A GREAT SPREAD
Megan Baadjies reviews Cape Town hotel’s restaurant
THE WESTIN Cape Town hotel in Lower Long Street, Cape Town, has been voted one of the top hotels in Africa and it’s not hard to see why.
The hotel was voted number 14 in the Condé Nast Traveller Top Hotels in Africa: Readers’ Choice Awards for 2017.
I have been at the hotel twice for a restaurant visit, so I jumped at the chance to experience what else they had to offer.
Each of the restaurants at the hotel has a different feel, which caters for what food and ambiance guests desire.
Thirty7 is a French Brasserie style restaurant on the ground floor.
The restaurant showcases a daily breakfast feast from its show kitchen while the French Brasserie style lunch and dinner menu comes with various options to suit palate and dietary requirements.
Table options include semi-private booths as well as a “Chef’s Table” for private dinners.
For guests who fancy a light meal and a cocktail on the terrace, Louis B’s and Terrace is the perfect spot.
Guests have a view of the Convention Square from the continental style bar while enjoying light snacks or of-the-moment entrées from the menu.
If you are looking for a dining experience with a panoramic views of Cape Town, On 19 Restaurant, on the 19th floor, is a must see. Part of my experience at The Westin, included a supper and breakfast at On 19.
Once a month the restaurant hosts a special food and wine pairing where one main ingredient is used in all the courses.
Macadamia and viognier were the stars of the show on Friday night. The proceedings of the night are led by the hotel’s food and beverages manager, Niall who introduces each course and the wine pairing. The amuse-bouche (hors d’oeuvre) was a crispy macadamia nut with black olive salsa. I enjoyed the different textures of this course.
The crispness of the friend coating and biting into the crunchy nut, mixed with the flavours of the olive salsa. The starter was a macadamia za’atar panna cotta with brown rice, beets, sweet potato and baby carrot.
This was not my favourite dish of the night, but I loved the burst of colour which made it very appealing to the eye.
The palate cleanser was an orange, tea and macadamia sherbet.
By the time the mains were served, the whispers were a lot more audible and it was clear that guests were having a good time, much like my dining partner and I.
For mains we were served slow cooked lamb with macadamia humus, crispy tapioca, lemon and mint gremolata and sweet baby turnips.
I thoroughly enjoyed this dish, especially how tender and soft the lamb was. Here, chef Anerith Smythe and her team, did another great job of combining the hard and soft textures with the different flavours.
For dessert we were served rhubarb macadamia frangipane, berry sorbet and macadamia rocks.
This was my dining partner’s favourite, he loved the combination of the chocolate and berries which melted on the tongue.
I am no lover of sweet things, so I usually don’t look forward to dessert. However, I loved that it wasn’t too sweet. Again, the macadamia added great texture to this course.
Breakfast the next morning wasn’t bad either.
I usually don’t care too much for hotel breakfasts because the options are either limited or breakfast is over before I even roll out of bed.
In this case there was none of the above. We got down after 9am. The buffet includes a juice bar – with at least six types of juices – fresh fruit, a raw bar which offers vegetables, a cereal bar, fresh fruits, and a baker’s basket.
The continental buffet includes breakfast deli with savoury dishes, bacon, mini quiches and waffles.
If that is not enough, there is also a cheese board with eight different kinds of cheeses, a seafood and charcuterie counter.
If you’re planning a staycation, vacation or a romantic baecation the Westin Cape Town should definitely be considered, if only for its food.