Although we have had bad experiences, the best spot is Bellville's La Romantica. Good food and portions, at the normal prices. A huge variety of favorites, including burgers, seafood, pasta and pizza. Virtually everyday has a sushi special from 5 pm, which makes the normally overpriced sushi menu a delight. The service is generally good, unlike Durbanville, where it is inconsistant at best. We had to leave Durbanville's La Romantica twice on a Sunday afternoon, to find the bar barmanless and waiters playing with the till and giving us disinterested stares. Not much management in Durbanville it appears, but I suppose they can still take their customers for granted on past performance. Not for long though - the word is spreading.The great thing about both La Romaticas are the wine prices. In Bellville about R12 for a really full and big glass of good wine. During happy hours it is R8.50 per glass. My main gripe is that La Romantica Bellville doesn't serve oysters (about R50 for six in Durbanville). Vegetarians and slimmers are well catered for at La Romantica.
Since we enjoy wine without pretentiousness,we cannot enjoy much in Willowbridge. We have also seen places full, then linger and close. The best bet is Colcacchio, with its wide selection of tasty gourmet pizzas and a bustling location. Glasses of wine are average in size, and dry white can be obtained for under R20. The delicious, generous and original pizza toppings make one pity the diners at a Primi across the walkway.
We were not impressed by Primi during our only visit. The waitrons are dressed in neon orange overalls and come on like military over-enthusiasts. It's pushy, and cannot deliver beyond this. It's more like a brand thing. Every table at Primi got bread, except us. We waited ages for our food, and the pizza had virtually no topping whatsoever. The wine is forgetable and verging on rip-off portions in optical illusion glasses. When we complained about the bread the "grease-monkey-on-acid" waiter told us it was not HIS fault, they ran out and had to bake new bread. The waiters are actually snooty. We saw the new bread coming out of the kitchen, why weren't we offered?
Then there was Adegas. Oh my, where to start? Granted, they were new, and it might have been growing pains. I'm not sure they still have their specials, but it is expensive, even with the specials. Waitrons were horrendous, with cutlery arriving after food, and this after I waited so long for my starter oysters that we were about to leave. First came the oyster special, then after ten minutes and complaints came the fork, then after another ten minutes came the pepper, and then we borrowed chilli sauce and salt from another table. A half La Romantica glass of wine is sold at R22, and annoyingly, it is served in a very misleading carrafe, that just fits in the glass (what's the point guys, apart from the fact that you thereby admit you are ashamed of your wine portions and need to disguise them)? I once had the queen prawn special for R99. I was asked if I wanted veggies or starch with that. I said veggies, which was a big lump of spinach and such, and to my HORROR it cost R16 extra!!!! The second and last time I had a kind of seafood paella in a potjie. For about R45 it had two prawns and three empty mussel shells. I've heard good feedback on their steaks, and unless you have a big budget to blow, this is more a carnivore Portugese themed place, rather than a seafood restaurant.
We saw Theo's come and go - a rip-off initially, but too late it became more realistically cheaper, until it withdrew into the ether. Now, the much celebrated Hussar Grill opened there. We wanted to try it this Sunday. We perused the menu and the food prices were on the upper-scale of normal. A pleasant selection and surprise. It also has no corkage, which will probably make it popular, but didn't help us on the Sunday, when selling wine in shops is prohibited. And this is the shocker that made us walk on: R45-55 for a GLASS OF WINE!
What is going on here? Hello people you are in Bellville, in the local winelands and not even the fashionable farms charge that much (maybe for a whole bottle). Drop your wine mark-ups and watch your customer base grow. Many people in the industry have told me that. I like the concept of no corkage, so we may be back with a box-wine (ha), and incidentally, at Adegas the corkage is R50 per bottle!
A new gem in Durbanville is Pistachio. The outside setting is relaxed country-style, perfect for a summer Sunday. The indoor decor sets a new standard for the northern suburbs. White table cloths all around (befitting the fine dining theme), glittering and polished silver and lighting, antiques, a library corner with a reading couch, but also never too Victorian, but rather relaxing in effect. The lunch menu is short, with one dish for evey taste, with main-meal prices ranging from an astounding range of about R45-70. Dishes are well portioned and delightfully presented. Free, YES FREE perks consist of yummy bread, and a selection of pesto, caramelized garlic and the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and butter. Service is good, with usual evidence of management concern for clients. The bill is preceded by two free pistachio cookies, a refreshing change from the tacky mints in their plastic wrappers one finds elsewhere. The downside, alas, is the wine. The only glass white-wine is sickly-sweet dessert wine that hardly complimets the main dishes. it is is also overpriced and underportioned. Common guys, how about a nice dry white for the prawn or fish dish? Why must it be over R13-20. It's the reason we don't linger after the delectable main-meals.
Why do these places never get it right on wine. Not everybody wants a whole bottle. Well, more next time.