Benguela on Main

Friday, October 23rd, 2015

Reviewed by Zanzi Klein

How does one award a restaurant that provides such impeccable service (extremely well trained servers) in such beautiful surroundings such a low star rating for the food? Let me be honest, the food was gastronomy at its best. It was delicious, beautifully presented, tastefully art directed on the plate. Every plate a picture. Tastes of individual items that still make me salivate and go yumm. The amuse bouche of mushroom looked like a little edible garden. But, after a starter (smoked salmon and blinis), main course (duck) and dessert (nougat concoction I think), I was still hungry. It was as if the art of decorating the plate with food necessitated such small portions, even a child would be hungry after three courses. I don't want overfilled plates of food when I go to a fine dining restaurant, but I do want to experience a bit more of the superb chef's fare. When my palette is chasing the elusive sensation of a taste, there must be more than a tiny morsel of food to help with the discovery of the surprise element, and then a morsel to enjoy the discovered surprise. I went away with a lot of wondering as there was not enough food to do these discoveries on each plate justice. I was expecting to pay a lot of money to eat there, but I did not realise the restaurant was trying to see how little food they can serve for as much as they can get away with. I will go back (when my budget has recovered), because the food was theatre, but I will probably have to stop on the way home to get something to eat afterwards.