Watery prawns aside, this chi-chi seafood eatery is a feast for the senses.
Like a lot of Capetonians, the Waterfront isn’t top of my list of places to eat out. It’s busy, it’s expensive and it’s engineered for tourists. However, I love seafood. So when a mate mentioned that Beluga, a favourite haunt for sushi in Greenpoint, had opened a sister restaurant at the V&A, I girded my loins and ventured forth.
Sevruga, like Beluga, is named for one of the worlds most expensive caviars. And it’s certainly not cheap. Situated below the main mall, where Cantina Tequila used to be, the restaurant is tastefully decorated in muted chrome and wood tones, accented by opulently upholstered furniture. An enormous wall of glass-enclosed wine racks had us fascinated too. A quick glance at the tables around us proved that this is definitely one of the current hot favourites with Cape Town’s good looking and upwardly mobile. Trendy couples drinking Verve Cliquot and laid back groups of young turks with faux hawks and Gucci loafers were in the majority.
The cleverly styled bookish menus feature a dazzling selection of dishes, from steak standards to Pacific Rim tasting platters. And the specialist wine list is seriously impressive.
Drooling, but limited by my end-of-month budget, my companions and I elected to share two seafood tasting platters, a sushi special and a low key but delicious bottle of Boschendal Sauvignon Blanc.
The sushi didn’t disappoint. Salmon roses, sashimi and two different kinds of rolls kept me and my dinner mates more than happy, even if the portions were a little frugal. The salmon and calamari on the platters were utterly delicious. Firm, pink seared wedges of pan fried salmon are my favourite, and Sevruga’s were spot on. The tender strips of calamari, fried in a well seasoned salt and pepper batter, also had me growling with delight. Sadly the prawns, although generous, were a little watery and not up to par with the surroundings. Likewise, the mussels, served in what seemed to be a kind of green curry, were bland.
The service, though, was excellent. Obviously on commission, our waitress was well informed and really looked after us. Sevruga have made sure their space is well covered and we were assured that even on the Waterfront’s notoriously busy nights, the management have enough staff on the floor to cover the tables. Mind you, they’ve still got the season to deal with. Our lovely lass also gamely helped me plan a little birthday surprise for one of my guests and brought us an unbelievably decadent chocolate fondant, oozing with dark melting wickedness, decorated with the appropriate felicitations. We were delighted.
Despite our prudence, the bill came to about R600 including tip for the three of us. Soon, when I can afford to be a real hedonist, I’ll be back for more.
Sevruga
Shop 4, Quay 5, Waterfront (Where Cantina Tequila used to be)
Tel: 021 421 5134
Written for Moneyweb Life in September 08
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