We arrived at 9.30. Coffee took 20 minutes to arrive. An hour and ten minutes later, we still had no breakfast. The place was half-empty. It took 15 minutes to even find the manager.... We left hungry and found a cheaper, more pleasant place, virtually next door! Really, really bad service! (So not even one star, I'm afraid.)

Like so many Capetonians in winter – we make very good use of the seasonal specials each year. The restaurants in the Pepenero stable never disappoint and so we looked forward to an evening of great atmosphere, fine and casual service as well as uncomplicated good food last night. Zenzero did not disappoint. The current special is well documented online, but essentially for R149 you get a great 3 course meal with an average of 4 choices at each course. We opted for the chicken livers as well as the calamari and chorizo to start; sirloin steaks for mains and crème brulee and brandy pudding for dessert. The food was exactly as expected – uncomplicated, but exceptionally good. Topped off with exceptionally good house wine at R29 a glass – you couldn’t go wrong. Although we personally do not like the main Pepenero restaurant with all the plastic plants, the others like 5 Rooms, La Belle (both at the Alphen) as well as the previous Kove – are all beautifully decorated and you’re guaranteed an elegant and comfortable dining experience. We also received excellent service from Thandi - she was appropriately attentive and warm. If one is to nit-pick - staff are sadly dressed in branded T-shirts which really don’t fit the scene. The only serious negative to the whole evening was the horrible drone of the ‘Zenzero’ fridge. My complaint was met with no attention – but I fear once you’re around it all the time you lose sensitivity to it. Management – take note – it is bad, bad enough to make us cut our evening short. Which is sad, considering all other boxes were so well ticked.