The Waterside Restaurant is all fine dining with a side of extra chill
The name is self-explanatory but it’s not what you would expect from a restaurant in this location. Head Chef Roxy Mudie knows great food, and her cross to bear at the new Waterside Restaurant is meeting the high standards of sister restaurant, La Colombe, which she considers a challenge that she’s up for.
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With fine-dining establishments struggling to stay afloat due to the pandemic, no one expected The La Colombe Group to announce the opening of not one, but two, new restaurants at one of the Cape’s most iconic landmarks – The V&A Waterfront.
If you’re expecting the frills and chills of La Colombe, don’t. Without losing an ounce of quality, Waterside has its very own large personality with a more relaxed atmosphere. It’s exactly what you want from fine dining with a touch of the expected – one that fits into its new home on the water’s edge.
Here the cocktails are strong and the wine chilled to perfection. The food is imaginative with flavours and textures that are completely unique and exactly where they belong, next to the seaside.
Chef Mudie has got the formula right.
“From inception, we wanted diners to come here and enjoy a more laid back experience. A place without trolleys and white tablecloth service yet the same quality food as La Colombe. We’ve managed to achieve this goal easily. Our location and positioning is really unique and the feedback has been incredible,” she says.
Mudie is excited about adorning the head chef’s apron at Waterside – having cut her teeth at La Colombe seven years ago – this is a dream realised.
“I feel really great about this new adventure. It’s my first head chef role which is very exciting.” And the drumroll belongs on the plates she serves up…
A seven course menu follows a crisp glass of white wine on a balmy summer’s day with the view of the harbour and the chatter of tourists milling around the V&A Waterfront.
“One of the favourite dishes I’ve created is the parfait – it is one of the very first things I designed which makes it special to me. And then there’s the palate cleanser, that for me is super whimsical and takes me back to my memories of my childhood.”
Yes, the chicken liver parfait is worth its weight in gold since I am not a fan of chicken liver but couldn’t get enough of it. The dish is visually pleasing and the texture is as light as whipped butter. It melted likewise when scooped and lathered on a soft and delicate milk bun.
Between the pork belly with scallop, corn, peanut and Szechuan, and the grass-fed beef with smoked garlic and a madagascan peppercorn sauce, it’s near impossible to choose a favourite main course.
Dessert is delectable – every dish is Instagram-worthy – but the taste is even better than any picture you could take. If I had to choose a favourite it would be the mango with pistachio and milk chocolate. Everything about this serving is well-balanced and moorish.
End of service is finished off with Bon Bons, as they should be. The melt-in-your-mouth chocolates showcase unimaginable combinations from lemon verbena to coffee-infusions – I say try one of each so you don’t miss.
The potential without pretence of Waterside is immense. And now tourists who don’t want to venture too far get a chance to take home the memory of true Cape Town culinary excellence, and can finally taste why the City is so highly ranked for having the best restaurants in the world.