions to you that you dont always see on this board:
95 Keerom Street (fabulous restaurant)
http://www.frommers.com/destinations...wn/D56718.html
Baia is a great seafood restaurant
Bon Appetit in Simonstown is a huge hidden secret and I would recommend the venue for lunch. The owner/chef catered for the Agassi/Shields wedding and is no pushover when it comes to fine foods. Also nowhere near the prices of La Colombe. http://www.dining-out.co.za/member_d...erID-2242.html
If you are prepared to travel slighty outside of the Cape Town downtown region (25 minute drive) Wheatfields restaurant on the Meerendal wine estate is an establishment well worth visiting.
http://www.meerendal.co.za/restauran...eatfields.htm#
Well I reckon the above suggestions should keep you well fed in my city.
Very proudly part of the wonderful
nation of South Africa
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