Sunday 8 January 2012

The Bungalow, NYE in Cape Town




Bit of a dodgy name I thought when invited to the opening party of "The Bungalow", just before Xmas 2011. Bungalow to me still has the resonance of retired persons final dwellings in say places like Bognor Regis or Folkestone - shabby genteel at best. Perhaps I am prejudiced as during most of my school days, my parents lived in one !

However, Cape Town's leading restaurant entreprenuer ( or should I say, moghul ) Paul Kovensky ( standing reluctantly with me above ) seemed to have no such misgivings in naming his new creation. Perhaps because along the next few beaches at Clifton, only the richest can afford the famous "bungalows" which dot their landscape.

Recruiting a good Chef with international experience was a good move by Paul and its cuisine far surpasses the only other beach club type place on the front, wrongly named "The Grand". The Grand ( in name only ), manages to get just about everything wrong that The Bungalow gets right. Food terrible, service poor and a security manager that seems to delight in fighting with would-be guests.

But having been to the Bungalow's opening party, I had little hesitation in booking it for the NYE celebration to welcome in 2012.

It lived up to expectation and despite having only been open for a total of 10 days or so, food, service and overall ambience far exceeded expectations. My only advice to Paul for next NYE's party - double your prices and let your chef deliver a more memorable feast.