dash - queen victoria hotel

a beautiful, classy restaurant. arrive early and have cocktails to start outside on the balcony with a view of table mountain.

there isn't a huge variety of menu options, however you can tell that the kitchen focuses all its attention to the choices that are there.

snacks of nuts and olives were served with our cocktails and we received a complementary started of beef and pistachio crumble.you can select the bread from some freshly baked options and its served with salt and pepper butter, and creamy pesto which was a very nice touch. we had venison loin and beef fillet. both were so tender and cooked to perfection. i was impressed at the veg that came with the meal - unusual, plentiful and cooked with flavours to complement the meat. there's a good selection of wines to accompany your meal. we were full after that so didn't select a dessert but we received a complementary dessert from the chef anyway.

whilst you eat, there is soft live piano music in the background. our waitress was friendly and all staff worked together as a team. i would only mark down the service at the beginning where he hostess seemed to forget about coming around for our drinks order. and the balcony can be a bit noisy as its above a v&a main road. but other than that a superb restaurant and experience

recently my plus 1 and i were invited to dine at dash restaurant inside the luxurious 5 star queen victoria hotel. one of the gems in newmark hotel group‘s crown, located near the victoria & alfred waterfront in cape town. grand entrance foyer at the queen victoria hotel {read more on my blog}

as you step into dash you feel like you are in some james bond- spy-thriller esque movie. the lighting is low, and the fireplace was roaring (it was chilly the night we went). the few tables have been set with crisp linen that is adorned with long stemmed wine glasses and sharp metal cutlery. i had gone to meet fellow foodie mark wijsman (alias dine guy) for dinner, we started at the bar, ordering a beer for him and a cosmopolitan for myself.

aside from having the luxury of trying many restaurants in the city of cape town, sometimes i get the opportunity for all my senses to get thoroughly pampered. last night was one of those nights, when i had an indulgent food experience at dash restaurant at the newmark hotel at the v&a waterfront.

dash is one of the finer dining restaurants in the city, and offers 'delectable cuisine in an opulent setting', as they so themselves. and opulent it is indeed. the chique slick interior with modern flair, fine art, and a centered open fireplace all communicate exuberant luxury.

dash is a little bit tricky to locate (it's behind the portswood hotel and above dock road), but has a nice terrace and view over the harbour. upon arrival, i was greeted by an array of friendly staff. it all felt a bit presidential (which, might i add, is a good thing).

as i sat down with my dining partner, we were treated to some fresh bread with delightful butter. i normally skip the bread description (because, right?) but if you serve it with the option of fresh basil or berry butter that is so good you immediately order more, i feel it deserves a mention.

after an amuse bouche of a spicy meatball, i got a starter of tempura prawns, pickled soft vegetables and sesame emulsion. my friend had the asparagus, olive toast, nut crush and parmesan snow (snow!). she was generous enough to let me try both. aside from the stunning presentation (dash has a food artist in their kitchen), these dishes were delicious.

for our mains, we got served a pan fried loin of venison, parsley mash and carrot puree and a fish special of norwegian salmon, truffle mash and vegetables. the venison was a succulent delight, and i could not stop eating my friend's mash. i mean, if you put truffle in anything i already voluntarily plant my face in your plate, but this was a true treat.

for dessert, we were both presented with a coconut panacotta with lime sorbet and passion fruit coulis (see top image). finding some extra space in our stomachs, this plate was also emptied without too many words spoken. some chocolate truffle bonbons were presented as a final extra, because dash seems to love to spoil their diners.

what deserves a special mention, is their service. we had a waitress who was so attentive and kind (also providing great suggestions!), it really adds another dimension to a night out. it was one of those experiences where they attend to you exactly before you even think of asking for assistance.

perhaps the only notes i could add is that the dash does not hold back on portion size (at all!). their dishes are beautifully presented and consist of great flavour combinations, but we both rolled our way out of the restaurant. our mains were meals by themselves and we had to really find some extra space for our desserts. the ambiance can feel a little stiff due to its chiqueness, but, in all fairness, probably livens up when visited on a busier night.

all in all, i was absolutely spoiled by dash restaurant, and with exquisite food, gorgeous plates, top-notch service it definitely deserves a recommendation.

so last night i fell in love with a restaurant. we decided to celebrate our 4-year wedding anniversary here, and we could not have made a better choice! as we entered the restaurant we were serenaded with the most beautiful music coming from the grand piano. there was a roaring fire, completely eliminating the chill of the last winter evenings... the decor was warm and inviting, and the staff incredible friendly and helpful.
the food... oh my.
it all started with something as simple as the butter that came with the bread for tge table. have you ever had capers butter?? i need it in my life, every day...
we were served a beetroot amuche bouche which i loved, but my husband found too oily.
for starters i we had the beetroot cured salmon ( the salmon is cured for three days! ) , horseradish and apple slaw and salted bread crisps - it was delicious, beautifully presented and so fresh. i loved the combination of the salmon and apple gel garnish. we also had the seared foie grass with apples and shallot marmalade - dash restaurant gets their foie grass from a local farmer that does not force feed his ducks, but rather lets them eat as much as they want (overfeeds). the flavours were exquisite and the portion just right.

for mains we opted for the grilled fillet of beef, served on mash potato and spinach puree with a melange of vegetables and jus. the beef was out of this world - three huge pieces of beef fillet, cooked to perfection and just melting away in your mouth. we also had the grilled crayfish tail with saffron orzo and rehydrated pineapple. the crayfish was a little overcooked, but still delicious. i did not care much for the saffron orzo, but loved the vegetables the chef served the meal with. both main dishes were huge - they were so filling that we could hardly finish the meal and there was no space for dessert so i cannot give you feedback on that!
what i love: great value for money, huge portions, delicious (mindblowingly so) food, incredible presentation, the chef present the dish to you in a way that you almost have a trail to follow as to what she wants you to pair, clean and fresh tastes, amazing combination of flavours... i am addicted. my best restaurant experience ever.

not so much: .... that i did not have space for desert 😭

if fine dining is what you're after, then this has to be on your list of places to go. absolutely exquisite meal from start to finish.

the salmon starter was mind blowing, as was the venison fillet i had for mains. if i'm really honest, i caught myself saying "how is this real" far too many times during the course of the evening. i must also point out that the jus that came with the venison fillet was so delicious i strongly considered eating it out of the bowl with a spoon (ok ok i might have actually done it).

this is the type of place where the butter that comes with your bread today is actually truffle butter and you realize how fancy butter can be. the decor is beautiful and elegant, yet comfortable enough to be inviting. the service was amazing, too.

honestly, can't fault the evening at all and i would definitely go back in a heartbeat for some serious foodie spoilage.

dash is absolutely phenomenal: the food, the service, the venue, the location - it's pretty much impossible to fault anything. probably the only 'downside' is that it felt a little too stiff, too formal at times; dash is certainly not your friday-night-after-work dinner location.

i highly recommend the baby chicken for the main, though, truth be told, i would have been happy with a bowl of just the delectable jus.

for dessert, we tried the banana parfait, and the chocolate fondant. while the fondant was hot, oozy and delicious, i was a bit disappointed with the rest of the plate. the banana parfait dish, however, was top class from start to finish! banana parfait, rich vanilla ice cream, caramel popcorn, bruleed banana, and even banana caviar! truly divine, this was the dish of the night for me!

if you're an average joe like me, dash is definitely more of a special occasion restaurant, but it's definitely worth the quite steep price tag!

this past weekend i had the pleasure of indulging my senses , my taste buds and dining in the opulent dash restaurant at the queen victoria hotel in the v & a waterfront.

i indulged in starters , mains and dessert and each course was more beautiful and decadent than the previous. we were served by the maitre 'd irene and our waitress was the lovely philiwe both of whom were exceptional.

our meal was peaceful , leisurely and left us with huge smiles and full bellies.

i absolutley adored my meal here and will definitely be back again.

i was lucky enough to be taken here for my birthday and wow, what a treat it was! i was absolutely spoilt and impressed at the service we received. all the staff went above and beyond to ensure i had a good experience. can't wait to go back in summer!

this is one of the best meals i've ever had. dash takes the concept of fine dining to the next level, and yet i still left so full (no teeny tiny gourmet portions here). everything from the cheesy souffle starter to the venison main was impeccable, and i loved the little "surprise" courses in between - a fantastic amuse bouche and a turkish delight sorbet later on. the restaurant's atmosphere is incredibly elegant, yet still warm and comfortable (amaaaaazing chairs). the piano player is also a lovely addition and something you don't really find in restaurants anymore. i had the chocolate fondant for dessert and it was unbelievable - it literally exploded into a river of gooey chocolatey-ness and the bitter orange touches brought out all the flavour. i cannot wait to go back to dash!

we started off with drinks in the bar area with a fabulous roaring fire! after the first round of cocktails everyone was warming up whether it was to do with the fire or the alcohol i cannot confirm. my cocktail was bright pink and delicious! the name eludes me but the main flavour was pomegranate – yum!

we started with beautiful fresh bread with cajun butter, and truffle butter. the truffle butter was amazing and i spread it liberally across the soft white bread. the truffle butter tasted like blitz exotic mushrooms with truffle oil and was wonderfully creamy and smooth! really delicious!

my starter was a double baked gorgonzola souffle, biltong shavings and hazelnuts. the souffle was unbelievably light and was like pulling a cloud apart! i loved the addition of the tart raspberry flavours to cut the richness of the gorgonzola.

between starters and main course we had these delightful palate cleansers! my favourite was the turkish delight sorbet topped with a giant chunk of turkish delight!

our main course was a seriously fabulous affair! this is the pan fried loin of venison, parsley mash and carrot puree. the description per the menu really doesn’t do the dish justice!

dessert was a brand new creation by their chef sam wasserman – the sweet explosion! this was a dulce sorbet, gummies mousse, amarula gel, old fashioned macaroons and caramel tort. this dessert was delicious and was a whole lot of little taste experiences to finish off a wonderful meal.

all the details up on the blog:

dash is fine dining and more ! every meal is beautifully crafted to enlighten ones senses ! truly !

live piano music in the background , a cozy fire place , with thee most attentive service ! you truly feel welcomed and feel like royalty !

every meal that i had was so delicious and exquisitely presented ! feast for the eyes and stomach !

when i think of fine dining it will now be synonymous with dash.

every meal is thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented. the flavours of all the components on the plate really make the meals stand out as some of the best you'll ever eat.

plus it's not one of those restaurants where the food is so gourmet it's basically invisible. the portions are generous (especially the main) and will leave your belly full and incredibly satisfied.

you need to know that the beef fillet is one of the best i've ever had - i didn't even need my knife. seriously, i'm drooling just thinking about it.

this little gem may be a bit tricky to find, but definitely worth the treasure hunt! dash oozes class and opulence, and the food lives up to the atmosphere. start in the lounge for a delicious cocktail before heading to the dining room. the meals are almost too beautiful to eat. try the melt-in-your-mouth fillet before finishing with the chocolate fondant. a feast for the senses, highly recommended.

dinner at dash restaurant is an absolute feast for the senses. not only is the food beautiful to look at, but it is packed with flavour, texture and creativity. every single plate of food was incredible. the service was excellent and the wine pairings were fantastic. i honestly cannot fault a thing. location, service, food, vibe, comfort and drinks were bang-on.

we started with pomegranate martinis (yum) in the bar area before sitting down for dinner – which was a feast of note! we ate so much food… no complaints over here because everything was yummo! the chefs lamb bon bon was a perfect start to the evening and a great indication of what was to come. this was followed by a soft and creamy gorgonzola soufflé that was light and moreish. a sweet little apple sorbet cleanser came next and tasted just like apple pie. mains was one of the best fillet steaks i have ever had the pleasure of eating, soft as butter and accompanied by a beautiful selection of veggies and creamy-dreamy mash. dessert was a chocolate fondant with orange ice cream and it was phe-no-me-nal! gooey-chocolatey-orange heaven. 

all washed down with good wine, great company and amazing new friends.

i will definitely be back for more.