The Savoy Cabbage restaurant in Hout Street, Cape Town was established in August 1998.
The venue itself is a heritage site.
Having quite a rich history, dating as far back as the early 18th century, the owner felt that a building as old as this one should be preserved, and so they have done very little to alter the existing interior.
The plaster has been stripped off the walls leaving only the bare brick underneath, which offers a rustic ambience.
The result? A lofty space with a relaxing atmosphere.
The doors opened, and the building practically hugs you.
I was quite close to the bar, which boasted an assortment of wines, champagnes, whiskies, gins, and liqueurs.
The waitress – a very knowledgeable woman – recommended the 2014 Waterford Estate chardonnay.
I had a tiny sip of it, which I very much enjoyed. Fruity, with a unique, yet welcome aftertaste. Highly recommended.
With preparations made, round one began. The starters.
All ingredients are freshly prepared and the menu changes according to season.
The opponents: the twice-baked cheese soufflé…
…sugar-cured zebra with “drunken” (drizzled with gin) soba noodles and pineapple relish; and a feta cheese tart dressed in an assortment of olives.
I’m gonna start with the soufflé, because it was AMAZING. Full of flavour, yet still a light starter meal. Definitely my first choice as a starter at this restaurant.
Next, the drunken noodles. Never in my life did I think I’d be eating zebra or noodles drizzled with alcohol even separately, nevermind on the same plate. Also very light, and balanced. The pineapple brings sweetness, the zebra brings a gamey savouriness, all beautifully tied together with a lovely noodle ribbons. And gin, which somehow just works.
With my stomach on the verge of yelling “Uncle,” it was time to use the extra organ known as the ‘dessert stomach.’
Round three…
Given minimal time to recover from the previous battle, the waitress brought on the final onslaught. I went for something small: the Kahlua créme bruleé with a chocolate chip cookie.
They must be big on presentation in the Savoy Cabbage kitchen, because they made even a simple bowl on a plate with a biscuit look appetising, and it tasted even better than it looked.
For those who don’t know, Kahlua is a cream liqueur and despite being used liberally in the créme bruleé, it shone through in a magical, tongue-tingling way. The chocolate pudding was dark chocolate-based and a bit heavy, but a delight when paired with the ice cream. Even the cheese option had a sweet element and looked and tasted magnificent.
Savoy Cabbage has it all: relaxing atmosphere, good, no, AWESOME food, and friendly service. Good for any occasion, be it a date, a night out with the squad, or even by yourself.
If I haven’t convinced you yet, let me try a different approach:
The place rocks.
Eat there.
