dash - queen victoria hotel

what a wonderful way to spend a saturday evening! my boyfriend and i were treated to a foodie night to remember in the heart of cape town's waterfront. their new executive chef germaine esau,  is said to be one of the most innovative chefs in the country, so we had to try out his tasting menu!

we were welcomed by a live pianist and elderflower and pomegranate cocktails - their signatures, and then settled in for the evening by the elegant coal fire. 

we enjoyed their tasting menu with wine pairing (r375 + r50 per wine), which began with a turnip soup accompanied by bacon jam and olive toast. the next dish was, "as fresh as ever," according to my boyfriend and i agree - it was fresh and from the sea; kingklip carpaccio, avo mousse andsalmontartar. moving on to mains, which was seared duck breast, confit baby chicken, with cranberry jus and carrot purée. and for dessert *inserts hands on head emoji* - it was wow, a chocolate surprise! all the food was carefully crafted and perfectly paired.

we left feeling well fed and jolly from all the wine and deliciousness. i'd also like to give the staff a special mention, who did a stellar job all around.

we cannot wait to go back.

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 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 norwegiansalmonwhich 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 of dining at 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 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 ofsalmontartare. 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. thesalmontartare was honestly one of the best flavor combinations i've ever tasted - that silkysalmonwith 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). thesalmonwas 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 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.
mysalmonmain was sublime. i have not had any meal that 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 the meal was 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 norwegiansalmoninstead.
overall a heavily enjoyed meal in 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 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 main dining area, not too my taste at all, but maybe that's just personal opinion. the live grand piano certainly adds some wonderful ambiance.

the beetroot curedsalmonwas 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 fine dining restaurant.

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

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.

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 curedsalmon( thesalmonis 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 thesalmonand 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.

thesalmonstarter 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.

we found this restaurant on the zomato app, and are glad we did. 
we were looking for a place to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversay, and dash did the job brilliantly. 
the service was outstanding. our waitress phindiwe was knowledgeable, friendly, attentive and discreet. they are obviously going for a five-star experience here, and it works. 
the food was amazing too - we hadsalmonand asparagus starters, and beef fillet and springbok main courses. all with little touches - a jus made from cos lettuce, for instance, which was amazing. there was home-made bread with flavoured butters, there was an amuse bouche in the form of a zingy fish cake - and there were out-of-this world blue macaroons (yes, blue) at the end of the meal. the price was considerably higher than the r500 for two that zomato estimates, but it was worth every cent (the wine prices are high too). 
the only reason i gave this 4.5 rather than 5 stars was the fact that the restaurant was empty except for one other table - just not quite enough "buzz" for us. this has been mentioned in another review here and we agree - why is the place not packed to the rafters?
(pics show the restaurant and my asparagus starter)