I was already armed with a neatly folded Cape Times under my arm, when I visited The One restaurant at The Cape Grace Hotel, and eyed the buffet. Readying myself for breakfast, I was stopped mid passage by Sally, who explained that the Grace was full and only serving breakfast to residents. The rejection came with a smile and an offer of coffee in the lounge, but dejected, we went elsewhere.

It is easy to forget just how beautiful the Waterfront is when we visit it so often, but whether it was the 8am freshness or the feeling of cobbles underfoot as we walked over the dry-dock bridge to the V&A Hotel, I couldn’t think of a better place I’d rather be.

We were warmly greeted at the Waterfront Café and shown to a large table set for two with crisp white linen and four mini-jars of jams, preserve and honey.

Wonderful menu

Coffee was immediately offered even before we had ordered so within two or three minutes we were happily seated in comfy rattan chairs, enjoying coffee and the view over the docks to Table Mountain.

The Waterfront Cafe offers a wonderful menu with options for every breakfast palate. A continental breakfast that includes whatever you like from the extensive buffet for R65 or a full breakfast that includes the Continental and one selection from a hot, plated-breakfast menu for R90. There are also a number of a la carte options to suit every taste and pocket. Toast and Preserves, (R10) a Bloody Mary and Four Oysters (R50) or Kombucha with sliced fruit and yoghurt (R50)

Both Cobus and I opted for the full breakfasts. I selected Scrambled Eggs with smoked salmon and chives on a toasted bagel as the healthiest hot breakfast option. Cobus opted for the open farmer’s omelette.

The buffet offers beautifully sliced fresh fruits, warm fruit compotes, sliced meats (ham, salami and pastrami), smoked salmon, cereals, oats porridge, and a tempting array of pastries and muffins that I sadly declined in favour of interesting rolls and breads.

Many of the delicious options were fat free and, in truth, the Continental buffet on its own was sufficient. I flavoured my oats with some of the juices from the stewed prunes instead of sugar or sweetener (which my father used to do) and used jam directly on my toast without butter. I also opted for goats-milk cheese, thinking it was a low fat option. But after checking I found it was nearly three times the low-fat limit.

Mounds of salmon

The scrambled egg was arranged in a tower and propped up by a mini toasted bagel, garnished with chives with mounds of smoked salmon. I prefer my scrambled egg softer and slightly undercooked, and in parts mine looked more like an omelette. I also expect bagels to be boiled before baked.

I’m not really sure what I expected of my hot dish but in fact the only item not already available on the buffet was egg. Next time I’ll give my cholesterol and pocket a break, and stick to the continental buffet with endless low-fat smoked salmon.

Cobus’s Farmer’s Omelette, teaming with cherry tomatoes, potatoes, bacon, mushroom and cheese, was better value as none of the items were available on the buffet menu. I have a weakness for butter sauces and would usually have ordered eggs Benedict with poached eggs and ham on an English crumpet drenched in calorific Hollandaise sauce or eggs Florentine with spinach and Mornay sauce, which was also tempting.

Traditional fry-ups are also available. Our bill, including the tip, came to R200.

The Waterfront Café at the V&A Hotel is open daily and serves breakfast from 7am until 11.30. Telephone 021-419-6677.