Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Good food and super service
VickyChristina’s offers tapas and tasty Spanish dishes
SELDOM have I come across such excellent customer service in a Cape Town restaurant. It took me by surprise when I phoned to make a booking and after all the usual name, number, and time stuff, I was asked: “Do you have any seating preference?”
As a matter of fact I do, and would have specified anyway but it’s the first time anyone has asked first. Still marvelling over this, when we got there and examined the mostlySpanish themed menu, my partner Mr Shine was excited enough to text a friend who, like some of the dishes, hails from Catalonia. Said friend then inquired if VickyCristina’s served a certain dish from his home region. When we asked the angel Layla (more about her in a moment), she was deeply interested, and promised to research it.
It didn’t stop there, however. A few minutes later the chef, Edward, was at our table asking about said dish, taking down the details, and promising to look it up and make it for Mr Shine and his friend the next time they visited. Say what? This has never happened to me or anywhere around me at any restaurant before. And I’ve been to hundreds.
As for Layla, well she is simply gorgeous – a blonde beauty in a floaty white top and denim short shorts. Her colleague is equally magnificent, dark skinned, waves of glossy hair flowing over her shoulders, and wearing a little black dress. Whether this contrast was intended or not, they made a stunning pair. For all intents and purposes, these two were the waitresses for the night – they took our orders, served our meal, and cleared the tables – but at no time did they seem like waitresses; more like hostesses at a dinner party, intent on our every happiness.
The menu opens with several tapas, ranging in price from R29 to R79. Portions are somewhat erratic in size, especially in relation to prices. For example, we had Romesco octopus (R69) which is described as seared baby octopus with chickpeas, artichokes and Romesco sauce (a nut and red pepper-based sauce originating from Tarragona, Catalonia). I cannot fault the sauce nor the garnishes for those were all delicious, but the baby octopus was actually tiny calamari tentacles. And although we were sharing and Mr Shine got at it first, there were perhaps only two or three on the plate. I know I had just one, and he’s nothing if not fastidiously fair.
But then one of our other courses was Catalan veal escallops on top of potatoes, with prunes (as per menu, I didn’t get any), covered in savoury chocolate sauce. This dish comprises two very large pieces (for tapas) of meat for only R49. It just seems weird. Delicious, but weird. The presentation was pretty with the VickyCristina heart logo decorating the plate in either chocolate or balsamic reduction (I didn’t taste so as not to spoil the effect).
We also had spicy (that would be the dip) potatoes with cheese and the optional bacon thereby negating a vegetarian option among our tapas (R39), and smoked pork rashers with roasted tomatoes and green glace figs (R54 for four or five smallish slices). That price is still less than the biggest and best dish, being the veal.
VickyCristina’s claims coca to be its speciality, described thus on the menu: “The Catalan coca is a regional variation of the flatbreads found throughout the Mediter- ranean. A favourite on St John’s Eve, along with bonfires and fireworks, the coca conforms to no set rules. Every family has its own recipe and the variations are endless – light and crisp like ours or even thick, bready and topped with custard.”
Going with Layla’s recommendation, we ordered the Cristina (which at R99 is rather pricey for its size). It’s topped with chorizo, the same green figs, almonds, and rocket. The menu claims rainbow peppers and pomegranate as well but I did not notice either. The light and crisp base as promised, was great.
Other dishes on the menu include salads and several main course dishes, as well as desserts. The wine list is decent with good options. Our bill, with a jug of sangria (R109) and a bottle of Wolftap red, came to R528 without a tip.