Unpretentious and excellent food in a serene setting

Restuarant Review:

Dash at the Queen Victoria Hotel, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

5/5

Chef Ashraf Arendse does magical things with a humble root vegetable. His carrot purée is silky and smokey – the perfect companion to a rich pork belly with a sprig of kale and mustard seeds. What is his secret?

“We grate one and a half kilograms of carrots,” says Arendse. “Then we juice one and a half kilos of carrots. We cook the carrots in the juice with onions and garlic. We purée it and add cream.”

Known as Chef Ash, Arendse is the new resident chef at Dash, the restaurant at the Queen Victoria Hotel on a quiet corner off the V&A Waterfront’s main drag.

otes from a grand piano greet guests as they step into the restaurant.

Flames roar inside a large black marble fireplace, bold art adorns the walls and the lights are dimmed.

From my window seat, I could see the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa etched against the skyline.

While the interior appeases the senses, Dash is refreshingly unaffected for a fine dining restaurant. Service was generous and genuine, our waitress Zameka a fontain of knowledge.

She lingered, discussing ingredients and dishes, with anecdotes from her home town of Port Elizabeth.

Chef Ash grew up around Cape Town, with family in the Bo-Kaap.

The Cape Malay influence is apparent in his cooking. More food appeared on our table: deep-fried chicken skins; salt and pepper squid with thin twirls of cucumber and coconut curry sauce (a flavour he encountered in Zanzibar);peaty blackened tuna with tomatoes, garnished with succulent leaves; and incredible beef sirloin with a nutty butter finish.

We had two desserts: chocolate soufflé and yogurt panna cotta with almond cheese. The latter, which was light and delicious after the indulgent meal, got my vote.

The wine list is varied, with Dom Perignon Vintage at the high price end for R6 241 a bottle.

More moderate options are available per glass – we had Iona Sauvignon Blanc, Newton Johnson Pinot Noir and Raka Shiraz.

Single malt whiskeys are also on offer.

If unpretentious, excellent food in a serene setting is your thing, Dash is a winner.

Its proximity to the V&A Waterfront adds to the appeal. While pricey, it’s the perfect venue for a special occasion.

Look out for Dash’s monthly foraging chef’s table events, which feature Arendse in collaboration with chef Chris Erasmus of Foliage Restaurant.

 Four courses cost R450 per person

For more information, go to newmarkhotels.com/places/restaurants/dash or call 021 418 1466.

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