Looking for a deliciously different place to dine in Riviera? La Pentola has still got it, says Diane de Beer.

Fast facts

Average main course: R125
Serves: fusion food
Best for: date night
Corkage: R50

Food

The Afro-Parisian salmon carpaccio. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.


La Pentola’s menu is extensive and exciting, leaving you spoilt for choice. Opt for the Huckleberry Haloumi (one of their vegetarian specialities) with the thickly cut, grilled cheese served with fresh strawberries macerated in sugar, with lemon and fresh mint. Another fine idea is their house speciality of thinly sliced smoked salmon, lightly dressed with fresh gooseberries, lemon and honey and dusted with almonds. To top it off, it’s served with lemon cream and seaweed caviar. It’s a fusion of flavours and delicious as a light lunch.

For mains, try one of their pasta dishes, like the Spaghetti Frutti di Mare, a combination of seafood, mussels, calamari, pawns and line fish, pan-fried in butter, garlic and black pepper and doused with wine and olive oil, and flavoured with herbs and lemon. Or you could take a walk on the wild side with the Crocodile Pastry, consisting of tender cubes of crocodile tail in a spicy curry sauce, wrapped in crispy phyllo pastry.

Meals are prepared from scratch and as the menu indicates, dishes might take time, but it is well worth the wait. Fusion has long been chef Shane Sauvage’s passion and he pushes flavours and textures to great effect with a promise of quality, good value and no short cuts.

Drinks

Bubbles and the intimate interior. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

They have a quality wine selection and with the chef primarily based in the winelands, his cellar attests to some very clever purchases. From Ataraxia (Hemel en Aarde) to Iona (Elgin) and Lomond (Agulhas), their wine list also travels internationally to Portugal, Italy, Australia and New Zealand.

Service

Their service is smart and staff members are quirkily dressed, which always adds charm.

The asparagus ritz. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

Ambience

Eclecticism will always be part of the La Pentola charm, but the restaurant has been brought in line with its Hermanus counterpart. The colours are lighter and the artwork more accessible, resulting in a space where diners are invited to relax with good food and wine.

And…

La Pentola has also opened a branch in Hermanus, so regulars can visit home from home when on holiday at the coast and enjoy a meal while watching the whales in the bay.
Eat Out critics dine anonymously and pay for their meals in full. Read the editorial policy here.

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