la colombe

i finally got to tick one of the top 10 restaurants in cape town off my list! the food at la colombe was beautifully presented. so much so, that we frequently commented that we didn't want to eat it! most of it was delicious as well, but i can't give it a 5, simply based on my own opinion. some of the food was just too adventurous and the flavours didn't quite work together for me. on the whole, though, it was a wonderful experience.

i haven’t had such an amazing fine dining experience in quite a while but this was really tops it . the food was incredible - we had a 10 course meal with some lovely pallet cleansers in between. the service was incredible and the decor was lovely - really a beautiful experience. my favorite being the wagyu beef as well as the tuna

what can i say... excellent! everything is very well thought. from the booking system to the moment of your coffee after a delicious dinner. perfectly trained staff and helpful sommelier. the center of this experience is the food. very interesting plating that complements the complexity of the flavours. at the table we had both fish and meat dishes, all equally great. one place to add to your visits when in cape town.

the cuisine at la colombe is to die for. and it better be. our cab hugs perilous curves in the pitch black night with a practiced precision, not that there's another option as the crashing sea beneath leaves no margin for error. . i should also mention that we're traveling through a downpour. visibility is next to none as the rain flies, drenching a city that thirsts.

had to have the 7-course tasting menu, because it looked great. and it was. every course was superb, with unique taste combinations. the staff are incredibly well informed and service is excellent. the food is not unduly rich in flavor, as is sometimes the case at fine dining spots. fantastic wine selection too.

hands down the best tasting menu i have had. was blown away by all the flavours and experience from each meal. the presentation and servicing was also exceptional.

food is our theatre. hope you enjoyed the show!! that was the message inside our bill fold when we had lunch at la colombe. the show began with the drive up to the top of silvermist where we parked our car and walked into the reception area of la colombe. we were warmly greeted and taken straight down the stairs where there is a podium. on it is a garden arrangement with palate cleansers placed on plates. we were told to carefully lift the white chocolate and cocoa butter orb as it is fragile. we popped it into our mouths and bit into it. i opened mine a little too violently. but the verjuice centre did its trick and i was left with a sense of anticipation of what is to come. while we were waiting for lara and clinton to join us, jean, our waiter, brought us a bottle of sparkling mineral water.

la colombe - one of the greatest fine dinning experiences i've had in a while. the setting was beautiful in new-lands forest. the food was a great take on homemade taste, turned fine cuisine. the smoked ox tongue was by far the star of the meal.

the food was a brilliant fusion of sublime tastes and visual stimulation . both flavors and presentation were on point ! the wines were sumptuous and superbly paired with their respective dishes. service was excellent both the waitstaff and sommelier were informative friendly and attentive . i felt the bland decorative style of the restaurant with average round tables did detract from the overall experience. all in all a wonderful and highly recommended spot!

what sorcery is this. absolute magic. number 1 in south africa for a reason no doubt. not sure food, service, ambience can get much better. i look forward to returning to their theatre.

la colombe deserves its reputation as one of the best restaurants. from arrival, the experience was inimitable. every course is excellently thought through, and the presentation thereof is akin to watching a performance of your favourite artist. we did both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage flights, and both were uniquely theirs. it's important to note this is an experience and not just a sit down meal. be eager as some surprises await you!

i was so excited to come to la colombe for lunch. we brought an overseas friend to lunch and decided la colombe would be the right choice. upon arrival, we greeted by the hostess and offered something to clear our palates. they had charming white chocolate egg with a citrus fruit juice inside. the chocolate eggs were nestled amongst branches of a beautiful display of foliage. needless to say, if this was the introduction, we were in for a fabulous food journey.
     we were shown our seats, perused the drinking menu and chose groot constantia 2017 pinotage. what a smooth, delightful wine! we then chose which menu we would choose, the spring menu or the chef's menu. i liked both but i felt the chef's menu would be a bit too much to eat for lunch, so spring menu it was. we all chose that menu. 
     our menu began with marlin tataki, burnt lime & lamb roti. 7 courses of delectable delights. i'm in trouble! out came this exquisite forest with the marlin tataki/burnt lime and the lamb roti was petite and presented in a rock carved out. it was delicately displayed and the aromas were tantalizing to the senses. the amazing waiter who served the food and explained the process of how you should eat the food and it was helpful. i wish there was smell-a-vision with pictures. it was mind-blowing.  
     we then followed up with sweet potato bread with waygu drippings/oxtail i had crumbs of the bread all over the table. it was worth it! so good is an understatement. beautiful, art, chefiness at it's finest. oh man. we then had a blind tasting of tuna "la colombe." it is crazy how the chef is able to beautiful balance the freshest ingredients which are artfully paired and arranged, nestled within a can with ingredients listed on one side and the "la colombe" on the front of the label. as you open your can, the smell wafts into the air, causing you to salivate. it was playful, and truly an experience that was interactive. so many highlights and not a single disappointment was to be had!! every single course was an explosion of flavor, mouth-watering aromas to tantalize the taste buds, a true feast of the eyes and senses.

i could go on but rather make a booking. go there. you won't be disappointed. our waitress, marion was a delight! she made our experience sublime! just know that this is on the pricy side but it's worth every single paper money spent! this is eating for the art of food, not just eat and fill your tummy.

lacolombe restaurant
silvermist (constantia)

so i haven't done one of these in a while because we have been going to the same places that i've already done a review for. however for lunch yesterday we were privileged to go to one of the top restaurants in the country again. we were not disappointed. from the minute we walked in, to the time we walked out. everything was truly amazing.

when you walk into la colombe, we start off with a chocolate-coated shell holding a citrus flavour palate cleanser that explodes in your mouth. we were then shown to our table, where philip our waiter would look after us for the afternoon. philip was friendly and funny and really made our experience perfect.

picking the winter special menu which was 7 courses and just as well we were hungry because there was more than enough food for lunchtime.

first course: marlin tataki, burnt lime, lamb roti. server in a mini garden on the table it was more like two little bite-sized morsels of flavour and deliciousness. the lamb roti was so tender you could pull the rib bone out of the roti without disturbing it.

second course: sweet potato, wagyu drippings, oxtail. this dish gets mixed at the table and the smells were amazing. the sweet potato bread was fresh and dipping them into the mix was a taste sensation.

third course: tuna ‘la colombe’. this is their signature dish and it has never tasted so dam delicious. perfect tuna with a little kick of spice. my dish of the day so i thought.

fourth course: kerala style quail, prawn, coriander. well, i had to change my mind and say that this was the best dish of the day. perfect little quail drumstick, with a yummy prawn and the perfectly cooked duck breast with the coriander dressing to die for.

fifth course: naartjie. the best sorbet i’ve tasted in years. served on a smoking tree, it looked as good as it tasted.

main meal (sixth course): malay style linefish. yellowtail cooked perfectly with crispy skin and delicious sauces and crispy squid and chargrilled corn.

or petit poussin, sweetbreads, truffle. great looking dish with yummy veggies and great tasting sweetbreads. the poussin was the only slightly disappointing part of the meal, which was a touch dry.

dessert (seventh course): bahibe, blood orange, smoked almond. sweet but not overpowering. just the perfect end to a perfect meal. smoked almond ice cream, chocolate mousse topped with blood orange and dark chocolate.

petit fours: speckled egg, rooibos macaron. served on the mini garden the speckled egg was amazing.

we couldn’t have asked for a better eating experience! for anyone thinking about going, i would highly recommend this as a must-do!!

lacolombe restaurant teeth rating:
food: 10 "teeth" out of 10
service and staff: 10 " teeth" out of 10
ambience: 10 "teeth" out of 10
overall: 30 "teeth" out of 30

wow! wow! wow!

i’m a local capie and this is my 3rd time here. bravo👏👏👏

of course a little pricey for most but you should try visit la colombe at least once a year.

amazingly delicious!! super creative and inventive dishes delivered in a beautiful restaurant by friendly people. if you can splurge a little.. you can definitely splurge it here, you won’t regret it.