When I was a kid, I’d play in the yard enjoying the last few rays of sunshine, before being ushered inside to a home-cooked meal with the family. Strangely enough, it’s very similar feeling when visiting Steffanie’s Place.
The restaurant opens onto a beautiful patio boasting magnificent views of False Bay. We sipped on a drink until starters were ready and we were asked to enter the intimate restaurant, where dinner begins.
Starters
Tomato Soup
The soup was rich, hearty with a touch of cream, which was balanced deliciously with fresh mint. A perfect, simple, yet homely starter to get the meal going.
Oysters
There gorgeous fresh oysters were served as they should be – with a dash of lemon and a sprits of Tabasco.
Mains
Calamari
Straight from the ocean and as fresh as can be, the calamari was grilled to perfection. The tentacles were crisp and in a spicy rub and the tubes were grilled in a light garlic sauce. I personally preferred the tentacles, but that’s because I prefer spice to garlic. But overall, I found it so interesting that they chose to cook each a different way, as it added another dimension to the dish. And the chips, well, look at them, they were the business.
Dish of the Day: Something Wild
Not part of the standard a la carte menu, this dish was recommended to us by our waitress. The ostrich was served on a bed of mashed potatoes with orange and cranberry compote, which complemented the gamey flavour of the ostrich incredibly well. The mash was well seasoned and juuuust the right consistency. A definite winner.
Mussels
I could order this again and again and again. The mussels were delicately cooked in a saffron and lemon sauce, with just a touch of garlic and chilli for oomph. They were perfectly tender, not a single chewy bite let down this dish. I really loved that is wasn’t the stereotype overly-garlic-and-cream sauce, where all you can taste is the sauce and not the flavour of the sea.
The laid back approach in serving drinks on the terrace before dinner, while a more intimate dinner setting awaited you at the restaurant, ticked all the right boxes. The staff are attentive and knowledgeable without feeling imposing. It’s slick and professional, but is still a real family business serving great food that will have you come back for more.
Directions to Steffanie’s Place
113 Irene Avenue
7130
Somerset West
Tel: 021 852 7584
