I had lunch at Pastis in Constantia a few Sundays ago and it was very nice. It was a wintery day and Pastis offered a nice cosy environment, due in no small way to the toasty fire in the lounge/bar section. They have a patio section which must also be lovely in summer. Pastis presents itself as a french brasserie, which explains the french influence on the menu. The menu looked appealing and reasonably priced, we were disappointed that the first 3 items we chose were not available (there was no fish and no chicken apparently, but there is a Woolworths next door so I don’t see why they couldn’t go and get some chicken at least). I ended up having a bacon and avo burger (R58) which was good. My friend had the chicken livers from the bar menu which was also nice (R33) although it was done in a gravy and I prefer peri-peri. We washed it down with a reasonably priced bottle of red wine, the name and price of which has long ago escaped my memory.
The lunch experience started on a good note service wise, because there were no free tables inside the waiter fetched a table and some chairs from outside and squeezed us in. I always appreciate it when the staff make an effort and think laterally (pity they couldn’t apply that thinking to the chicken problem). However, by the end of our meal, we were rather neglected. I’m not sure if it was because we were a bit out of the way or because we had been there for quite a long time.
After the meal, we nursed the remnants of our wine whilst relaxing on a couch in front of the fire. A lovely way to spend an afternoon. If you’re in the area, I recommend you try it. They do have TVs in the bar area if you are the type who needs to keep an eye on the game.
Pastis Restaurant
High Constantia Centre, Constantia Main Road
Tel: 021 794 8334
http://www.pastisbrasserie.co.za/