lauren cohen
16-Mar-2012
When I booked at Harbour House I referenced the poor service complaints on various websites and were told that was probably from the bar upstairs. Well, from the time when we arrived we experienced poor customer service from our arrogent blonde haired waiter, who later claimed to be a "six or seven star service waiter from cruise liners" - well he has to get the basics right. We had to move from our sea facing table because the heaters were on full blast and it was like baking in a sunbed, could not be turned off as the table next to us didn't want them off. Then we waited about an hour for our one course of 2 plates of food. Waiter at one stage told us it would be "one minute" but he was mistaken. Problem I have here is that he did not communicate with us at all during this wait and rather avoided eye contact. Food was good though. I complained after our meal to a member of staff who took my phone number down. The final straw was blondy asking us when we paid if we would like to add a gratuity! A big no no.
I have yet to receive a call from anyone. Fine if your kitchen is slow but, just communicate to your customers!
Geoffrey Whittlefield
22-Feb-2012
During a recent visit to South Africa I had dinner at the newly opened Harbour House restaurant in Cape Town’s Waterfront. Upon arrival we were faced with a short(-ish) queue as the restaurant was seated to capacity and in full swing. We were greeted by a charming dark haired lady who graciously, and rather miraculously, changed our table for two (which we had reserved) for one that could accommodate a third person.
She seated us and handed out clean, leather-bound menus. The tables were covered in clean, freshly laundered linen, the table - and glassware were immaculately clean and polished. She offered a generously filled bowl of ciabatta while pouring olive oil and balsamic vinegar onto a central communal dipping plate. The bread (baked on the premises) was exceptionally good – open textured, soft and chewy with a light crisp crust. Our first disappointment of the evening was the inferior quality of both oil and vinegar. The oil was harsh and bitter; the vinegar too acidic.
Our waiter arrived immediately and introduced himself as Gabriel. We ordered a bottle each of still and sparkling water but declined his offer of pre-dinner drinks. The water (“Karroo” brand, in elegant glass bottles) arrived promptly. The sparkling was acceptable, while the still had an unpleasant metallic taste.
Our waiter then brought two large boards upon which the daily specials were chalked. One was neatly written, the other an untidy scrawl with a spelling mistake, which he corrected. His descriptions of the specials, especially the fish, were informative and entertaining.
For starters we chose gnocchi, the fish tartare and a dish of tempura prawns with tomato, avocado and aubergine. For main courses two of us chose fish (kingklip and yellowtail), the third opted for the Mozambican prawns.
Our waiter helped us select a suitable wine and we were impressed by his knowledge of both local and international wines. We decided on Sauvignon Blanc and chose a bottle of Springfield ‘Life from Stone’. The wine, when it eventually arrived (delivered and poured by a different waiter), did not disappoint. The wine’s temperature was perfect and the waiter served it flawlessly. The ice-bucket was rather novel – a sturdy transparent plastic bag, called a ‘Cool-de-sac’.
With its high ceiling, use of pale wooden beams, and glass ‘walls’ which slide away, the restaurant’s design deconstructs notions of ‘inside’ versus ‘outside’. There is an emphasis on spaciousness, and even though the restaurant is packed and buzzing, one gets a sense of the tranquility of a beach house. Unfortunately our waiter could tell us neither the name of the architect, nor the type of wood used in the construction.
Of the three starters the tempura prawns looked most appealing, although the batter was not nearly as light and crisp as a tempura. The taste combination of prawn, aubergine, tomato, avocado and basil mayonnaise worked well. The only disappointment was the aubergine base which was hard and unseasoned. The gnocchi (made on the premises) was superb. It had a delicious wood fire taste which did not overwhelm the other flavours. The Parmesan sauce was a winner. On the down side, the abundant garnish of curly slivers of fried/oven-dried butternut squash were tough and tasteless.
The fish tartare looked the least impressive: a small shaped mound in the centre of the plate surrounded by circles of mayonnaise sauce. It was, however, delicious. The flavours worked exceptionally well together and the only criticism I could deliver was that it lacked a bit of zing. Perhaps consider adjusting the lemon juice?
There unfortunately was a longish wait between courses. Our waiter explained that the restaurant was particularly busy at the moment and asked our patience. He was so polite and charming that we could not refuse. We were further impressed with the standard of service when the manager/hostess (?) who seated us also stopped by to inquire about our evening. After assuring us that our food would not take too long, she disappeared towards the kitchen. Our main courses arrived within minutes.
In terms of appearance, our main courses were less exciting than the starters. The plating of the prawns was particularly neglected: they arrived on a plate which in turn was carried on an unnecessarily large wooden plank-like board (utterly out of place and jarred with the upmarket, ‘urban-chic’ character of the restaurant). The prawns were accompanied by an entirely uninspired tomato salad which remained untouched. The prawns themselves were good though. Cooked to a turn and deliciously sauced with butter, garlic and chilli.
Both the fish dishes were perfectly grilled, and arrived on warm plates. The kingklip was accompanied by a rustic potato dauphinoise and vegetables cooked exactly al dente. The basil sauce accompaniment was tasty although perhaps too intense and rich for the delicate fish.
The yellowtail came with mashed potatoes (disappointing), and slightly underdone green beans. Best on the plate was a creative combination of Japanese mayonnaise and salsa verde, a harmonious foil for this fish.
Deciding to head off to our second destination for the night, we declined dessert and coffee.
Portion sizes were neither too small nor overly large: a three course meal would satisfy a good appetite. Except for the two main fish dishes, the prices (according to our Capetonian), were a bit steep. However when considering the ambience, the spectacular setting and excellent service, I felt it was money well spent. I shall certainly recommend Harbour House and look forward to another visit.
Cameron Benjamin
23-Jan-2012
Menu is very limited and overpriced. They do not have a kids menu and were also reluctant to compromise. It was suggested by the manger on duty that I buy a R138 line fish for my daughter! After much bickering we finally agreed on a R75 Calamari meal without the spicy seasoning. Overall the experience was rather ordinary and there are far better options at the V&A - I guess we are paying for their prime location.
Jeanne-Marie Eloff
23-Jan-2012
The food is always perfect! Best fish in Cape Town! We always receive excellent service! The service at the bar area is slow though.
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