La Tête, a nose-to-tail bistro by chef Giles Edwards in Cape Town, was named number 20 in SA at the 2017 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards. To find out why, watch the video and read the review below.

Food

The ever-changing bistro menu by Giles Edwards is short and sweet, with dishes sometimes needing explanation from the waiter. (What is in Celeriac, exactly?) Though some, like Brains on Toast, need no elaboration. If you’ve eaten here before, you’ll know to point to something and trust in the magic from the open kitchen. If the nose-to-tail philosophy doesn’t appeal, you have plenty of options – from roasted baby quail with tangy aioli to the famous octopus salad, to mussels with bacon, or the fish sandwich with eggy caper mayonnaise, which will make you weak at the knees. The grilled green beans with Karoo crumble might be your salad of the season, if not year – simple, exquisitely dressed, tangy and textured, it’s just utter perfection. If you want sides, there are chips and the comforting roasted cauliflower cheese. End on madeleines fresh from the oven, salted caramel tart or the floating island.

Drinks

Begin with a bubbly then choose a craft gin from the shelf behind the bar. Or allow the staff to suggest a glass of wine to match your dish from the carefully chosen selection of boutique local bottles.

Service

Very professional, top-drawer service. These are no amateurs.

Ambience

La Tête is probably the starkest restaurant you’ve ever eaten in, with nothing on the walls nor tables nor floor, but it works to facilitate zoning in on what’s on your plate. A palette of dark wood, grey and white make it a blank canvas for the elegantly simple dishes.

And…

Printing La Tête on the plates was a masterstroke, as the dishes always seem to end up on Instagram.

See all 30 of the nominees for the 2017 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards here and the Top 10 here.