I’m always on my very best behaviour when I do reviews. But when dinner starts with an 11 “course” martini judging, things can get a little rowdy.
I recently went to Pure Restaurant at the Hout Bay Manor for a martini judging and then dinner. Directly after the mammoth martini session, we were ushered from the bar to the restaurant itself. This 140 seater room is the perfect location for a wedding reception, a party, or just a delicious “spoil yourself” dinner.
To start we shared Scallops served with a Napa salad, and an orange-pumpkin seed salsa (R85). The scallops had been seared a little too long for me, but they went very well with the crisp, lightly dressed cabbage salad and the fresh orange salsa. Drops of fresh, salty caviar brought everything together beautifully.
The Venison Carpaccio with corn puree, toasted pinenuts and pomegranate reduction (R75) was AMAZING. It was perfectly sliced and seared, with just the right amount of seasoning so the flavour of the meat itself was king. The corn puree was a deliciously earthy contrast.
We then had the Ostrich fillet with smoked polenta, red onion marmalade and blue cheese butter (R145). I asked for my ostrich to be super rare, and it was just right. The only downside was that it therefore wasn’t warm enough to melt the blue cheese butter. The sweet and sticky onion marmalade, and crunchy polenta “chips” were delish accompaniments to this meaty dish.
Next up was Beef Fillet served with Parmesan potatoes, exotic mushrooms, roasted tomatoes and bone marrow (R145). The addition of bone marrow wasn’t mentioned on the menu so it was a fabulous surprise. Perfectly cooked meat and cheesy potatoes – how could you wrong?
For dessert we had A Cheese Platter (R65), which was allegedly for one, but could have easily fed two or even three people. Camenbert, Chedder, Gorgonzola and Roquefort, served with a semi-sweet Green Leaf olive ice cream, a variety of nuts and crisp breads. It is a great alternative if you aren’t in the mood for a sweet dessert. But, if you are…
… The South African Trio (R70) – milk tart, Amarula ice cream and a koeksister. The koeksister was a little dry, but the other two were really great. The ice cream and milk tart were both creamy and smooth – a lovely showcase of typical SA desserts for their foreign guests.
The food at Pure is really good. I find a few things a bit unnecessarily flamboyant – like the balsamic reduction on the plates that didn’t add to the dishes, and the sugar baskets the ice cream came in, which are pretty but making ice cream eating tricky. The restaurant itself is beautiful and the staff are very attentive. It’s not a cheap night out, but it is exceptionally good quality. Whatever you do, don’t forget to have a martini (or three).
Directions to Pure
PURE at Hout Bay Manor
Baviaanskloof
Off Main Road
Hout Bay
Reservations: +27 (0) 21 791 93 93
Or +27 (0) 21 790 0116
Email: pure@houtbaymanor.co.za