Kudu

Really nice spot in a calm location, with tables and chairs outside which are perfect when the sun’s out. Visited without a booking and arrived quite early, so initially stopped in for a glass of wine. The staff were welcoming and offered food, so I decided to try the steak before heading out later for drinks. The food was lovely great flavours, well cooked, and nicely presented. Staff were attentive throughout without being overbearing. Great selection of wines. The interiors downstairs feel vibrant yet comfortable, with a really relaxed atmosphere. At the end of the meal, they mentioned the cocktail bar upstairs, which was a lovely surprise. The upstairs bar is beautiful and intimate, with dimmed warm lighting, soft furnishings, and subtle music. A really comfortable place to sit, have cocktails and hear each other talk.

I highly recommend the food at this restaurant! The beef tartare is very innovative—it has a refreshing, unique, and delicious flavor! Highly recommended! The quail skewers are also delicious—they’re exceptionally tender, and the sauce is a pleasant surprise. The bread tastes great—it’s similar to Japanese-style toast but with a chewier texture. The black tiger shrimp were just okay; they were overcooked and a bit bitter, but the sauce was a pleasant surprise. The oysters were also just okay. The sauce for the pork was good, but not rich enough; the steak was just average—not bad, though. I highly recommend the ice cream! What a pleasant surprise! It really has that charcoal-grilled flavor, and the texture is rich and layered. It’s a combination I’ve never tried before, but it works incredibly well—it’s a case of 1+1 being greater than 2! On the downside, even though we made a reservation in advance, when we arrived, we were seated at an outdoor table without a fan, even though there were plenty of empty tables inside. We asked to switch seats, but they wouldn’t let us move inside. So the whole dining experience was pretty unpleasant because it was just too hot.

The key to Kudu is to come with enough pals to share plates with! I would recommend 3-4 people so you can 'try more for less'. Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday and 4 of us decided to share some of the star dishes and it was so good. The bread?? Insane. Soft. Fluffy. Hot. The cape malay butter was to die for. The prawn one was yummy too. For mains, four of us shared the pork chop, whole sea bass and t-bone steak. All three were beautifully flavoured. For starters I had the grilled prawns with peri peri sauce which was very moreish! Sides of african carrots and fingerling potatos also went down a treat. The desserts weren't as standout as the other dishes but still good. I especially liked the cardamom brulée. Our birthday girl knew a chef in the kitchen so we got some comped bits too which was nice. The service, however, was a little bit meh. Granted we were a table of 8 with a bit of food, but the waiter was consistently nowhere to be found to get things like water or even add more to our order. I actually had to get up to get someone at some point. It was so bad, the table debated removing the service charge. Charged it to an off night.

10/10, no notes - loved the bread with the shrimp and the Malay butters, the prawn with peri peri sauce, the monkfish (this was our favourite dish by far), and the Kit Kat dessert (not many vegetarian options). The counter seating was perfect to see the chefs at work, and the staff were all so friendly and fantastic. It’s quite expensive, though worth the price. Will definitely be back!