Thumbs Up/ Thumbs Down: Thumbs Down!
Price Range: Avg. Price  per meal R 170
Type: Restaurant
Crowd: Slightly older crowd/ Souther Suburbs Locals/ Tourists
Service: 5/10
Day Of the Week: Monday (Public Holiday)
Time: 13:00 pm
Address:  Chapmans Peak drive, Hout Bay
Unique Aspects:

What an absolute and utter disappointment I am afraid to say!

It almost feels as though this institution is flying on the wings of its historic past which may have once offered a premium service for a premium price, but what is left is simply the premium price and the same vista – but this is just not enough to carry it further!

After having read and being told about the great seafood on offer, specifically the legendary calamari, to have been served what masqueraded as a seafood platter was just short of pitiful.

It is in these instances where I prefer to not even write up about a spot that I have visited simply because I feel that I may have had a one off experience which was a complete outlier and would prefer not to muddy the water for others. I am however then compelled to continue to publish a write up as the very point of this blog is to crowd source the experience of others and come to a mutual conclusion.

Here goes, in as few words as possible.

Arriving at the front desk to be told by the maitre’d or front of house staff that if you are not present when your name is called to be seated that you will lose your spot (and entirely unwilling to take my number to call when a table becomes available – it is an hour wait at the end of the day) is enough to chase me away from any place. This brought back memories of my 13 year old self arriving to the lunch hall at school for the very first time. It was however a far distance to get there so I decided to look past this.

After a 45 minute wait at the bar, having my name shouted across the bar to hustle to my table is hardly a premium hotel-like experience. I mean come on, really? Rule no. 1 of hospitality, treat your clients with some level of respect and dignity – you are a service oriented business at the end of the day! What is worse for me is that you are likely serving our foreign visitors, what are they to think?

It was one nightmare after the other I am afraid. A seafood platter of undercooked prawns and cold flavourless calamari with a side salad which was of the same calibre as that which may be received at a low-end restaurant is just not good enough when you are charging a more than average price. I have no words to describe this further!

Please, if you have had a decent experience here, do let me know as I am far too jaded to head back to The Chapmans Peak Hotel for lunch anytime soon.

Website: http://www.chapmanspeakhotel.co.za/restaurant-e.htm