It is Restaurant Week again but, actually, it’s Restaurant Month, as it will last for the whole of April. There are some really interesting restaurants, some very new restaurants and some impossibly expensive restaurants offering “specials" that we still can’t afford. Have a look, we are still considering where to go next. Our first venture was to Silk restaurant, now part of the grouping of restaurants run by Faisal Khakoo and Anna Rascola, his Catalonian wife, and Christophe and Sabrina Durand. Faisal and Anna own La Bohème and La Bruixa (the Witch) in Sea Point. Christophe and Sabrina own Bouchon in the premises of their Dorrance winery, in the same Heritage Square building. In partnership with Faisal, they serve excellent French style tapas there. Silk is on the corner of Buitengracht and Shortmarket Street in what used to be the Africa Cafe ground floor premises. Parking is available in the square, but be aware that the area is now filled with very popular restaurants and it can be very crowded, especially on the weekend
The entrance
We were given a very warm welcome by Christophe, Sabrina, Faisal and Anna
The restaurant was very busy and is obviously very popular
Attractive Asian style decor to get you in the mood
We were treated to a glass of local bubbly; we suspect, looking at the wine list, it was from Kleine Zalze
We loved the cute lamp on the table which makes menu reading much easier.
The table is set with chopsticks and knives and forks
We liked the use of the mahjong tile as a chopstick rest
Bamboo, adding to the ambiance
Suitably inscrutable, imperious!
Relishing the food coming and really enjoying the glass of Dorrance Kama Chenin Blanc,
so French, so dry and layered in flavour and sophistication. A good serving and good glassware too
On the table was a dish of chilli oil and some fresh pickled cucumber which John enjoyed
More Asian decor
A smiling barman making sure everyone is served quickly and the glasses are polished
Page one of the menu, Oysters are extra
We stuck to the Tapas special but, on a return visit, we might add some sides like Noodles or Edamame beans
The wine list is helpful; if you are driving you only want one glass of wine
Some interesting choices, some favourites and a couple of new names
The first course to arrive was seared baby squid polpetti
with garlic, lemon and parsley and a Japanese tartare sauce. So tender, delicate with a hint of chilli
If you love squid, maybe not a dish to share.....
The next dish was perfection. Sesame crusted, just quickly flamed on the outside, Tataki tuna from the grill fire
The long fin tuna season is in full swing and this Tataki was perfectly flavoured, with exceptionally fresh pink tender tuna
If you are ever offered black tuna; refuse, it's old or bruised
The lively green apple salsa, daikon radish and the sesame oil and ponzu just lit it up
Another thing we are fans of is Soba noodles, especially as a cold salad in summer
We had asked what Christoph for a recommendation and he said to try the Steamed Fish
Lightly steamed fresh hake, falling into lovely flakes
and complimented by the subtle but present ginger, garlic and soy sauce, with lemongrass perfuming the dish
We recommend it too
There was quite a long pause between the first three dishes
The fourth was something we cannot resist on any Asian menu, dumplings
The Japanese call them Gyozo (these were called Yaki Gyozo) and were filled with pork and prawn,
very finely minced, so the prawn was a bit shy. Served with a sesame, ginger and chilli dipping sauce
Now, Bao can be contentious. In our world, they need to be light, airy, pillow soft and foldable
and able to hold the filling really well. Never stodgy and solid
These were just right, and the filling was the slightly sweet and five-spicy Char sui tender Pork belly
It was delicious. The bao are topped with a rainbow slaw which adds texture and crunch
If sharing, we need four; sharing one could cause an argument ....
The final dish was the duck croquettes. Know that we can never resist duck on any menu
Crisply deep fried, Panko crumbed with a hint of their origin - Pekin Duck with Hoisin sauce
We could have ordered more, but, honestly, we were really replete
so we will have to come back to try some of the other items on the menu
Our bill, with service, came to R750. It’s a good offer
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