A colleague recently returned from a trip to New York and his foodie stories have really inspired me. One of the trends he noticed was bar-style eating. Not the sushi kind that we know, but rather restaurants that offer casual eating along a bar.

Don’t expect run-of-the-mill bangers and mash, but rather super-slick, stylish gastropub fare. There are a few restaurants that have picked up on this trend at home and I’m sure quite a few will follow, especially the ones with open-plan kitchens. Front-row seats are sure to become sought after.

Bizerca in Cape Town is one of these and I’m always relieved when I can get a seat at the bar to enjoy a plate of oysters with that fantastic gooseberry dressing and bowl of cassoulet. Chef and restaurateur Luke Dale-Roberts is another who has perfected this trend. Seats at the counter at The Test Kitchen have become the prime spots in the house from where you can watch the team create theatre as they turn up the flames. The counter at Nobu is another secret spot, perhaps not so secret anymore, though! The Guildhall in Joburg’s CBD is famous for its legendary bar-style eating and the counter is often a mass of peri-peri prawns.

Let me know if you come across a counter with a view near you.

Abigail

Image: Flickr