BRUNCH can be confusing. Technically, it’s a contraction of breakfast and lunch, served from mid-morning till about 1pm – with or without alcoholic beverages, although I don’t understand why you wouldn’t have a Bloody Mary or a Mimosa since it’s probably weekend when day drinking is not as frowned upon as on a Tuesday.
Being a combination meal, the menu usually includes a variety of breakfast items, followed by some lunchy dishes, and perhaps desserts for good measure. In Dubai, however, “brunches replace traditional mid-morning eggs with a five-star afternoon feast of signature dishes coupled with free-flowing beverages. A gourmet afternoon served up in a la carte and buffet format, many allow diners to experience flavours from around the world in a sitting,” according to Conde Naste Traveller. It is this style that Tobago’s Restaurant Bar and Terrace at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront is serving up, called Breakers Brunch.
The location is among the best Cape Town has to offer, with outdoor seating under umbrellas and a view of the ocean with all its attendant features like a variety of boats, yachts, kayaks, pirate ships (well, only one I know of), container ships, and streams of low-flying birds. Naturally, opportunistic seagulls lurk, kept at bay by a person with a large feather duster. Perhaps the tool itself is intended to send a message.
Inside the restaurant are the buffets – an array of individually portioned seafood and shellfish, salads, meaty treats, breads, cheeses, sushi which never stops, and dessert. Always remember, life is short so eat dessert first, and no one will judge you here. At one point, the nice pastry chef was at the laden table, touting his wares, and even though we were still between appetisers and mains, I popped a profiterole in my mouth because why not? Also, you might fill up too much on other delights and not have space for dessert and that’s just too terrible to contemplate.
In hindsight, I should have just stuck with the buffet (I’d skipped a bit of it in anticipation of the platter), both for what is offered as well as pacing my belly capacity. The seafood main course comprises grilled prawns, crumbed calamari strips, a seafood taco, and a three-cheese and herb arancini. There’s a mussel pot too but I couldn’t have that on account of allergy.
And so onto desserts. More sneaky profiteroles, strawberry cheesecake, orange panna cotta, crème caramel, red velvet truffles, and my friend’s favourite, deconstructed milk tart. The crème brûlée was all gone, sadly. There are koeksisters and doughnuts, macarons, tiramisu, and three flavours of ice cream with all sorts of toppings to add. White is vanilla, obviously, and equally apparent is pink for strawberry. But the pale green? Not mint. Not pistachio. Asparagus. It sounds weird and not appetising but it wasn’t that bad, with only a hint of the vegetable about it. I wouldn’t want a whole bowl though.
DATES
- 26 November 2022
- 3, 10 & 17 December 2022
- 7 & 28 January 2023
- 4 & 25 February 2023
- 4 & 25 March 2023
- 1 April 2023
Booking is essential. To make a reservation call +27 21 441 3000 or email capetown.tobagos@radissonblu.com