SeaBreeze Fish & Shell — Restaurant in City Centre

Visited in December 2024. South Africa. Capetown.

This charming little seafood restaurant, nestled in the Gardens district, offers a bright and airy interior with a predominantly white color scheme. For those preferring al fresco dining, a cozy veranda provides a delightful alternative.

The Food:

Our culinary journey began with their half-price oyster special. These were impressively fresh and plump, brimming with briny flavor. The subtle vinegar note added an intriguing complexity and delightful contrast. Next, we sampled their fish and shrimp tacos, presented in soft tortillas. The tempura-battered seafood was perfectly complemented by the crisp vegetables and a well-balanced sauce. The balanced textures and flavors made for a highly satisfying dish. We also enjoyed the tempura shrimp; the light, crispy batter showcased the delicate sweetness of the seafood beautifully. However, the dish that truly captivated us was the fish samosas with pineapple ketchup. The pastry was exceptionally thin and crisp, almost resembling shortcrust pastry, cradling succulent, lightly marinated fish. Every dish we sampled demonstrated a commitment to high-quality, fresh ingredients.

Service:

Service was both friendly and attentive, with orders arriving promptly. Our server possessed excellent menu knowledge, providing helpful recommendations tailored to our preferences.

In conclusion:

In short, this restaurant offers a delightful and intimate setting. The skillfully prepared dishes, made with fresh, high-quality ingredients make this an excellent choice for a casual meal. Reservations, however, are advisable as it can...

Upon entering this establishment we were told that they have no space for us as we did not make a reservation. We were then told to wait whilst the host looked around and decided to seat us in a very tiny space towards the door. Which was not an issue, until the two tables next to us had guests and we were all sitting on top of each other. As I am not a fish fan, I decided to order the 7 King prawns and garlic herb rice(The most expensive meal on the menu marked at R360. Upon receiving my plate of food, I was appalled to see that these were not king prawns as the menu stated, the rice was not cooked to perfection and the accompanying sauce was not an adequate portion. A rather disappointing experience, I then told my waitron that this is not what was advertised. She alerted the manager, who was rather arrogant and insisted that I was incorrect. He even called out the chef who prepared this substandard dish who was equally disrespectful. I called them out on their rude behaviour and said it was uncalled for.

Once done with my meal, the manager appeared again to apologise and offer a complimentary dessert. Already being disappointed with the service and food, I politely declined.

Definitely the worst prawns I have ever eaten. P.S. I was so underwhelmed by my food that I never even took a photograph. 🙄 The plate of food featured was taken from another reviewers post from this establishment. But this is more or less what my plate of food for R360...

(Happy hour oysters! Must come for that) Came here craving for some nice seafood pasta and I think I read some good raving reviews on the squid ink seafood tagliatelle, plus their happy hour 50% off oysters at 12-1pm!! First, the oysters... They had both the knysna (I just had it the day before) and the Saldanha, which I chose the latter! It was similar to the Knysna, briny and succulent. However, they look really tiny... More like small than the medium as mentioned. But then for R21 per piece, this already is a bargain!! Next the pasta.... It was well presented with 4 mussel shells and some prawns. The mussels were good, but not great. As for the prawns, they were small and a tad too tough... Overcooked or even cooked 1st and then frozen I suspect. The coating of the sauce over the tagliatelle were consistent with a sweet and creamy texture. Not the most seafood-ish taste but I know some people will love it. As for me, the past itself is a 6.5/10 only...factoring the above points. So I probably won't be back for the pasta...but the oysters...yes yes... And rem to do it during their happy hour! (12-1pm and 5-6pm). Wanted to give this a 3 stars, but the restaurant had a pretty welcoming deco both on the outside and inside, with outdoors seats that will be good with sunshine... This can be a good place to hang out for a decent meal still. My overall rating... A...