Review of Camil's & Cafe Chic first published in 48 Hours.
I FIRST met Camil and his wife Ingrid in front of a huge, wood-burning stove at Residence Klein Oliphants Hoek guest house in Franschhoek. I don’t recall what he was cooking but do recall that I wanted to eat it. Years later at Bouillabaisse restaurant in the village they produced easy-to-eat cuisine rooted in the excellence of the Dutch/French kitchen. Although they arrived in Cape Town last year with their eaterie at The Rockwell, it is only in their newest spot, hurriedly vacated by Geisha Noodle Bar in the Cape Royale, Green Point that I first visited.
It is a glamorous room: smart chairs, gleaming floors and elegant napery with occasional oversized thrones. You’ll recognize the glass “blowfish” lights from Bouillabaisse.
There’s a café area offering their famous crepes but the dinner menu is sophisticated and affordable – a too infrequent combination.
The starter at R55, shredded duck with chilli and ginger tossed through greens with an oriental dressing is delicious and such good value it might be sufficient for an appetite smaller than mine as a main. I’d already tasted the smoked salmon blini off their bar menu which was good. Ingrid recommended the veal rib. I was expecting a chop so was pleased to receive a large, juicy cut, still on the bone. The veal is oven-roasted (I like it rare) and served with a watercress and potato emulsion and sweet-wine pickled onions. The seed-rich mustard mayo delivers tang. R135 is very reasonable for an elegant, well-made dish such as this one.
Rather than order dessert from their menu, I opted for a savoury goat’s cheese crepe from their lunch menu. I’ll tell you more about my attempts at making these at home another time, but rest assured that here you are in the presence of the pancake pantheon, the crepe creator – these are master crepe makers. Don’t take my word for it, order the mini French pancake sampler. Once you’ve tried the Nougat and caramelized butter or the apple with calvados or the puff pancake with lemon curd you will wish you’d left room for the Crepe Suzette too.
Camil’s, Cape Royale, Somerset Road, Green Point. 021-433-1227. www.camils.co.za
Café Chic has newly opened in Breda Street, Gardens. Breakfast, lunch, dine or lounge on the wrap-around covered terrace or in one of the many glamorous rooms in this large Cape Victorian restoration.
I like that they serve breakfast all day and look forward to returning to a breakfast sandwich of kassler chop, scrambled eggs and mushrooms (R52). I started with a Caesar salad which won’t win points with purists but was good to eat with boiled egg, chicken, bacon and croutons. The blue cheese-filled litchi salad also caught my eye (R60).
My monkfish (R115) (a very tasty and white firm-fleshed fish) was, according to the menu, soused with vanilla and fresh ginger. I found it so subtle and ethereal I had to ask the waiter to check if either ingredient had been included. His report was in the affirmative. Had I been served this dish without first seeing the menu, I’d proclaim it excellent, perfectly cooked and divinely served on mash with a deep-fried onion cross-section as garnish.
The slow-roasted pork belly (R95) with fondant potato was also attractively served and flavourful with herby thyme notes but I thought it needed a sauce to help it on its route from my throat to my belly. This is the sort of place Sally Bowles would love. “Divine decadence, darling.” Good coffee.
Café Chic, 7 Breda Street, Gardens. 021-465-7218 www.cafechic.co.za
[30-Jan-10]
Brian Berkman
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