It’s quite crazy how Cape Town is divided into it’s various areas and people don’t leave their area unless they really have to. Since living in Seapoint, I seldom eat at restaurants that aren’t in town or on the Atlantic Seaboard. When I do it’s generally a ‘day trip’ to Kalk Bay or something.
So I’m very happy to be able to review something in the Southern Suburbs for a change. I was in the Southern Suburbs on Saturday for our Just Add Heart visit to Oasis recycling depot in Landsdowne, afterwards we had some lunch at a place called Starlings. It’s in a converted house and it has a great feel. As I walked in I liked the cosy, homely feel straight away. There’s no fancy decor, it’s simple and functional. They also have a garden with some tables which would be awesome on a hot, summer day.
The menu fits that theme (simple and functional), offering some breakfast options and for lunch, soups, salads and sandwiches. I was hoping to try their breakfast (about R40 for an English breakfast) but was not able to because they stop serving breakfast at midday and it was 12:15. I’ve included this review in the Breakfast Hunt category anyway, because I think it’s a good breakfast option (assuming the breakfast is good, which it should be judging by the rest of the food). I settled for the quiche with salad (R40). It was light and fresh, a great meal unless you are very hungry (which also meant it wasn’t the best value option). If you are hungry, I can recommend the steak sandwich (R55). The bacon and brie sandwich (R45) featured a generous portion of bacon. We didn’t try the soups but they sounded interesting.
We ended with coffees (R17) which were great, unsurprisingly as they use Origin coffee. Service was a tad reluctant, but the place is really small so we just grabbed staff as they walked past and forced them to do things for us.
Starlings is not exactly cheap, but it doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It’s easy going, with simple and tasty fare. I like it, and recommend it happily.
Starlings
Belvedere Road, Claremont
021 671 6875
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2 responses to “Starlings review”
Just down the road at Library Square in Claremont is A Tavolo, quite possibly the best Italian food I have tasted, ever. Highly recommended, even for those of us who have to make the long schlep from Sea Point. On the Monday night I went, it was packed (we had booked).
Starlings is great! In summer, you sit outside under a genuine load-bearing pear tree and hope that they don’t fall on your head. The tea, also from Origin (or Nigiro, the tea side of Origin) is outstanding and beautifully presented as well in those glass teapots. Divine.