{"id":16125,"date":"2011-01-24T10:57:36","date_gmt":"2011-01-24T08:57:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=16125"},"modified":"2014-07-19T19:54:54","modified_gmt":"2014-07-19T17:54:54","slug":"restaurant-review-mozarella-bar-serves-mainly-mozzarella","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/restaurant-review-mozarella-bar-serves-mainly-mozzarella\/","title":{"rendered":"Restaurant Review: Mozzarella Bar serves mainly … mozzarella!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I have had my moments with Giorgio Nava, but must salute his bravery in zealously opening restaurants in Cape Town, in addition to the two established restaurants\u00a095 Keerom Street and Carne.\u00a0\u00a0 Last month he opened Down South<\/a><\/span> <\/strong>on Long Street\u00a0and the Mozzarella Bar on Kloof Street, and\u00a0on Saturday\u00a0Caf\u00e9 Milano opened,\u00a0higher up on Kloof Street.\u00a0 The Mozzarella Bar is run by charming Italians, and all its dishes, except the bakery items and desserts, contain a soft creamy mozzarella, offering good value for money.<\/p>\n

Co-owner and interior designer, and friend of Nava, Matteo Amatruda, explained that Nava is trying to educate Capetonians\u00a0about true Italian\u00a0cuisine, and each of his restaurants, with the exception of Down South, focuses on a\u00a0specific Italian aspect.\u00a0 Caf\u00e9 Milano, for example,\u00a0will focus on baking, and bakes the bread and makes the croissants for the Mozzarella Bar. Nava runs between all his properties, we were told, and we saw this, as he popped in as we were about to leave, having been there earlier in the morning already.<\/p>\n

The manager Simone explained that special equipment was brought out from Italy for the manufacture of mozzarella cheese in Cape Town, and it is made from cow’s milk.\u00a0 This was a surprise, as my perception was that Buffalo mozzarella is the benchmark for this cheese.\u00a0\u00a0 Matteo explained that Italy is divided in its preference for the type of milk used in mozzarella production, and the western and southern parts of Italy prefer mozzarella made from buffalo milk.\u00a0 It is the eastern side of Italy, and the town Puglia especially, that is known for the use of cow’s milk.\u00a0 The Italian mozzarella maker in Cape Town comes from Puglia, hence the name of\u00a0the supplier is Puglia Cheese, which I subsequently discovered supplies most Italian-style restaurants in Cape Town.\u00a0\u00a0 Nava’s restaurants are her main client base, Matteo said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I had been\u00a0to the previous restaurant in this location, A la Posta, also Italian style, once only, and it never quite took off.\u00a0\u00a0 Little has changed, with\u00a0a counter seating area around the food preparation area, and with interesting white bar stools probably coming from Matteo’s interior design store a+1 in The Foundry.\u00a0\u00a0 What was formerly part of the previous restaurant, is now an art gallery upstairs, branded a+1, and private functions can be hosted here, with seating provided.\u00a0\u00a0 The restaurant space is small, and probably can seat\u00a0no more than 20 guests, if that many.\u00a0 But there is a constant flow of clients, and they all seemed to have an Italian connection when we were there.\u00a0\u00a0 The kitchen staff wear I \u2665 Mozarella T-shirts.\u00a0\u00a0Interesting looking wooden buttermilk ‘vessels’\u00a0have been put to decorative use on the walls behind the counter.\u00a0\u00a0 Matteo told me that Giorgio had found these in a factory he had bought, and apparently some of them have been hung at Carne too.\u00a0 On\u00a0one side is refrigerated shelving, selling imported buffalo mozzarella, and the locally made cow mozzarella.\u00a0\u00a0 Pecorini is also for sale, as\u00a0are olive oils and olives from Morgenster.\u00a0 One can also buy the proscuitto, but it is not pre-cut nor visible in the refrigerator.\u00a0 \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Simone and Matteo\u00a0are both charming, with Italian accents.\u00a0 Both are hands-on, and do almost all the work themselves, although there are more staff behind the counter and in the small kitchen preparation area.\u00a0 It felt as if there were more staff than customers.\u00a0 Most of the menu\u00a0consists of\u00a0cold dishes, which must make the food preparation much easier. The counter tops have holders with Morgenster olive oil and balsamic vinegar in them, and very cheap salt and fine pepper pots.\u00a0 The cheap ‘kitchen’ fork and quality serrated knife are rolled in a\u00a0paper serviette.\u00a0 A pepper grinder is offered once the food is served.<\/p>\n

Simone explained the menu to us as soon as we arrived, and it was a bit overwhelming, given that there are\u00a0 a number of different mozzarella styles to comprehend, and lots of Italian menu item names\u00a0to contend with.\u00a0\u00a0 Mozzarella is served as a trio of styles (Nodino – knotted, Affumicata – smoked, and Burrata- the cream-filled standard) for R80.\u00a0 Burrata mozzarella is served with parma ham, cooked ham, mortadella, air-dried beef, or air-dried tuna, at R65 – R80.\u00a0\u00a0 I had the mozzarella served with the prosciutto, imported from Italy, and beautifully presented with rocket and the mozzarella, and drizzled with olive oil, and accompanied by crispy slices of toasted bread.\u00a0 The\u00a0hot dishes are a deep-fried Mozzarella sandwich, and two styles of panzerotto, being tomato filled pastries, one with and the other without ham, all costing no more than R50.\u00a0 One can also order Rotolo, a “mozzarella sheet” or roll,\u00a0 with a vegetable, salmon or parma ham center, again none costing more than R50.\u00a0 A sandwich with mozzarella and parma ham costs R50.\u00a0 Salads naturally all contain mozzarella, and none cost more than R60.\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>Only three desserts are offered: vanilla gelato made at 95 Keerom (R40), and\u00a0a new addition to the menu, Chocolat ‘Foundant’ ’95’ (R50), which took some time to prepare.\u00a0 Sadly, the restaurant had run out of tiramisu (R40)\u00a0by the time we ordered.<\/p>\n

Only five wine choices are offered, by Chamonix and Dalla Cia, Chamonix Rouge being the only red wine.\u00a0 Vintages are noted, and the wine character described.\u00a0 All are available by the glass (R23 – R 40) or by the bottle (R 80 – R170).\u00a0 Peroni is the only beer available (R16).<\/p>\n

The LavAzza\u00a0cappuccino, and other coffees, must be the cheapest in Cape Town, at only R10.\u00a0\u00a0This week the Mozzarella Bar will get its iced coffee maker from LavAzza, and Matteo says it will be the best in Cape Town – they will make it with espresso, cream and milk.\u00a0 \u00a0Free wireless internet is offered, as it is at Down South, a clever service to offer.\u00a0\u00a0Overall, the Mozzarella Bar offers good value, and has the benefit that one can pop in to eat something and drink a good coffee throughout the day.\u00a0 For Breakfast only four styles of croissant are available – plain, with chocolate, with jam and with custard, a la Italian style.\u00a0 Don’t expect any cooked breakfasts!\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

POSTSCRIPT 2\/5<\/strong>:\u00a0 As most restaurants in the city center were closed, I was grateful to find the Mozzarella Bar open.\u00a0 I had\u00a0a beautifully presented Rotolo, a sheet of mozzarella into which is rolled rocket and parma ham (R50).<\/p>\n

POSTSCRIPT 19\/7:<\/strong> Mozzarella Bar has opened with new owners Amy and Marc Botes. \u00a0We will return for a revised review.<\/p>\n

Mozzarella Bar,<\/strong>\u00a0 51 Kloof Street, Cape Town.\u00a0\u00a0 Tel (021) 422-5822.\u00a0 No website.\u00a0\u00a0 Monday – Saturday 7h00 – 19h00.\u00a0 A food delivery and catering service is offered.<\/p>\n

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com<\/a>\u00a0 Twitter: @WhaleCottage<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have had my moments with Giorgio Nava, but must salute his bravery in zealously opening restaurants in Cape Town, in addition to the two established restaurants\u00a095 Keerom Street and Carne.\u00a0\u00a0 Last month he opened Down South on Long Street\u00a0and the Mozzarella Bar on Kloof Street, and\u00a0on Saturday\u00a0Caf\u00e9 Milano opened,\u00a0higher up on Kloof Street.\u00a0 The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[3,124,20,21],"tags":[7244,9529,9530,9533,26578,4645,9526,9534,9521,32366,1434,2013,1386,32378,1971,9384,7679,1437,9535,9523,665,6749,9522,406,8586,9520,9525,9536,9532,477,9531,3866,9527,9528,3625,13,9524,7773,32373,5504],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t