dash - queen victoria hotel

dash restaurant & bar, although it caters for queen victoria hotel guests, is a stand-alone establishment that welcomes patrons from near and far. extraordinary artworks embellish the walls in a bold fashion. further, a live pianist sets the tone during dinner service from tuesday to saturday, a delightful accompaniment to the exquisite finediningoffered at this restaurant. the menu is concise and changes every few weeks. the chef and his team place much focus on each ingredient’s unique flavour and combine them creatively to delight the palate. the bar offers an extensive selection of single-malt whiskies and wines, and is a tasteful meeting spot.

if you’ve ever wondered what heaven would taste like (you know, if you have weird thoughts like me), then you ought to be heading down to the dash restaurant and bar at the queen victoria hotel at the v&a waterfront. i had the absolute honour ofdiningthere this week, and i almost want to say that i’ll never have to eat again after that delectable culinary adventure, but we all know i’d be lying. but still, with delights such as pre-pre-starters, pre-desserts, and even post-desserts, this is certainly one hidden gem that everyone should go experience.

i wish i could give this restaurant a higher rating as it was by far the most exceptional finediningexperience i have had this far.

on arrival, we were warmly greeted by the manager, irene, who had been in contact with me just the previous day regarding special dietary requirements (a vegetarian) and any particular occasion we were celebrating (anniversary). we opted to start the evening in the lounge by the fireplace and we were presented with two complementary glasses of sparkling wine.

we arrived at our table to find an arrangement of rose petals which immediately put a romantic touch on the evening. the amuse-bouche was a tantalizing clue for the delicious meal that was to follow.
for starters, we shared the twice baked gorgonzola soufflé which was light and creamy with a variety of other elements on the plate adding to the complexity of the dish.
for mains, i had the norwegian salmon which was cooked perfectly and uniquely flavored using pomegranate and garlic butter. my boyfriend had the vegetable terrine which he described as the best vegetarian dish he has ever tasted at a restaurant as there was so much depth to the flavors of the dish.
the desert was the cherry on the cake as the hot chocolate fondant was a decadent piece of heaven with a salty caramel crumble and orange ice cream accompaniment.
we were yet again taken by surprise by the arrival of a complementary selection of chocolates and fudge to celebrate our anniversary.

the endless surprises and hospitality experienced at this fine establishment left me, not only with a happy tummy, but a happy heart!

i had the privilege ofdiningat dash in celebration of my mom's birthday. i guess it's always difficult to give a restaurant five stars if your expectations are so high - with such a fantastic rating on zomato, they really did have to pull out all the stops to impress us. and they fell nothing short of their outstanding reputation!

before dinner, we decided to sample some cocktails in their bar area. we tasted their signature cocktail in both the pomegranate and eldeflower favors. both were amazing, but personally i preferred the eldeflower one - the pomegranate was a bit too bitter for me. bar snacks consisted of biltong, mixed nuts and some sort of dehydrated bowl of cherries. our drinks arrived promptly and we were able to relax and enjoy the setting sun and soft piano playing in the background before ourdiningexperience begun.

moving from the lounge to the actual restaurant, we were seated at an elegant table in the middle and immediately offered water and given our menus. before our starters, we were given freshly baked bread and an amuse bouche of salmon tartare. the bread was melt-in-your-mouth soft, with a choice between rye or white (or both). the butters for the night were a type of sweet mustard mix and some sort of herbed butter. they really did add that extra bit of flavor to the bread without being overpowering. the salmon tartare was honestly one of the best flavor combinations i've ever tasted - that silky salmon with a slightly spicy sauce... amazing!

starters consisted of prawn tempura, gorgonzola cheese soufflé, asparagus salad and chicken liver. the only criticism i have is that the prawns could've been a bit more crispy, but this may just be a personal preference. my granddad on the other hand thought they were perfect. the stand outs were definitely the soufflé and the asparagus - interesting elements combined to form a taste sensation of note! the soufflé was like nothing i've ever tasted before. not too rich and cheesy, but rather light and airy. slightly crispy and complimented perfectly by biltong shavings, crushed hazelnuts and a raspberry sauce. i felt the biltong pieces on the side were a bit unnecessary as you can't really cut them with a knife, making them a bit awkward to eat at a fancy restaurant. the chicken liver was also delicious and for me the most beautifully presented of all the starters.

next up, the main event, consisting of linefish (salmon on this particular night), beef fillet and venison (springbok). the salmon was made just the way i like it - soft, well cooked meat with a tasty, crispy skin. what i found very interesting was the granadilla sauce it was paired with, which worked surprisingly well with the dish! the addition of green beans added a nice crunch and balanced out the salty flavors of the fish, but i feel the two prawns place on top of the fish was a bit unnecessary. they didn't add too much to the dish. the fillet was devine, but the winner for the night had to be the springbok. let's just say if my mom was raving about it, then you can take her word that it was something spectacular. my only criticism is that the carrots were perhaps a bit undercooked. other than that, portion sizes were generous, each dish tasted lovely and you definitely got your money's worth of food!

how can you end a special birthday dinner without dessert? we had the pleasure of sampling both the chocolate fondant and the banana parfait. the fondant was honestly the best i've ever tasted, truly perfection on a plate. toasty on the outside and as soon as my spoon broke through the spongy layer, rich, warm chocolate started oozing out of the center. you simply can't ask for anything better! the banana parfait was delicious as well and i loved the addition of the crunchy almond brittle and caramel sauce, which really went well with the banana flavors and added the perfect mixture of textures to the dessert. i felt the caramel popcorn was a bit of a pointless element, perhaps a bit too much on an already quite full plate.

along with dessert, our waitress made the evening extra special by bringing the birthday girl her very own birthday cupcake, which i thought was a wonderful surprise and very thoughtful of her. speaking of service, i must give special mention to the way dash's staff treat their customers. personally i feel what really makes a good restaurant is staff that are willing to go the extra mile. and dash did indeed tick all the boxes. i really felt like we were being treated like royalty!

overall, an amazing experience and i highly recommend a visit to this gem of a restaurant! you simply can't go wrong with anything you order. furthermore, the ambiance is stunning with the piano playing softly in the background, the spacious yet cozy feel of the room and the beautiful interior of the hotel surrounding you. the staff really go out of their way to make your experience memorable and even though it's pricy, it's money well spent! undoubtedly deserving of a five star rating!

dash is good, but not deserving of its current rating in our opinion. i'm always a bit skeptical when there has been a foodies invitation night, it often throws the rating off.

the price and location listed are both incorrect. dash is right at the top of the price range, and not actually in the v&a more overlooking it. using the listed location we got very lost trying to find it and almost gave up.

the decor is interesting, plush chairs with rustic steel tables makes for a good contrast, but it also means your plate is not very stable on the surface. there is a large imposing painting of a black baby in the maindiningarea, not too my taste at all, but maybe that's just personal opinion. the live grand piano certainly adds some wonderful ambiance.

the beetroot cured salmon was great, the slightly mustardy apple slaw contrasts beautifully with the creamy cured salmon.

there were great textures in both starters.

i always like getting a sorbet to cleanse the pallet, but found the lemon slightly over powering, and the beautiful presentation was let down by the spoons not reaching the bottom of the glasses.

over all the portions were nice and big for a finediningrestaurant.

the springbok loin was delicious, served with a sweet jus and carrot pure. sunday roast flavors with a finediningangle.

the crayfish was disappointing. tiny tails, over cooked and just not special, not what you expect at that price point.

the coconut panne cotta was completely over powered by the lime sorbet. the coconut lacked any kind of punch alone, so with the very strong sorbet you're left with only lime.

the desert tasting plate compliments of the chef was a lot better.

over all it was a good meal, but when you are spending almost r2000 for 2 people, i expect perfection.

dash was the best overalldiningexperience that i have had in cape town thus far (although thanks to zomato the journey is far from over!). their balance between luxurydiningand a relaxed environment is precisely to my liking. service is present but not invasive. the highlight, however, is the food! the menu is small, but there is good choice and everything we had was excellent! i try not to mention specific dishes in reviews, but their gorgonzola soufflé, lamb and (especially!) chocolate fondant must be highlighted. capping the meal off with coffee overlooking table mountain is a must.

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 finerdiningrestaurants 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 mydiningpartner, 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.

if finediningis 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.

this past weekend i had the pleasure of indulging my senses , my taste buds anddiningin 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.

this is one of the best meals i've ever had. dash takes the concept of finediningto 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!

dash is finediningand 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 finediningit 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 thediningroom. 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.