dash - queen victoria hotel

dash restaurant is a delightful surprise. i went on a quiet sunday night and the food, atmosphere and service were all great.
for starters i had the double baked gorgonzola soufflé. the soufflé was soft and paired surprisingly well with the biltong and strawberry accompaniments. for the mains - i tried the lamb loin with pearl barley and beetroot. the loin was cooked perfectly and the pearl barley was an intriguing choice but worked well with the lamb.
dessert was a baked chocolate fondant with orange ice cream and tiny cubes of jelly and fruit. this was a perfect end to themealand really enjoyed the pairing of hot gooey chocolate with cold fruity ice cream.
the staff was great. friendly and providing me with a few amuse-bouches between meals such as a duck croquet and coconut ice biscuit/cake with cream cheese frosting. while the meals were a bit expensive - the quality of food, service and atmosphere is well worth it.

i wish i could give this restaurant a higher rating as it was by far the most exceptional fine dining experience 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 deliciousmealthat 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!

dash has a wonderful ambience. the dark wooden floors and dim lighting set a soft, relaxed mood quite nicely.
the amouse bouche of lamb and pecan nuts with a honey soya glaze was fantastic and really set the tone for the rest of the meal. i had the starter anchovy caesar salad was tasty but could have done with a little more of the fish. i did like how it worked with the cheese and the dressing though.
my salmon main was sublime. i have not had anymealthat good in south africa yet. the fish was perfectly cooked and the presentation of the dish with the vibrant vegetables was masterful. the combination of the granadilla, fish and vegetables went together perfectly. though i did disagree somewhat with the addition of the prawns to the dish. i don't think it needed them.
the service throughout themealwas of great class. never invasive. rather disappointing was that the original choice of fish for the main had run out but the staff were most accommodating about this and a plan was made to substitute with norwegian salmon instead.
overall a heavily enjoyedmealin a beaitiful setting with classy service. only a little more live piano would be nice next time. this was a great addition to the atmosphere. well done, dash!

dash was the best overall dining experience that i have had in cape town thus far (although thanks to zomato the journey is far from over!). their balance between luxury dining and 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 themealoff with coffee overlooking table mountain is a must.

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 themeal- 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

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 themealwith. both main dishes were huge - they were so filling that we could hardly finish themealand 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 exquisitemealfrom 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 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.

ourmealwas peaceful , leisurely and left us with huge smiles and full bellies.

i absolutley adored mymealhere and will definitely be back again.

dash is fine dining and more ! everymealis 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 !

everymealthat 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.

everymealis 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.