It was my birthday on Monday and although my husband offered to make francolin curry for dinner I got my way and off to Harbour House we went! We’ve often been to Polana but have not eaten in the ‘smarter’ part upstairs and oh it’s so pretty!
The floor to ceiling picture windows give the most beautiful views of Kalk Bay’s working harbour, the Hottentots Mountains and False Bay. There was a bit of a zephyr blowing on Monday night which made for a very stormy sea – the huge windows are ideal for staring down at the waves crashing onto the rocks below.
For a Monday night the restaurant was packed. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable with some diners even arriving in shorts as if they’d just hopped off the Cape Town sight seeing bus! I appreciated too that the tables were fairly large; I hate getting squashed at a tiny two seater.
Meals are simply prepared with the emphasis on fresh ingredients. With the restaurant being as close to the sea and harbour as it is, seafood and the freshest of fresh line fish is what Harbour House does best.
We started with the signature starter: three tempura prawns resting on a stack of mushroom, tomato and the creamiest of creamy avocado. Oh my goodness it was sensational! For main course I went ‘Meat Free Monday’ and chose the kingklip starter. This was served on a basil cream with roasted vegetables and a rosemary potato bake.
My husband enjoyed his Sauteed Paprika Calamari which is tossed in olive oil with black olives, capers, lemon zest, garlic and chilli. This is served with a summer rice salad. A birthday wouldn’t be a birthday without dessert and the classic crème brulee and caramelised lemon tart went down a treat. The lemon tart is served with chocolate sorbet – a taste revelation!
The bill was fairly large so I don’t know if we could make dining at Harbour House a regular thing but it would be my first stop on special occasions or even for a sneaky weekend drink. The white couches look like they could be the perfect place to enjoy a toot while taking in the views across the Bay!
Useful Kalk Bay Links
Details
Harbour House is at Kalk Bay Harbour, False Bay Coast, Cape Town.
Open for lunch Monday to Sunday, 12 to 4pm and dinner Monday to Sunday from 6pm to 10pm.
Call +27 (0)21 788-4133 for reservations.
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