{"id":77048,"date":"2016-02-25T02:47:43","date_gmt":"2016-02-25T00:47:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=77048"},"modified":"2016-02-25T13:08:42","modified_gmt":"2016-02-25T11:08:42","slug":"restaurant-review-bouchon-bistro-and-wine-bar-offers-a-european-taste-of-cape-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/restaurant-review-bouchon-bistro-and-wine-bar-offers-a-european-taste-of-cape-town\/","title":{"rendered":"Restaurant Review: Bouchon Bistro and Wine Bar offers a European taste of Cape Town!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"image\"<\/a>Bouchon Bistro and Wine Bar opened inside Dorrance Cellar on Hout Street late last year, as a joint venture between Christophe Durand, owner of Dorrance Cellar, and Faisal Khakoo of La Boheme in Sea Point. It is unlike any other Cape Town restaurant, with a strong European flair in its food and wines served.<\/p>\n

A board at the entrance informs that Bouchon comes from Lyon. It describes the space as a unique concept of two wine lists, one international and the other local, available by the glass. They are complemented by ‘fresh, seasonal and diverse regional produces’<\/em>. It emphasises that simplicity and quality are key.<\/p>\n

A former underground storage area has been converted into a restaurant, seating about 40 patrons, at tables of two, a table for eight in an alcove, and an even longer table in the wine cellar itself, for special groups. The interior is dark grey, and an open kitchen counter is visible to patrons, with a food preparation area hidden from view. Tables are made of wood, with strong paper serviettes, brown paper sheets over a material tablecloth, a candle in a glass, Saint Tropez cutlery, unbranded salt and pepper grinders, and St Sebastian Bay extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar offered.<\/p>\n

The menu is Tapas-dominated, with only two or three main courses.\"image\"<\/a>\u00a0I have been to Bouchon on a number of occasions, liking its quick service pop-in feel on the way to a concert or elsewhere. When I popped in a week ago, I was delighted that their crispy salt and pepper calamari with fried capers was back on the menu, served with a good tartar sauce (R55), after it had been taken off the menu and was replaced with kingklip for a while. Even more impressive was the manager Cheslyn Cassiem proactively confirming that I wanted water, the calamari, and a dry cappuccino! One does not see service at this level in Cape Town very often. Furthermore, they had lovely salsa music playing, giving the restaurant a European feel. Marcello the waiter is from Italy, with some odd ‘lost in translation’ moments. Katherine has worked as a waitress for almost a month. Some nights Christophe is on duty, and he speaks with a French accent. \u00a0This\u00a0adds to the cosmopolitan feel of the Bistro.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>On arrival one receives a complimentary platter of flatbread with hummus, and olive tapenade. Other items on the Tapas menu include Caprese salad (R55,50), beef cubes with b\u00e9arnaise sauce (R62,50), pork rillettes\u00a0and gherkin (R56,50), Patatas Bravas with chorizo (R48,50), duck springrolls and hoisin sauce (R58,50), Artichoke and pea risotto with truffle oil (R58,50), Beef Tataki (R58,50), \"image\"<\/a>rabbit, chorizo, and prawn paella (R80), white anchovy and coppa salad (R68,50), grilled Cajun spiced sardines (R60), bruschetta with cream cheese (R60), seared sirloin with onion marmalade (R120), and ostrich bobotie phyllo parcel with tomato salsa (R62,50).<\/p>\n

Main course options are limited to Norwegian salmon with new potatoes, three bean salad, bean sprouts, and saffron sauce (R190); balsamic beef fillet with mushroom risotto and mushroom sauce (R175); and slow-roasted lamb shoulder with potato pur\u00e9e, roasted vegetables, and mint jus (R175).<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>The international wine list is changed regularly, and can include a Champagne Palmer Brut Reserve at R600 per bottle, a Spanish Toto Albala Pedro Ximenez 1983 wine at R60 per glass, a Greek Nohos white blend at R65 per glass, and a French sparkling cider\u00a0at R216 per bottle and R54 per glass. Foie gras with onion marmalade is offered at R120, a portion having generously been sent to our table when I visited there in December with Tony Ward and a group of friends.<\/p>\n

Bouchon Bistro and Wine Bar is a hidden gem in the Cape Town city centre, offering food and wines at very reasonable prices, despite a price increase this week, and good service with European flair. Parking is usually available on Hout\u00a0Street.<\/p>\n

Bouchon Bistro and Wine Bar<\/strong>, Dorrance Cellar, 95 Hout Street, Cape Town. Tel (021) 422-0695. www.bouchon.co.za<\/strong><\/span> <\/a>Twitter: @Bouchon_CT Monday – Saturday from 16h00.<\/p>\n

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog:\u00a0www.whalecottage.com\/blog<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0 Tel 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@WhaleCottage \u00a0<\/strong>Facebook: \u00a0<\/strong>click here<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Bouchon Bistro and Wine Bar opened inside Dorrance Cellar on Hout Street late last year, as a joint venture between Christophe Durand, owner of Dorrance Cellar, and Faisal Khakoo of La Boheme in Sea Point. It is unlike any other Cape Town restaurant,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[3,124,266,20,32565],"tags":[1699,33402,32366,33405,33407,32378,1390,32453,32461,4737,1983,30175,33406,33404,18261,1528,33403],"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