Massimo's, Hout Bay

Many consider Massimo's in Hout Bay one of the best pizza places around.  We were ready to re-visit it with our blog goggles on.

The Place –  We went there for lunch on a hot Sunday afternoon. The restaurant is situated within the Oakhurst Farm Park, a tiny little mall complex in Hout Bay. We chose to sit outside, since their patio offers enough shade and quite a nice view. The restaurant is fairly big, so there's a good chance you`ll get a table without a reservation. Inside, the center of attention is a traditional pizza oven, where Massimo himself is usually baking the pizze.

In the heat of the day it would have been great if our drinks order had been taken right away, but our waitress scuttled off as soon as our behinds had hit the chair. After perusing the drinks menu and waiting a few minutes too many it took some eye-catching to lure her back... only to learn that the artisan beer which appeared best suited to appease us after the wait was not available... and by the confused look when ordering, never had been. Below par service turned out to be the theme of the day; our lunch took over two hours (without having starters or a dessert). It was a Sunday and we had time to kill, but we hope that they focus more on customer service in the future.

The Menu – offers a great selection of pizze and a variety of other Italian dishes such as pasta and mussels. What we particularly liked about the menu was its clear structure. Pizze for example are categorised under 'Meat', 'Fish' and 'Vegetarian.' Also, gluten free bases and slim choices with less oil & cheese are available. Another nice option is the half-half pizza, which gives you the opportunity to sample two pizze in one. A lovely addition to the regular menu is the spuntini, a selection of little snacks in the range of R24-40. Great to have with an aperitivo, without ruining your appetite. The dessert menu is small, but has some delicious sounding options, including a mini-Tiramisu and some home made gelato. 

The Meal – We ordered a Pepite (delicious fried polenta & parmesan bites, dusted with truffle salt) for R24 from the spuntini menu. For mains we ordered a pizza Vegetariana (tomato, mozzarella, artichokes, mushrooms, olives) for R74, and experimented with the half-half option ordering half Pancetta (tomato, mozzarella, pancetta bacon, pan-fried mushrooms) and half Formaggi (tomato, mozzarella, blue cheese, feta, goat`s cheese, olives) for R85.

The spuntino arrived after about 20 minutes and was devoured in seconds. Now salivating for our main course, we decided to order another round of drinks.. and then the wait began. We watched as pizza after pizza came out over the pass. A few tables had arrived after us so we assumed their orders had managed to jump ours while we were considerately given a breather after our spuntino. An hour later though and it became clear something was not quite right. Eventually our waitress who had been MIA reappeared to ask 'Did you already eat your pizzas?' (as our waitress you should know that we haven't) 'Nope, we are still waiting!' Another 15 minutes later we finally got our pizze, without any apologies. Admittedly, the pizze were awesome and most importantly, authentic. The crust thin and crunchy, the ingredients fresh and tasty. The only shortfall were the canned black olives on the vegetarian pizza. They lacked any taste and the punch element on the pizza was therefore missing. However, we got some wonderfully balanced olio piccante to add some flavour.

It was time to consider desert. The Tiramisu was firmly in our sights, specifically the mini-option as only one of us was indulging, and previous experience had taught us the full portion was overkill on top of a big pizza-belly. Noooo... the waitress returned to inform us they had not made the mini-Tiramisu that day. Just cutting us a slice from a full portion was apparently not an option. No desert then. We were going to have to leave unsweetened. After another round of waiting and being ignored, we went up to the front to settle the bill and got a stunned look from our waitress... the one we had done the 'waiting' on.

The Wallet – Considering the quality of ingredients used on the pizze, prices are fair. The spuntini menu is a great way of having an appetiser, but not spending much money. The desserts, however, disappointed. With only a scoop of ice cream under R38, we felt it was too expensive.

The Rating – 6.5

If we forget about the frustrating service and the ridiculous waiting time, their pizze were awesome. For an authentic Italian thin crusted pizza, this is the place to go.  

About the place: http://www.pizzaclub.co.za/

Tong Lok, Longbeach Mall, Sun Valley

Tong Lok at Longbeach Mall is a good address to get decent everyday sushi.

The Place – Let's face it, it's a take-out joint in a mall and that's what you get. There is absolutely no ambiance, well... mall ambiance, and the place could do with an overhaul. There's only three bar tables with a bunch of chairs. Service is very basic, but friendly; which hasn't always been the case in the past.

The Menu – They have two menus: Sushi & Chinese. We usually go there for sushi, but we have sampled their Chinese menu on occasion too. The Chinese menu offers a fairly wide choice, although not too many vegetarian options. Also, they do take-away and catering. 

The Meal – The sushi is very simple and straight forward - just the way sushi is supposed to be. Their sashimi is consistently tasty, fresh, and served at the right temperature. The fish in general is fresh and good quality. The Chinese dishes we have sampled have generally been okay. Bog standard items such as wontons, sweet and sour, foo-yung and crispy duck have done nothing too offend. At one point they offered a pretty decent hot-and-sour soup, but that has sadly disappeared off the menu. The quality of ingredients is acceptable but not that convincing.

The Wallet – Good value for money. It's not cheap, but very affordable, especially when their midweek sushi special is running. A Maki Roll with six pieces is R28, a California Roll with 8 pieces R40-45. Chinese dishes range from R45-65. If you're looking for consistently tasty sushi, and maybe grab a DVD on the way out, this is a decent option for an uncomplicated and quick dinner during the week.

The Rating – 6.0 (for sushi)

Would we go back? Yes, we do.

About the place: http://www.tonglok.co.za/branches

The Foodbarn Restaurant, Noordhoek

This restaurant has long been on our eating out wish list. Franck Dangereux and his Foodbarn Restaurant at the Farm Village in Noordhoek enjoy an excellent reputation, so we were ready to have our socks knocked off.

The Place – From the outside the Foodbarn is an unassuming old barn in the middle of the Noordheok Farm Village. The place has a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. The main dining room has open space all the way up to the high thatch ceiling, which makes the restaurant feel spacious and airy; the light colours add to that feel. There's also an upstairs dining area overlooking the main room. We chose to sit upstairs, as it has a more intimate and personal ambiance. Even though the restaurant serves fine cuisine, it doesn’t feel overly posh or pretentious. We didn't get the warmest welcome at the entrance, but our waiter was very friendly, if a bit awkward. Even though we felt that sitting upstairs had been the right choice, we soon realised that the second floor is quite a challenge for the staff who have to run up and down all night, and as we found out, the disconnect from the main area can make co-ordinating their service a bit difficult: we finally got the wine we ordered before our main course just as we were finishing off. 

The Menu – The Foodbarn offers a decent selection of starters and main courses in various combinations. They have a set amuse bouche menu with 5 to 6 smaller dishes each paired with a particular wine. Some good sounding items on there, however none of them were vegetarian. In fact, the big shortfall in general was the lack of vegetarian options. The entire menu offered no more than two vegetarian dishes – a starter 'Crunchy cucumber, tomato & mint salad served with fried haloumi and taleggio fritter, finished with virgin olive oil and balsamic syrup' for R78 and a 'Shitake mushroom risotto finished with buttered miso and lemon thyme' for R92. Even then the waiter had to double check whether or not the risotto broth was 100% vegetarian. The lack of choice was disappointing. Otherwise there were certainly some interesting choices. The summer bistro set menu offers a choice out of five or so options for a starter, main, and dessert for R220. Good value for money, although few of the signature dishes make it onto the bistro selection, AND due to the lack of vegetarian dishes this was not an option. For the meat dish we chose a 'Grilled free range beef fillet served with fried Porcini and fondant potato, finished with wild rocket & truffle scented brandy jus' for R155 and a side order of fresh seasonal veggies' for R28.

  

The Meal – The cucumber salad arrived fairly quickly and looked stunning. The portion was generous with some great elements on the plate, but just too many flavours competing for attention: mint salad, a very sweet balsamic vinegar syrup dressing, little balls of watermelon, and two varieties of fried cheese. Each element was great on its own, but in this case less may have been more. The main course arrived and both dishes looked great. The meat dish was excellent - the fillet tender and perfectly cooked with the brandy-truffle jus definitely raising the dish to another level. The side order of veggies was surprisingly plain considering the mains they were accompanying – although fresh, may as well have come directly from a deepfreeze veggie mix. The risotto was smooth and had an excellent texture, the buttered miso and lemon thyme foam would have been a nice combination, but was unfortunately too salty for my taste. The wine arrived just in time for the last bite of the main course. In short, not really good enough. We finished off our meal with very decent espresso and some chocolate truffles which can be ordered individually – a great alternative to a full dessert.

   

The Wallet – Considering the price tag and the high standards we know the Foodbarn aspires to, our dinner didn't quite live up to expectations. What we experienced appeared to be more akin to living off reputation rather than living up to reputation. Certain elements were great, even superb, however at this level you can't help but focus on the lack of attention to detail. The fact that the Christmas Menu 2011 and New Years Eve are still up on the webpage supports this impression.

The Rating – 5.5

We expected more.

Would we go back? Sure, if we both ate meat. Apart from the fillet steak that we sampled, some really great looking dishes passed by on their way to other tables.  As a vegetarian, maybe one day, but certainly not before checking out the menu online first. However, choosing a meal before getting to a restaurant is not how we envision pre-empting a Foodbarn experience. 

About the place: http://www.thefoodbarn.co.za/

Olympia Café, Restaurant, Kalk Bay

Upfront, this is a place we keep coming back to. Over time our experiences at Olympia Café have us expecting tasty, hearty, innovative, quality dishes without fail.

The Place – During the day it's a bakery & deli, at night a cute little restaurant. What comes to mind when thinking of Olympia Café is honesty. The interior is simple, rustic, and unique. It doesn't try to be anything it is not. The space is quite small and it can get crowded, but this adds to the homey atmosphere. The heart of the restaurant is the open kitchen with the pass in full view allowing pre-glimpses of dishes to help inform your meal choice. It's located right by the sea, so you've got the view, if you want it. Because of its size, we recommend arriving before 7pm or after 8pm. Otherwise, be prepared to write your name on the board and wait a little for a seat. Service is basic, but very friendly and efficient.

The Menu – is fantastic. It changes every night and fits on one blackboard, so you're always in for a surprise. However, there are crowd favourites that show up on the menu on a regular basis. They make sure to cater to every taste and appetite. There's always a soup, a salad, a pasta dish, one or two vegetarian dishes, a meat, fish and game dish, and two desserts. The great thing about Olympia is they are very flexible; ask for it and they can make it work most of the time at no extra costs.

The Meal – We can't remember any meal ever disappointing. Of course, some were better than others, and some were outstanding, but they were all awesome in their own way. Apart from regular crowd pleasers such as the amazing Seafood Linguini, dishes on the all-time favorite list include a Lamb Shank with Risotto, a proper Rump Steak, and Tuna Steak on Asian Stir-Fry. Sometimes the exceptionally tasty sides almost outshine the star of your dish. The ingredients they use are of high quality and ultra fresh. The dishes served at Olympia convince with creative and harmonious combinations of flavours. The portions are generous and you definitely don't get the impression they are counting the olives they are dishing out, if you know what I mean.

The Wallet – This is where Olympia Café is hard to beat: It's affordable & excellent value for your money. An average main course is between R75 and 110 (depending on your meat choice), vegetarians can easily eat for R70. Considering the quality, we think it's some of the best value in town.

The Rating – 7.5

Not to say that you couldn't get an 8.5 on a good day...

Would we go back? Anytime, any day! We find reasons and excuses to be in the neighbourhood and pop by Olympia Café ALL the time!

Bistro Sixteen82, Steenberg, Tokai

We heard that Bistro Sixteen82 in Steenberg serves a killer eggs benedict. As huge eggs benny fans we were stoked to start off our food blog with a visit to Bistro Sixteen82.

  

The Place – is absolutely gorgeous. Bistro Sixteen82 in situated at the foothills of Steenberg Mountain, surrounded by vineyards, offering some stunning views. The bistro is spacious, modern, yet warm, and has a great vibe to it. There's a lovely outdoor sitting area right next to a glass pond construct overflowing with water. The perfect spot for a perfect Friday morning breakfast, tempered a little though by the rather underwhelming service we got... not that we need to be the centre of attention, but it’s never comfortable feeling you are a drag, keeping your  waitron from whatever else he/she would rather be doing. We never had to wait long and were attended to regularly enough, but just didn’t feel the love. We also checked out the toilets, yes we are thorough, and they've definitely seen better days. While the ladies' was clean, the men's was rather unpleasant and had no hand towels or a dryer, so the pants had to do.

The Menu – was small and basic, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. They had something for every taste, from 'berries, vanilla pana cotta' and 'chef's omelette' to 'eggs benedict.' Unfortunately, the menu wasn't very descriptive, so that we had to ask about all the dishes we were interested in. The eggs benedict came with a pork belly, which was clearly the selling point for one of us. We asked if we could have one of the eggs benedict as a vegetarian variation and substitute the pork with some mushrooms, which were also on the menu. 'Not a problem, but we charge extra for the mushrooms, because they are wild and expensive.' Fine then.

The Meal – As an amuse bouche we got some lovely brioche with honey. The coffees came quickly and fitted the bill in terms of a convincing morning wake-up. The breakfast arrived shortly after. Seeing as there were only about four tables occupied we didn't expect to wait much anyways. The first impression was great, both meals looked very appetising. The eggs benny were served on a hash brown, with a few leaves of spinach for the veggie version and some cherry tomatoes. The mushrooms came on a separate plate. The poached eggs turned out to be too watery, which diluted the flavours on the plate. The sauce Hollandaise was lacking any zing so didn't help to remedy that. The hash brown was nothing special. On the other hand, the pork belly bacon was as good as it looked: awesome. Overall impression for both dishes: a bit bland and not quite the food quality we expected to get at the bistro. Bistro Sixteen82 will definitely not enter our list of recommendations for good eggs benedict. There are plenty of superior options in the area to tempt us.   

The Wallet – Value for money isn't too bad. The eggs benny sell for R58. What came as a great disappointment though was that we were charged the full R58 for the veggie option (obviously, without getting the pork belly bacon) AND were charged an extra R18 for the mushrooms, that were not the promised wild mushrooms, but regular champignons (Swiss mushrooms).  R80 for a watery eggs benedict – a little hard to swallow. The indifference of the service staff – not consistent with good customer service.

The Rating – 5.5

We just expected that much more from a place like Bistro Sixteen82.

Would we go back? Probably not for breakfast. However, we might give it another chance for lunch, maybe combine it with a wine tasting. The saving grace for Bistro Sixteen82 is it's beautiful location and our hope that they just had a bad day. The fact that we hung around for a good half hour after paying the bill is testimony to its great surroundings.

About the place: http://www.steenberg-vineyards.co.za/

The Food Quest Begins – The Rating

Hello everyone – it's happening! We’ve been talking about creating our own food blog for a long time. It took many food adventures (good & bad), hours of food talking and constant encouragement from friends and family that convinced us to finally do it! GastronoMM(mmmmm)eter is about our personal culinary quest for the perfect meal. To make our experiences somewhat measurable and comparable we will rate our meals and restaurant experiences according to:

The Place – Factors such as ambiance, location, cleanliness, space, seating options and service.

The Menu – Variety, creativity, focus & coherence, organic & vegetarian/vegan options are things we look at.

The Meal – The heart & soul of every food adventure. It's like falling in love. What counts are the first impression and looks, but then it comes down to personality - taste, texture, balance and character of a dish.

The Wallet – Value for money is certainly a factor: the higher the prices, the higher the expectations, the tougher the judgement.

Finally, we ask ourselves: Would we go back?


The Rating –
  1   =   Fail! Wouldn't go back if it was the last restaurant in the world
  2   =   Lame, did we really just spend money on that?
  3   =   Underwhelmed
  4   =   Whatever, not good enough to leave an impression
  5   =   Not bad, but would we go back?
  6   =   Good & solid
  7   =   Awesome, would recommend it to a loved one
  8   =   Exceptional
  9   =   Perfection
10   =   Best meal ever

Keep in mind, we’re talking about food here – personal taste & emotions – don’t expect a scientific, unbiased account.

Bon appetite,

M&M