Azure Restaurant — Restaurant in Western Cape

This review is based on the fact that the standard of the hotel and therefore also the restaurant is quite high. Okay, let's start. We got a corner table, which was absolutely fantastic. Nice view of the sunset and into the restaurant. The hostess asked for our first drink of the night (gin & tonic or champagne). We ordered a glass each but never received it. We didn't complain and just waited to place a new order. The waitress, who was super nice, came and offered us some water and gave us some nice bread and spreads. She didn't come back for about 20 minutes, which was just a bit too long, seeing as we only had water and we were hoping to get on the balcony with a glass of champagne for sunset. Never mind, we went outside without a drink. Sat down again and after 5 minutes, she cleaned the table and asked for our food order. We ordered two beers, which also took quite some time. Then the food came. We went for the tasting menu with wine. Food overall was well-prepared but compared to other fine dining restaurants, we were surprised by the concept of repeating the mushroom theme on two dishes. Anyhow, it's okay. The Springbok was nice and maybe a little bit too big. We were struggling a bit with the size. Overall, a good experience but as mentioned, I rate on a high standard, so I would only rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars. Now back to the service or rather the management of the restaurant. We came to the conclusion that the waiters are only as good as their management. Please, 12 Apostel management, educate your staff better on the food and especially the wine. A Sangiovese Pinot Noir Bordeaux blend we were told was the red wine. Doesn't make sense at all, and it was a Cape blend with typical SA grapes. Anyway, that was rather funny, and the waitress was very professional. Not a problem at all, but it shows a lack of education/training. One thing that was not acceptable was the fact that none of the tables were cleared once the guests left, which ended up with us looking at all those dirty tables for the remainder of our 5-course meal. Also, I think the management should instruct all the waiters on how to move efficiently: bring one thing, take something. Make sure you don't walk around with empty hands. This will help clean the tables faster and maybe also help with the tempo of the service. We noticed another table complaining about not getting their drinks. For 12 Apostel, that should be unacceptable. Please work on these things and become one of the best restaurants in Cape Town again. You have everything you need, just use your...

We booked this in advance knowing it had a vegan menu (as there aren’t many fine dining restaurants who offer similar). We arrived early to watch the sunset, but the outdoor area was closed due to the weather. So we stayed in the leopard bar for drinks instead. The staff were extremely friendly and attentive and we got lots of lovely nibbles to accompany our cocktails. This sadly is where the good experience ended. We went down to Azure and were greeted by our waitress. We explained that we were having the vegan menu, to which she then spoke at us (rather inaudible) for a few moments and went away. A selection of breads were brought to the table and we awaited our 4 course vegan ‘earth’ tasting menu. The first starter - canned chickpeas, 3 x edamame beans photographed on a plate. Taste and textures both similarly bland and uninspiring, not to mention the portion size. Was more of an amuse bouche than a course! Second starter - textures of butternut squash. This was more promising - the flavours were more prominent and interesting but the savoury doughnut was dense and greasy. There was one small piece of roasted squash, which was tasty, but again, not enough of it. Main - cauliflower steak. This was more like a couple of florets rather than a ‘steak.’ The flavours of this dish had the most promise - sweet sticky sultanas paired with a well seasoned roasted cauli. However, there were no other accompaniments (beside one kale leaf) and it was crying out for a starch and some more nice green veg. The dish just felt incomplete. Dessert - this consisted of tinned pineapple, plain roasted nuts, a berry sauce that tasted so reduced we think it was jam. This is possibly one of the worst ‘fine dining’ vegan desserts we’ve had. It felt as though they were offering a vegan menu but couldn’t be bothered with it. Similarly, after our waitress knew we were having a vegan menu, she didn’t bother with us. 4 courses took almost 2 hours to come, with very little interaction from our server - we weren’t offered more drinks or bread etc. This was especially disconcerting, as the two tables either side of us (both ordering the steak special) were given far more attention. We were offered petit fours before our bill arrived - sadly these were inedible. Huge lumps of bitter dark chocolate, encasing plain nuts. The chocolate was not tempered, so it was so dense and hard to bite - we did not bother eating! Pleasant ambience but definitely wouldn’t venture out of central Cape Town, where there are far more interesting vegan...

Executive Summary: The restaurant boasts a stunning location with uninterrupted ocean and sunset views. Chef Christo Pretorius and his team delivered an exceptionally flavorful and well-curated menu for the evening. The ambiance, along with the thoughtful gift bags and table gifts, truly enhanced the experience. However, the service did not meet the expected level of attentiveness.

Booking & Arrival: Securing the Valentine’s Day dinner reservation required some back and forth due to an initial misunderstanding on the respondent’s side.

On the evening of the event, we were warmly welcomed and offered a complimentary glass of champagne. We were then shown to our table and given the option to enjoy our drinks on the balcony overlooking the ocean. Our waiter introduced himself, offered to take a photo for us, and assured us he would be taking care of us throughout the evening.

Dining Experience: After enjoying the sunset, we returned to our table to find the bread course—Roast Bone Marrow Focaccia—had already been served. At this point, our drinks were empty, and our waiter was nowhere to be found. After waiting five to ten minutes, I had to flag down what appeared to be the floor manager to request water and additional drinks.

The first course, Atlantic Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, was beautifully plated, full of flavor, and one of the highlights of the evening.

The main course, Kalahari Beef Fillet, was the true star of the night. The combination of king oyster mushroom and Indesi Kwaito cheese at the base of the dish elevated the flavors, making it an exceptional offering.

Dessert featured a Roast Coffee Delice, which was well-balanced, not overly sweet, and thoroughly enjoyable. The meal concluded with a selection of petit fours, including truffles and macarons, which provided a delightful finishing touch.

Final Thoughts: Overall, the culinary experience was outstanding, but the service fell short. Given that all guests had to book and pay in full before the event, the staff should have been better prepared to deliver a seamless dining experience. A more attentive and polished service would have made the evening truly...