The Bungalow has harnessed a lot of hype through social media, especially from YouTubers, and as former YouTubers, ourselves, my wife and I added it to our bucket list of places to visit, the next time we were in Cape Town.
That time came on Thursday, September 28, 2023.
We, a party of three, went to The Bungalow for lunch; our first impression was that its location was ideal, being both tranquil and scenic. The restaurant possesses two seating options, indoor and outdoor, and we chose to sit outside because the view to Clifton Beach is breathtaking; however, if one looks slightly to the right, it is flawed by the presence of a soccer field, used by the locals.
Another flaw to this almost-idyllic restaurant is the roadway division between the restaurant and the outdoor seating area, which is traversed by local pedestrians and automobiles.
But on to more positives.
We were given Table 74 and assigned Henriiiii as our waiter for the day, a unique and unforgettable name as was his personality; he was the best, conversational and welcoming. The Bungalow’s ambience was right, with just the perfect amount of chitter-chatter and cling-clanging in the background, complimented by sunlight and a soft breeze, which served as an ideal afternoon lunch mood with a natural soundtrack.
We ordered three Raspberry Mules as cocktails, which were served in the cutest silver containers that resembled mini vases; the cocktails were both attractive and delicious.
I ordered the Seafood Platter For One, which consisted of lobster, shrimp, fish and calamari, served with a bowl of rice, two sauces and a half of lemon. My wife had the Tempura Battered Fish: a deep fried fish, served with french fries, tartar sauce and another sauce, and our third party had the sushi (Spicy Tuna Signature Roll, 8pc); lemon slices accompanied their meals too.
For dessert we had Bungalow Ice Cream: a mixture that came with ice cream, caramel popcorn and brownies streaked with chocolate syrup, Chocolate Pot De Creme: a scoop of ice cream that sat on top of oats and nuts with a hardened chocolate base and the third was cheesecake served with ice cream. They were primed for photos and entertained our tastebuds delightfully.
All in all, the foods were delicious; price-wise, it was good value for money, except for the Seafood Platter, which was more expensive there than anywhere else in the world, where I ever had one, including Europe, North America / the Caribbean.
Our waiter Henriiiii was a star throughout and we extended a well-deserved tip to him.
Unfortunately, the side effects of what my wife and our third party ate were not so pleasant, because they both suffered diarrhoea later that afternoon. We are not sure if the side effects were from the main courses or their chosen desserts, but a closer inspection of some photos taken on the day revealed hair in the dessert of the caramel popcorn and brownies.
So, it is a bitter-sweet review, considering that there were equally good and bad.
Based on my meal only, I’d definitely dine there again, but I doubt that the others, who ate with me, share the same sentiment.
© Ian T. Sebàs 2023
Bleeding Pen 