Dazzling interior and views insufficient for sky-high prices.

Antique is dazzling, stylish, soon-to-be popular and expensive. I judge something as expensive rather than costly when I don’t find the value in the sky-high prices albeit 32 floors above our city.

There are places where cuisine is not the reason people go there – like La Perla, where despite seesaw food quality, people keep returning because they know their chums will be there and they’ve developed a comfortable familiarity with the place.

One reason to go to Antique is to experience the magnificent interior – think Marie Antoinette, sniffing cocaine in a bordello – Louis chairs, deep rich colours and textures where everything to touch and see is imbued with sensual sex appeal. Another is to view our city from such a vertiginous perch, while the third, possibly most compelling, is to watch big spenders leaving a trail of dosha as they work their way through the R300 plus a head menu.

I’d heard about the divan dining areas that abut the windows and offer a flying-carpet view. Although I didn’t request this seating, I was pleased to have it – and it felt exotic, if not a little odd, to be having dinner with two friends on a bed. Perhaps if I’d had romantic intentions or wanted to draw the silky drapes and schnarf an amphetamine the bed would have been ideal – but it was not for three reasons: my back and shoulders pained from the various positions, it was difficult to eat and I struggled to keep awake – the very dim lighting and supine pose beckoned sleep.

There is no question that Antique required a vast budget to create. And even if part of that budget were not softened by sponsors – Remy Martin, Riedel and Lindt – whose logos are elegantly emblazoned on menus and furnishings - I resent the feeling that I’m paying for the interior of the restaurant rather than the cuisine there. I’d sooner pay a door charge to look about and eat elsewhere. The food at Antique is far from bad, just not good enough to pay what they ask for it without me feeling ripped off which leads me to the following conclusion: the pricing at Antique is, I imagine, much like the pricing at Liz McGrath Collection of Hotels, not based on cost of ingredients and facility but as a way of positioning itself beyond the pockets of the rabble.

I may well have a jaundiced view of money with regard to Antique as my Discovery credit card was declined when I used it to pay. As I knew funds were available, I belligerently demanded the manager call for authorization. As I only had an Amex card as an alternative with me, which they didn’t accept, I sheepishly left my companions to go to an ATM to draw cash. My thanks to Vaughan who valet parked my car when I arrived, for escorting me to an inner-city money machine – something I wouldn’t have done alone.

I had not, is transpired, identified myself to the bank in terms of the FICA regulations and my account was frozen. The R1000 covered a cocktail each, a bottle of Glen Carlou Chardonnay (R160) Crispy Duck Spring rolls (R45), Calamari Tempura (R50), seared salmon with salt and chilli (R50) to start and Crayfish and goat’s cheese ravioli (R110), bamboo-steamed kingklip with creamed cabbage (R90) and five-spice Duck breast (R100) while, to end, Espresso brule (R40), Chevre cheese cake (R50) and a chocolate brownie (R50).

Perhaps the choice of dining on the bed was, after all, appropriate – I certainly left feeling FICAed.

I visited Antique a second time to see if I preferred it when dining at a table. Grant Isaacs enjoyed his Calamari with Noodles (R80) which was plentiful while my five-spice duck (R100) was adequate. I noticed that people dine late at Antique which confirms the nightclubby feel if the unacceptably high music volume didn’t.

Antique, 31st Floor, ABSA Centre, Riebeek Street, Cape Town. 021-419-0672.