When it comes to restaurant locations, you don’t get much hotter than Bree Street’s central reaches. The newest resident, Mink & Trout, opened softly on Monday in the former Birds Café space, number 127. The owners, Leigh Trout and Kevin Mink, are the same people who’ve been running Birds for the past couple of years, but with this concept, they’ve created something entirely different.

Fast facts

Serves: Seasonal bistro food
Best for: A stylish supper with hip friends or a business lunch
Parking: On-street if you’ve got some kind of magical powers, or try behind the church, opposite.
Average main course: R70 to R170, depending on the proteins
Star ratings: Food 4, Service 4, Ambience 5

My first salad at @minkandtrout We are open for business on Bree Street.

A photo posted by Emma Jude Jackson (@missemmajude) on Sep 19, 2016 at 5:02am PDT

Food

Start with a stellar ceviche. Tender morsels of fish are arranged in a little garden of sweet and sour ginger-pickled veggies with a miso and cream cheese dressing. We also sample a trout, asparagus, leek and lemon ricotta tart, which is ever so slightly dry, but comes with a soft boiled egg that’s somehow been coated in thin, crispy batter – glorious. We’ll be back to try the mussels, which come in an impressive-looking package that lets out a huff of coconut, coriander and chilli-scented air into the room as it’s opened at a neighbouring table.

 

A photo posted by Mink & Trout (@minkandtrout) on Sep 20, 2016 at 5:34am PDT

For mains, the Karoo lamb bredie is outstanding. The lamb is tender, melting and full of flavour – and crucially not overpowered by tomato bredie sauce. The free-range chicken, leek and mushroom pie with truffle sauce boasts a rich centre of succulent chicken – although the sauce has that slightly artificial taste of stock cubes about it. Other options include Oak Valley Pork, pasture-reared steak, and a confit pork belly, which also involves parma ham, prawns, asparagus and risotto.

Vegetarians will have to make do with two intriguing salads, or pasta tossed with spring veggies and artichokes.

Mink & Trout offers three tempting puddings; however, we manage only a crème brûlée, which is excellent. It’s small but perfectly creamy without being heavy, with a thin, crisp sugar layer on top.

A photo posted by @attikdesign on Sep 12, 2016 at 9:47pm PDT

Drinks

A concise wine list offers a handful of gems. Think Intellego chenin from the Swartland, Oak Valley Riesling, or Force Majeure’s cinsaut rosé. A small but beautiful bar has opened in the former entrance area, which we predict will be popular come First Thursday.

Ambience

 

Ready for service

 

A photo posted by Mink & Trout (@minkandtrout) on Sep 20, 2016 at 9:05am PDT

The old Birds space has been beautifully refurbished by Attik Design. The crumbling, exposed brick walls are still a feature, but the whole space now has a much more moody, evening feel, thanks to emerald green and rose gold details. Custom bar stools (a collaboration between Attik and Nieuw design) carry the green through to the bar area. Beautiful crockery from The Potter’s Gallery in Kleinmond helps to take each dish up a notch.

Service

Considering we dine on opening night, everything runs very smoothly. The food takes a little while to come out and staff are slightly unsure about some things, but their warmth makes up for it.

Eat Out critics dine unannounced and pay their own way. Read our full editorial policy here.

Have you been to Mink & Trout on Bree Street? Write a review now.

A photo posted by Mink & Trout (@minkandtrout) on Sep 12, 2016 at 11:47am PDT