Although no newcomer on the restaurant scene, Avanti gives Bloemfontein a welcoming breath of fresh air at its new address in trendy Westdene.

Given that Bloem is quite a long way from Brescia, or any other Italian city for that matter, all things Italian are very appealing around here. Avanti doesn’t tick all the boxes for an authentic Italian experience – it might even be that the Vespa parked in the bar area and the pizza oven in the kitchen are more Italian than the food itself  – but it is The Rose City, not Rome, after all.

Brutal honesty

There’s nothing like a young food critic. Our party, consisting of four adults and five children between the ages of two and seven, really put Avanti’s status as a family restaurant to the test. Known for their brutal honesty, I asked the famous five to notice everything nice about the place and a few things they thought not so nice.

I was stunned by how seriously they took the job. For them it was clearly important to tell me how the restaurant made them feel. On their pro list (which was, by the way, much longer than that of the cons) they included fine detail such as the ‘smoke sticks’ (incense sticks) that were lit and put in the flowerpots outside shortly after our arrival. This ceremony apparently made them feel very welcome. And thinking about it, it did the same for me.

For starters

The first crisis was averted when we secured a table in the outside dining area. Inside would have been a challenge with children, as it is rather cramped and better suited for intimate dinner parties. Upon asking them what they thought about the lovely white tablecloth and crisp white napkins, I got the classic non comprende look. But when warm bread rolls with individual butters (rectangles wrapped in gold foil) arrived, the children beamed. (That was number two on the nice list.) The friendly smile of Wilfred the waiter and his swift appearance with the drinks order was a short step behind the bread and butter.

Main course

The young critics were also very to the point when it came to the taste of their food, the kiddies’ rump and chips. The meat was deemed good and soft and the chips enough. From an adult’s point of view, however, the meat portions might have been a bit big – if that’s a crime – as not one of the children managed to finish theirs. On the not-so-nice list was the ‘dancing table’, which surprised us all, as unstable tables are mostly seen as something grown-ups moan about.

While we sipped a fine Ken Forrester Pinotage – the wine list also offers a host of other top South African brands at reasonable prices – the Ammatriciana (bacon and chillies in a Napoletana sauce), Pizza Modena and Table el Greco salad arrived. Although the pizza did not have a crisp and thin crust, the toppings were fresh, as were the salad ingredients.

Afters

Once the children had had enough of table talk, they ventured outside. Back from their little adventure, they all wanted one question answered: what is broo-lay? Friendly Wilfred came to the rescue and explained to us that menu suggestions are written on black boards, which the oldest of the little ones had read.

And so, Amarula crème brûlée was that night’s choice for dessert – ordered without hesitation. The five agreed that it tasted really good, although a bit too sweet. (Seriously?!) From my point of view it did not quite pass the crème brûlée test, where the contrast between the crisp sugar crust and the silky custard underneath is just perfect.

The verdict

But if you’re looking for family-friendly Bloemfontein restaurant that makes you feel welcome, whether it’s by doing small things like lighting incense or serving warm bread rolls, you can’t go wrong with Avanti.

By Colette du Plessis

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