Salsify at The Roundhouse

Recently relaunched deluxe restaurant The Roundhouse in Camps Bay, Cape Town, was originally linked to the British Governor of the Cape, Lord Charles Somerset, who used it as a hunting lodge or 'shooting box' in the early 19th century.

Somerset had it kitted out in all manner of luxury, and from this bed of satin he would roam the slopes of Table Mountain to pot lion, leopard and antelope.

When he wasn't involved in these gentlemanly pursuits, he was eagerly expanding British colonial policies like separate development for blacks (along with pass books), the eradication of the use of Dutch and kitchen Dutch, and the banning of the first English language newspapers of the Cape.

He was later recalled to England under a cloud of financial mismanagement. But history can be kind to the cruel. With the wealthy of his age we now associate grandeur and it is to this halcyon vision that the new Roundhouse turns.

Romantic and elegant space

What a pretty place this is. In a city that has more than its share of good looks, it is a contender for prettiest. With views that brochures would rightly call sweeping, the place invites being described in capital letters, and the new team behind The Roundhouse are of the same acme mind.

Dining here is an experience. You're met at your car to be led to the front door, lit at night by romantic lanterns. Entering the beautifully restored, very elegant space, you're soothed by large floral arrangements, delightfully shaped rooms, wraparound views, white linen and soft lighting.

The glassware and cutlery are fine, the chairs comfortable, the music unobtrusive.

Then there's the service. Owners Fasie Malherbe and Dale den Dulk are professionally involved in service training company Let's Sell Lobster, and The Roundhouse is an extension of this.

Malherbe is typically on the floor, moving about with precise yet effusive energy, and the service is characterised by sincerity and an understanding of the essence, which is to make the guest feel like peerage.

A 'notable wine personality'

The Roundhouse has a notable wine personality. Firstly, there's the wine list, commendable for its fair pricing and good selection; then there's the menu, where dishes are paired to wines both "regular" and "reserve".

The lasagna of wild mushroom pairing illustrates the typical level of quality: a "regular" pairing of Fairview Oom Pagel Semillon 2006 or the reserve pairing of Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2004.

Clearly, the distinction is chiefly founded on availability.

The wine list roams the globe. It also shoehorns Cape red blends into French categories, so Lourens River Valley and Cordoba Crescendo are in the category Bordeaux Right Bank, while Fusion V and Morgenster are listed under Bordeaux Left Bank. To my mind, this is rather simplistic and easily questioned.

When it comes to wine service, however, The Roundhouse gets it right. Wine by the glass is served in mini decanters, and the reds are cooled. Wines are elegantly poured, and if you order the soft shell crab with red in your glass, it's likely they will implore you to switch to a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

So your bill can escalate swiftly. Three courses for R220: with wine, R340; with the reserve wines, R670.

The menu lists collections of dishes under the headings First Course to Fifth Course (five courses with reserve wines, R1130) but you can mix and match as you desire.

I have now eaten here on three occasions and look forward to returning, although not primarily for the menu, despite the fact that it's packed with expressive, exuberant flavours and alluring combinations. That's actually the catch: the excesses of flavour and richness do not suit the multiple-course meals that you are invited to have.

In many instances, the style of the food is hearty and homely, only a few flourishes above bistro cuisine, and I'd prefer more finesse from the shooting box of Lord Charles Somerset. That said, I also think it's a case of "watch this space", as there's another excess here — of motivation — with its welcome buoyant energy.