Don’t be fooled by the masculine furnishings, the model cars and the bicycle on the wall that gives it a slightly man-cave feel, because it’s more than that.
It’s a café-style restaurant that feels a bit like Cantina Tequila, a former Waterfront restaurant and bar that had a relaxed atmosphere with a tasty menu.
The Classic Car Bar is a collaboration of entrepreneurs but the kitchen is run by well-known Cape Town chef, Sue-Ann Allen. The food ranges from nibbles to plates to satisfy a big appetite, and the chef says it is something they have purposefully done.
“It’s about coming with your mates, sitting down and getting sharing boards of things.
“Flavours are fusion so there’s a bit of an Indian influence – we have butter chicken, tortillas and flat breads – and because Asia is really where my heart lies on the cooking side, we offer slow-roasted pork belly buns and lots of pickled ginger and chutneys,” she adds.
The chicken wings are a great starter and the perfect way to ease yourself into the food journey. Wine and cocktails are also on offer at the bar which is at the heart of the restaurant in the middle of the floor.
And because of its location in the Waterfront, she says they want to satisfy the tastes of locals and international visitors.
“I’ve started pairing dishes (with wines) so there are bush vine chenins, pinotages and staying true to South African varieties.”
Allen says in the future this will be a bigger focus as the kitchen and the bar synchronise its offerings.
“I’ll pick the dishes that best pair with wines, put it on a board so if a tourist comes for a meal, they can have a good South African wine, meal and experience.”
There are no pizzas on the menu, but you can get a flat bread with toppings of your choice, the bread and dough is made to order and it looks and tastes like a pizza.
Allen says it’s going to be a staple on their menu: “It’s an oddly shaped bread that we make fresh every day, good stone ground flour, semolina which we then hand roll to order with a variety of toppings. I love simple so for me it would be rosemary, feta and good quality olive oil with sea salt.”
Vegetarians are not forgotten and the kitchen tries to keep its meat-free options as flavourful and tasty as the rest of the dishes.
“We do a samoosa board – cheese and corn, potato and coriander. One of my favourite new recipes is a vegetarian tortilla, a slow-roast aubergine tahini-dressed, salsa-topped tortilla.”
Also try the caramelised butternut, goats cheese, pumpkin-seed rocket salad with a balsamic dressing which is a fresh and hearty meal on its own.
The Classic Car Bar is a great place for after-work drinks and a meal, but the easygoing vibe makes you feel right at home if you have just strolled in from a shopping spree at the mall and need a place to relax over a glass of wine.
l The Classic Car is at Shop 154 at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.