dash - queen victoria hotel

dashrestaurant& 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 fine dining offered 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.

went for my birthday and that is truly the best time to go. we got complimentary bubbles and an amazing birthday message. the service at thisrestaurantis adequate when considering the amount of time you are left unattended.

i have recently decided go sober for a while😢 and their virgin cocktail menu is so short it’s sad. the food options are limited, but it tastes so yummy that i don’t mind.

the views aren’t that great, given its proximity to the waterfront. it’s still amazing though.

booked lunch as part ofrestaurantweek. therestaurantis absolutely gorgeous with the most comfortable chairs (which serve you well after stuffing your face with their delicious menu options). stunning views of table mountain from the balcony.

therestaurantweek menu allows you to pick a starter, main and dessert from the options presented.

for starters, i had the duck confit noodles. very lovely, but missing either soy sauce or fish sauce. had to add some salt for the missing sodium element.

white truffle you say! well of course i had to opt for the mushroom risotto for mains. very dense, very rich, all kinds of goodness! but the veggie crisps i felt were a bit misplaced.

for dessert i chose the green tea parfait. definitely an interesting mix of flavours. would've loved that apple sorbet in between the courses, it was so refreshing! the green tea parfait component was very creamy.

portion sizes of the courses are really big! i could not finish my dessert.

the food is good. not wow, but definitely above average.

the service is impeccable. monica, the waitress assigned to my table; was super attentive, gave good recommendations and so warm.

special mention to the hostess, sasha, who was an absolute darl!

dashrestaurantis 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 the meal and 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.

mutton or lamb?

with very high reviews, we were expecting a great dinner. the elegant décor of the hotel entrance heightened the sense of stylish fulfillment, as did the vogue cover blonde sitting in the lobby. perhaps the fact that she was eating salad from a tupperware should have been a warning.

in therestaurantthe ambience was sophisticated but subdued, the whole place like a stifled sneeze, with people speaking in muted tones rather than diners animated by their food.

the menu was simple. a few courses for starters, main and desert. i don't mind that, even prefer fewer choices. but the choices were uninspiring. mains were the steak, chicken, venison, vegetarian, fish or lamb. alright, so they covered the bases. but the descriptions of the dishes left me unexcited, like they had been culled from my wife's dinner party go-to menu. nothing wrong with the choices your wife gives you. my wife for the record, is an excellent cook! but i expect dinner at a place with this type of price list and a gourmet chef (hopefully) in the kitchen, to be replete with a tingle of anticipation at something recognizable but also novel, like when the sweet new masseuse at the spa says "have you tried the cinnamon hot wax treatment?"

the amuse' bouche arrived. except it wasn't amusing and was best described as a blob of tuna mayonnaise with a finely diced teaspoon of side salad.

we decided to skip starters. everything was recognizable and instantly forgettable.

the mains came in due course. my wife's chicken with butternut confit and corn was tasty but dry. my fillet steak with spinach purée and veg was good but could have come off my own grill. the accompaniments were competent but unexceptional. the couple we were with were chewing thoughtfully on the fish and chicken but there were no exclamations of delight.

after that coffee rather than desert seemed a better ending.

just as well we enjoyed the wine and the company! and the décor. i left with a vague sense of letdown and decided based on the dinner that the blonde model with the long legs in the lobby was probably a dude.

after finishing our martinis in the bar area, we were taken into therestaurantfor dinner. whilst reading the menu, the chef welcomed us with a pork belly and bacon appetiser. we were also served parmesan flavoured bread and ciabatta, with three types of butter, plain, pesto and honey and sundried tomatoes. my favourite butter was the pesto and honey flavour, the texture was light and the combination of flavours was a marriage made in heaven! for starters, i ordered the beetroot cured salmon, horseradish apple slaw and bread crisps. my partner ordered the double baked gorgonzola soufflé, with biltong shavings and hazelnuts. the combination of flavours was amazing and presented beautifully!

read more about my dash experience on, the authentic girl.

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 dashrestaurantand bar at the queen victoria hotel at the v&a waterfront. i had the absolute honour of dining there 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.

this elegantrestaurantin the queen victoria hotel is a pearl within the ocean of average restaurants.

we visited therestaurantat noon where only a limited selection of starters, main courses and deserts are served.

but the quality and creativity is amazing. we had

- the line fish with sticky soy glazed fish cake, apple chutney and apple-beetroot salad

- a lamb burger, halloumi, hummus and tomato jam

- chicken supreme with broccoli and walnut crush and blue cheese glaze

all good and all extraordinary.

to highlight is also the amazing staff - very friendly and efficient. you can't be served better!

i wish i could give thisrestauranta 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 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 arestaurantas 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!

we had a lovely evening at dash. took us a while to find the place as we thought it was in the same hotel as the oyorestaurantbut turns out its actually on the opposite side, on top of the hill overlooking the waterfront. we were celebrating our anniversary and they treated us a to a small bottle of champagne on arrival. service was very slick and professional. food was very good. dessert was by far my favourite dish - a banana parfait, salted caramel popcorn and ice cream. would definitely like to visit here again in summer so we can enjoy the view 😊

i had the privilege of dining at dash in celebration of my mom's birthday. i guess it's always difficult to give arestaurantfive 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 our dining experience 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 goodrestaurantis 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 the perfect spot to celebrate a special occasion with a loved one. the food is excellent and the service beyond good. while therestaurantis small you can't go wrong with breakfast or dinner at this spot. for breakfast try the eggs benedict!

we had a business dinner here. therestaurantis real 5 star. i had the double baked gorgonzola souffle as a starter. it was delicious. as main i had the line fish which was salmon. it was one of the best fish dishes i have had. the different flavours complimented each other. as dessert the chocolate fondant was the winner as usual. i do find therestauranta bit pricey compared to other top restaurants in cape town.

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 superbrestaurantand experience

recently my plus 1 and i were invited to dine at dashrestaurantinside 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}