The Bungalow Restaurant

Food:

A broad bistro menu covers all the usual bases. There are healthy salads, seafood, sushi and pretty good burgers. It’s marginally more pricey than La Med. The food, however, is manifestly not what it is all about here. Paul Kovensky (who also owns Paranga, Pepenero, Zenzero and The Kove in Cape Town) and Chris Coutroulis (who owns club Taboo in Joburg) are the men behind this latest addition to the sunset strip. Chef Jaco Grové is at the helm of a large kitchen, and specialised sushi chefs take care of the California rolls.


Wine:

There is arguably no more fitting spot to sample some festive and summery cocktails, so order from the extensive list and enjoy the sunset. A comprehensive wine list and fully stocked bar round off the offering.

Service:

Somewhat inconsistent. On the different occasions that members of the Eat Out team visited, it ranged from swift and professional to glacially slow, and riddled with errors. It’s been open less than a month, though, and with seats for 500 diners – if the bar area is included – it’s no surprise that a place on this scale would have teething problems. 


Ambience:

Location, location, location is the mantra of the property game, and in Cape Town’s summer, the restaurant game too. Taking over La Med’s prime spot between Clifton and Camps Bay beaches, Bungalow offers a trendy, slightly more upmarket answer to sunset dining. More luxury yacht than beach bum, this is a place to see and be seen. The old La Med space has been transformed by interior design company Soda Creations. Outside, a plunge pool surrounded by cushions offers somewhere for the gorgeous people to dangle their tanned legs. There are banquettes for lounging upon, hip tables, and inside the former dance floor space has been given a fresh lick of white paint with gilt frames and chandeliers. The La Med-era wooden decking with stiletto-width death holes is, however, still in attendance, so wear wedges.


And...:

Be aware that the Glen Country Club next-door charges R25 for parking during high season, so find a spot on the street if you can. 

(Katharine Jacobs, January 2012)

Charlotte Michaels
15-May-2012

A great improvement from the old tacky La Med. Love this new spot and really sorry that I waited this long to pay them a visit. Summer will be rocking - no doubt! Well done Team Bungalow!

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Johann Grandia
30-Apr-2012

We visisted the Bungalow restaurant a couple of weeks ago on my recomendation after reading of the restaurant on Eat Out. On arrival the waiter took our drinks order and from there it was a terrrible experience. The waiter returned with a wrong order a couple of times. When they took our starter order we decided on sushi and salads. Everyone's food arrived except mine which the waiter forgot to place an order because he did not use a note pad. Out mains arrived a few minutes after we got our starters, my starter arrived after my main course. In general the food was average at best, my salmon was completely overcooked. Service was slow and not interested in our group. We had to remind the waiter of orders and follow-up. I am so disappointed that I will not be returning. The feeling you get visiting this resturant is that they only care about keeping as much as possible for a first time customer as they know customers will most probability not return.

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Monique Schwartz
8-May-2012

Good Day Karin, We would like to find out exactly what went wrong and hope that you will allow us the opportunity to make it up to you. Monique Schwartz, marketing@pepenero.co.za

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Monique Schwartz
8-May-2012

Good Day Johann. Thank you for your comments. We would like to apologize for your unfortunate dining experience and would very much like the opportunity to make it up to you. Will you please get in contact with me on marketing@pepenero.co.za. Kind Regards, Monique Schwartz

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Karin
2-May-2012

Your experience at Bungalow could be a carbon copy of ours. We will never eat there again.

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Clare Bosman
9-Apr-2012

What an evening. We were 4 and after ordering 5 different meals (all of which were not available), we got very mediocre, very expensive food that was not worth the wait. Very disappointing.

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Comments

Monique Schwartz
10-Apr-2012

Hi Clare, Thank you for your feedback. We would very much like to get in touch with you and resolve the matter. Please kindly contact me at marketing@pepenero.co.za so we can discuss the issue and see if there is a way that we can make it up to you. I look forward to hearing from you. Regards, Monique Schwartz

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Monique Schwartz
13-Mar-2012

@ Lyn Hansby. Good day Lyn. We would very much like to get in touch with you to discuss your disappointing experience at The Bungalow Restaurant.

Please will you get in touch with me so we can rectify the problem. You can contact me on marketing@pepenero.co.za. I look forward to hearing from you. Regards, Monqiue

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