A Grand affair

We sized up recently renovated The Grand Café and Beach for the V&A Waterfront’s Master of the Trade Routes Culinary Challenge

As part of the Masters of the Trade Routes Culinary Challenge, a   winter-based competition created to celebrate the cultural melting pot of South Africa’s flavours and to reflect 360 years of Cape culinary roots, 25 fine dining restaurants at the V&A Waterfront conjured up inspired fusion dishes in a bid to be voted the shopping centre’s gastronomic champion. Along with customers, bloggers and food critics, we were asked to preside over these signature dishes - priced at special winter rates – as both judge and jury; a task that ultimately decides the finalists of this coveted culinary competition. 

Apart from the quality of the signature dish, each eatery is also evaluated on its overall ambiance and level of service.

On the stand tonight – the recently renovated Grand Café and Beach, and also one of the  eight competition finalists, as selected by top cook-book authors and food journalists.

A firm favourite among foodies and the fashion-conscious; the restaurant is where top cuisine, service and style intermingle on the lip of a fashioned white beach at Granger Bay; think the meeting point of Miami seaside culture and Parisian elegance. 

A chic warehouse often regarded as a hotspot for fashionable summer soirées, the Grand also has a surprisingly powerful allure during the winter months: fire-filled modern glass boxes illuminate the gravel path that leads to the entrance of the restaurant, rusted candelabras glint in the candlelight within, nude sketches adorn the rustic warehouse walls and fresh red roses on white-clothed tables complete the warm romantic atmosphere.

The menu is a melange of old meets new, featuring both fabulous east meets west fusion dishes, as well as tried and tested classics. Although all the options on offer would have captured our fancy on any other day, our quest for the evening was to sample the signature “Trade Routes Challenge” dish:  the Grand fusion seafood pasta. 

Upon its arrival at the table, our senses were taken with the delicious aroma of fresh seafood and a delicate alchemy of spices. Carefully prepared and lightly fried fishcakes made of prawn, kingklip and crayfish balanced artfully on a bed of tomato-based pasta. The tomato sauce used to flavour the dish had a subtle mixture of flavours, including fennel, garlic, red wine and cream, and on the whole, the pasta was a resounding success: I’d give it an overall star rating of four out of five.  

Apart from the seafood pasta, we also ordered the fillet of beef with béarnaise sauce. The beef was moist and flavourful, and the béarnaise sauce complemented it beautifully. 

Our waiter, Brendon, was engaging and knowledgeable, but never overbearing. Fast, efficient and friendly service seemed the order of the evening, and our wine glasses were kept full to the brim to ensure ample lubrication for extensive and laid-back conversation. The star rating for the service was five out of five, and the ambiance scored a four out of five.

All in all, a pleasant experience. The signature dish was delicious, and one that I can certainly recommend to anyone with an affinity for seafood. The ambiance and service was of a high standard – rarities these days. I can’t wait to return this summer for an afternoon spent lazing around on their deck while enjoying a creative cocktail or two.

Note: If the notion of playing a food critic appeals to you, you have until 22 August to participate in the Trade Routes Culinary Challenge. As an added incentive, patrons who dine at a participating restaurant and then vote on their experience stand a chance to win meal vouchers and attendance at the gala event aboard the SA Agulhas II, at which the winners out of the Top 8 restaurants will be announced. So, make sure to visit the V&A Waterfront to make your bid for the best signature dish of the Masters of the Trade Routes Culinary Challenge to avoid disappointment.

By Adri de Kock

Tip: Before you start filling up on wine, try one of their unusual cocktails: the Back Porch Lemonade will leave you begging for more!

Bill: The winter special for the Masters of the Trade Routes competition will set you back only R140 for two courses, or only R90 for the signature dish. Alternatively, starters usually clock in at R50 to R220, and mains from R70 to R740. For desserts, you can pay anything between R28 and R45.  

Granger Bay Road | Granger Bay | Cape Town | +27 (0) 21 425 0551

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Not convinced about the Grand's culinary prowess. Have a look at our Cape Town restaurant overview for another option. 

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