Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
A hidden food gem in Century City
SQUARE Café & Wine Bar is Century City’s hidden gem that you have to visit, be it for lunch, supper or a business meeting.
As we entered, the fresh scent was the first thing that got me. Then there was the decor and furniture, and the very impressive live wall made up of hundreds of mini plants behind the reception desk.
The Square Café opened two years ago, opposite the Century City Conference Centre and serves as the hotel to the conference centre, but the restaurant is also open to the public.
The restaurant has a wine bar and cellar where the the in-house sommelier, Michelle Moller, helps
Square Café & Wine Bar, 3 Energy Lane, Century City, Cape Town
021 204 8000 guests select the perfect pairing from a wide selection of locally produced wine.
My colleague and I tried their popcorn chicken (buttermilkfried chicken nuggets, blue cheese cream and popcorn powder), priced at R65 and R95 for for half and full portion, respectively.
Because this was our starter, we went for the half portion which was more than enough for two.
We couldn’t get enough of the chicken and blue cheese dip. We agreed the popcorn powder was unnecessary and the meal would have been just as good without it.
For our mains I had the turkey melt sandwich – smoked turkey, Dijon cream cheese, red onion, cheddar and avocado served with chips (R75).
My dining partner had the square café beef burger – 180g grain-fed beef patty, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, crispy bacon on a sesame bun with a ranch dressing and chips.
The moment I saw my sandwich, I regretted the late breakfast I had had, but that didn’t stop me from indulging.
I really didn’t mind that the sandwich was made up of three slices.
The burst of colour from the different fillings looked as great as it tasted. The slightly burnt taste from the toast worked well with the different texture on the bread.
Unfortunately the burger, a toasted ciabatta, was too hard and very difficult to eat.
But Nathan says he loved the meat and thought it was “perfectly done”. However, he says it’s not something he’ll order again
In terms of its portions and prices, the Square Café and Wine Bar really offers value for money.