Trattoria le Terrazza
Published: 01 Jan 06
Category: Contemporary Italian
Well, do yourself a favour and take a trip down the South Coast to Southbroom, where you'll find Trattoria Le Terrazza on the lagoon.
Masimo and Nicci Negra are at the helm here, and they've been turning out, with much flair, "food from Italy and beyond" for years. They've also turned out a lovely setting and the covered veranda, with views of the lagoon, is the place to be.
Two starving children meant a round of bruschetta with salsa and pecorino as soon as we arrived, followed by insalata caprese - a stack of brinjal, tomato, mozzarella and pesto. It was a treat for both the tastebuds and the eyes. Even the 10- and 13-year-olds, whose tastes rarely go beyond fish fingers and chips, gave it the thumbs-up.
Other salads include a whole roasted pepper stuffed with rosa tomatoes, couscous, feta and pesto; grilled harissa chicken with chevin, green beans, roasted red pepper and almonds; and sesame pepper prawns and calamari on Asian greens.
Among the more unusual starters is smoked springbok carpaccio and a salmon and cream cheese springroll with a coriander and sweet chilli dressing. Then there are scallops with crème fraîche and a red pepper and coriander dressing and grilled calamari in spicy seasoning. On its own it was delicious, but I found the ginger in the accompanying salsa overpowering. Prices range from R22 to R49.
Pastas are available in half (R35) or full portions (R60), but if you go for the panzerotti stuffed with sundried tomatoes and ricotta, topped with sage butter and parmesan, go the whole hog. We were fighting over it. Then there's tagliatelle with artichokes, anchovies, olives, rosemary, garlic and parmesan; spaghetti gamberi with tomato, ginger, chilli, coriander and prawns; and fettuccini in olive oil, garlic and asparagus, topped with smoked trout. There's also spaghettini bolognese, but why bother when the other options are so much more interesting? Suggest it to the fish fingers brigade...
From the sea, there's another variation on the calamari theme - tubes with lemon and olive salsa; two variations of linefish - one with salsa verde and tomato concasse, the other Cajun style with roasted almonds; a Thai red shellfish curry; and king prawns with lemon butter and tomato chilli salsa. Expect to pay anything from R40 to R200 for seafood (the latter being for the king prawns).
Chicken breasts topped with pancetta and sage on a bed of noodles did it for me, while a sirloin with caramelised onions and risotto took the 10-year-old into new territory. There's also a fillet with caramelised onions on a butterbean puree, with roasted cherry tomatoes; caramelised pork medallions in honey and soy with sesame garlic beans; and a 600g T-bone, off the bone, with olive oil, rosemary, garlic and parsley. Meat dishes are well priced at between R60 and R75.
Desserts are interesting and varied, from chocolate hazelnut meringue with cream and berries to pannacotta and caramelised banana spring roll with Amarula cream custard. These sweet treats will set you back between R24 and R36.
As far as the winelist goes, Veuve and Moët Champagne cost R600 and R580 respectively, while sparkling wines and Cap Classiques range from R75 for Lambrusca and JC le Roux La Vallee to R145 for a Pierre Jourdan Cuvée Belle Rose. For the rest, you're looking at between R45 and R90 for whites, and R63 to R145 for reds. A bonus is the various wines by the glass, ranging from R15 to R26.
There are no pizzas and it isn't cheap. Hell, why should it be? It's up there with the best of them.
Average cost of a three-course meal: R120 to R150.
Well, do yourself a favour and take a trip down the South Coast to Southbroom, where you'll find Trattoria Le Terrazza on the lagoon.
Masimo and Nicci Negra are at the helm here, and they've been turning out, with much flair, "food from Italy and beyond" for years. They've also turned out a lovely setting and the covered veranda, with views of the lagoon, is the place to be.
Two starving children meant a round of bruschetta with salsa and pecorino as soon as we arrived, followed by insalata caprese - a stack of brinjal, tomato, mozzarella and pesto. It was a treat for both the tastebuds and the eyes. Even the 10- and 13-year-olds, whose tastes rarely go beyond fish fingers and chips, gave it the thumbs-up.
Other salads include a whole roasted pepper stuffed with rosa tomatoes, couscous, feta and pesto; grilled harissa chicken with chevin, green beans, roasted red pepper and almonds; and sesame pepper prawns and calamari on Asian greens.
Among the more unusual starters is smoked springbok carpaccio and a salmon and cream cheese springroll with a coriander and sweet chilli dressing. Then there are scallops with crème fraîche and a red pepper and coriander dressing and grilled calamari in spicy seasoning. On its own it was delicious, but I found the ginger in the accompanying salsa overpowering. Prices range from R22 to R49.
Pastas are available in half (R35) or full portions (R60), but if you go for the panzerotti stuffed with sundried tomatoes and ricotta, topped with sage butter and parmesan, go the whole hog. We were fighting over it. Then there's tagliatelle with artichokes, anchovies, olives, rosemary, garlic and parmesan; spaghetti gamberi with tomato, ginger, chilli, coriander and prawns; and fettuccini in olive oil, garlic and asparagus, topped with smoked trout. There's also spaghettini bolognese, but why bother when the other options are so much more interesting? Suggest it to the fish fingers brigade...
From the sea, there's another variation on the calamari theme - tubes with lemon and olive salsa; two variations of linefish - one with salsa verde and tomato concasse, the other Cajun style with roasted almonds; a Thai red shellfish curry; and king prawns with lemon butter and tomato chilli salsa. Expect to pay anything from R40 to R200 for seafood (the latter being for the king prawns).
Chicken breasts topped with pancetta and sage on a bed of noodles did it for me, while a sirloin with caramelised onions and risotto took the 10-year-old into new territory. There's also a fillet with caramelised onions on a butterbean puree, with roasted cherry tomatoes; caramelised pork medallions in honey and soy with sesame garlic beans; and a 600g T-bone, off the bone, with olive oil, rosemary, garlic and parsley. Meat dishes are well priced at between R60 and R75.
Desserts are interesting and varied, from chocolate hazelnut meringue with cream and berries to pannacotta and caramelised banana spring roll with Amarula cream custard. These sweet treats will set you back between R24 and R36.
As far as the winelist goes, Veuve and Moët Champagne cost R600 and R580 respectively, while sparkling wines and Cap Classiques range from R75 for Lambrusca and JC le Roux La Vallee to R145 for a Pierre Jourdan Cuvée Belle Rose. For the rest, you're looking at between R45 and R90 for whites, and R63 to R145 for reds. A bonus is the various wines by the glass, ranging from R15 to R26.
There are no pizzas and it isn't cheap. Hell, why should it be? It's up there with the best of them.
Average cost of a three-course meal: R120 to R150.
By Nerissa Card
Address: Umkobi Lagoon, Southbroom. Tel 039 316 6162. Corkage R30. Open Tuesday to Saturday dinner, Wednesday to Sunday lunch.
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