If you’re looking for a spot to take your latest Instagram picture while dining out, one of Kove Collection’s latest offerings, Sonny and Irene, is just the spot.
In case you’re not familiar with Kove Collection, the brand has hotels, restaurants and bars that are luxe in their furnishings and offerings in and around Cape Town.
The Sea Point restaurant, which opened in the middle of September, has been all across my Instagram feed. The foodie in me, who cannot let an aesthetic picture opportunity pass me by, had to give it a try.
INTERIOR/DECOR
On arrival I was met with beautiful interiors and instantly knew that the Instagram posts were not exaggerated.
There are marble tabletops, plush, velvety seats in millennial pink and emerald green, gold-rimmed tables, striking chandeliers and plants hanging from the ceiling.
The design is seamless from every angle – including the menus, cutlery, and pink aprons worn by waiters. I loved that the restaurant was aesthetically pleasing while feeling authentic instead of pretentious.
FOOD AND DRINK
The menu is broken up into meal times and categorised according to its origin: the land, garden and sea. In addition to this, there are options for appetisers and sides.
We went to the restaurant for lunch and chose to dine family style. That means we ordered multiple meals for the table to share instead of designated meals for each person.
The meals we chose to share were butter-poached prawns (R155), four oysters (R112), a charred gem lettuce salad (R135), crispy artichoke (R105) and the steak diane (R245).
The overall food rating I would give Sonny and Irene is an 8/10. I enjoyed everything I ate at the restaurant, which made for a pleasant dining experience.
At the price point, I expected certain things to be of better quality. We ordered the steak medium rare, and it arrived well done, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
For drinks, we enjoyed a mimosa (R95), a virgin mojito (R75), two glasses of wine (R80 and R75) and two cappuccinos (R38 each). Drinks rating: 10/10.
For dessert, we shared a burnt custard/crème brûlée (R105), and the chocolate delice (R135). These classic desserts were both delicious and generous in portion size.
PASTRY BAR
The Pastry Bar is located next door to the restaurant and can be accessed whether you are going to the restaurant or not. From the pastry menu, we tried the lemon blackcurrant tart (R65), classic croissant (R38), chocolate croissant (R45) and a slice of cheesecake (R75).
Every single item was delicious and some of the best pastries I’ve had in town. I love baked goods and try them everywhere I go, and I was really happy with the quality of these.
PRICE
The prices at Sonny and Irene are above average as to what I would usually pay at a restaurant, across their food, drinks and pastry menu.
However, having eaten at a lot of places, I am aware that location and brand awareness are two more elements that frequently affect costs.
Given that the restaurant is based in Sea Point, its pricing matches with that of neighbouring establishments. The price difference is noticeable if you contrast it with a restaurant outside of Sea Point.
Brand awareness – The Kove Collection has 16 offerings which means people know the brand, and it has grown because of how much people love it. For this reason, they don’t mind the price.
SERVICE
I was pleased with the service received from the numerous servers throughout our visit to the restaurant. From ensuring special orders were adhered to, to taking pictures – I had no complaints. We received our food within a reasonable time and the same for our drinks.
My one complaint is that despite numerous servers stopping by to see how we were doing, nobody cared to clear the table of the used and empty dishes.
I was happy with the assistance I received from the pastry bar staff. They were able to offer suggestions on the flavours that would best suit each person’s palate.
OVERALL
I would love to go back to Sonny and Irene. I went for lunch previously but I think it’s the perfect brunch spot and would like to give their brunch options a try.
Sonny and Irene is based at 19 Kloof Road in Sea Point and they are open seven days a week, from 8am with the pastry bar opening at 7am.