New 'Blonde' restaurant opens in Cape Town
New to the Cape Town restaurant scene is the highly anticipated Blonde, a restaurant named after restaurateur Oscar Kotze's most endearing weakness... blondes.
The restaurant is located in a 112-year-old building which features pine floors and ceilings, a beautifully renovated staircase and polished marble floors. Designer uniforms, beautiful cutlery and sexy chairs were all chosen to enhance the dining experience while the chandelier, separate dining rooms and show kitchen finish off the design, bringing it all together.
But, bells and whistles aside, what can customers really expect of the experience?
"The one thing Blonde won't have is pretentious staff," promises restaurateur Samantha Obery. Sam went on to say that the staff were also chosen first for their attitude, and then for their experience. This is certainly a refreshing stance in Cape Town where a number of top-end restaurants have become known us cold and unwelcoming thanks to toffee-nosed service.
The company behind Blonde, Caviar, that's also responsible for bringing us Sevruga and Beluga, has broken away from its typical menu style in creating the offering at Blonde. The menu does not include any sushi, is considerably smaller than the menus of their other restaurants and will change every two months.
Some of the creations that beg to be tried on the ‘unofficial menu' include white onion velouté, seared scallops and petite onion rings (R79), the truffle-infused fillet, garlic galette potato, mushroom ragout, bordelaise jus and beef reduction (R189). Prices are very steep (geared for the World Cup perhaps?) and should make for a rather exclusive dining experience - if that's what you're after. (If you are curious, download the menus below.)
When asked about his menu, Oscar says: "I have always worried about ever-changing menu's with food that is "hard to understand" or, even worse, unpalatable. To overcome this, we decided to add in a whole section of meals that are simpler in the way they are put together but make use of the best produce and latest cooking techniques, ensuring that although they are simpler, their taste is not only memorable, but once a week eatable."
The wine list is extensive, with something for every budget, featuring old classics as well as new, up-and-coming wineries, with plenty by-the-glass options.
Blonde, tel 021 462 5793
dont take the trouble to write all this and dont tell anybody where it is - or am I missing something? "