The Conservatory Restaurant takes over dinner duties at the Table Bay Hotel

One of Cape Town’s oldest waterfront accommodation options dishes up a new dining room look and feel

As of 1 August 2012, the Table Bay Hotel’s airy, elegant and more informal Conservatory Restaurant replaced the longstanding Atlantic Grill as the V&A Waterfront accommodation’s new culinary port of call.

Now no longer a place where guests and visitors can regularly break bread, the former dining room has been transformed into a 400 sq. m. banquet hall ideal for high-profile and exclusive celebratory parties, launches, lunches and dinners (the venue can accommodate a maximum of 120 seated people). 

As the longstanding, fine dining face of the five-star hotel, the Atlantic Grill will certainly be missed, but with the launch of a locally inspired, fusion menu to accompany the Conservatory Restaurant’s newfound dinner duties, there’s little time to mourn the change. 

“We wanted to create dishes not found elsewhere. The spirit of South Africa’s heritage from the Malays, to the Portuguese to the Afrikaners aligns with our philosophy and desire to cut a new path, one that doesn’t just concentrate on traditional Cape fare,” says an extremely passionate Dallas Orr, Executive Chef at the Table Bay. 

Though, the man behind the apron is doing anything but forsaking Mother City culture. The new natural menu flaunts locally sourced seasonal produce – including vegetables and herbs from the hotel’s own gardens, and Orr is devoted not to emulating global cooking styles, but rather to conjuring up bolder, more South African-esque dishes. 

Think Franschhoek trout and hand caught snoek terrine with smoked chilli butter, atchar aioli and apricot jel; tiger prawn mousse wrapped in handmade pasta served with mussel velouté; masala grilled rump steak served with a turmeric Béarnaise sauce; and slow-braised shank of Karoo lamb on dal makhani served with glazed root vegetables and saffron mash.

Additionally, aromatic Malay curries, unusual soups served with out of the ordinary accompaniments and deconstructed desserts with Afrikaans roots and a modern tinge make appearances on the new menu. 

Guests have the option of dining in the relaxed, yet stylish Conservatory Restaurant interior, or on the patio, al fresco style. 

The eatery is now open seven days a week from 7pm to 10:30pm, and patrons can look forward to the same silver service that defined the Atlantic Grill.  

To make your reservation at The Conservatory, please contact +27 (0) 21 406 5918 or email tbhrest@za.suninternational.com.

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Read more about an overnight at the Table Bay Hotel. 

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