“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” ~ Luciano Pavarotti
A Bubbly ‘n Braai Birthday
One of our lovely colleagues and a dear friend of mine celebrated her 30th birthday recently and I was fortunate enough to snag an invite to the celebrations! I’m ashamed to say I did not check the invite clearly or I would have known what the evening had in store. The first line read “bubbly & canapés at Mannabay”, and I read no further; I was already sold! Whatever else happened after that was simply icing on an already gorgeous cake.
If you have been fortunate enough to stay at the breathtaking MannaBay boutique guesthouse in Cape Town you will understand my delight. My friend Des and her hubby were booked in for the evening and had made a special request from the manageress, Madre, and her team to arrange sundowners and some light snacks for her birthday guests. Let it be said that it took immense self-control from all of us not to wolf down every delicious titbit on those platters. Despite our best efforts, however, those platters were all but cleared within the hour.
As we watched the sun slip down behind Signal Hill and the city lights started to brighten, we all drained our glasses and hopped into waiting taxis to make our way into the city centre.
Tucked away off Bloem Street, spared from the noise and frenetic pace of Long Street at night, is Coenraad Groenewald and Louis Smit’s new Galbi Restaurant. After a few false starts I found my way to the little doorway marking the entrance to Galbi and walked down the passageway beneath the strings of fairy lights.
My first reaction to Galbi was one of curiosity. In between a profusion of colourful, round paper lanterns there is a network of copper pipes crisscrossing the roof and extending down over each dark wooden table. Again a reminder I had no idea what to expect! I presumed these were extractors, but for what purpose I was unsure. Of course, this was revealed rather quickly. After we’d settled in, our waiter arrived at our table with a bowl of glowing hot coals. He removed the slim cover over the centre of our table and placed the coals in the secure pit beneath. This was then covered with a grill and an assortment of kitchen utensils was placed on our table.
The penny dropped: we were to grill our own food! I chastised myself for not taking the time to research the restaurant beforehand, but only for a moment. I was far too excited about the prospect of an interactive meal with some good friends and couldn’t wait to get stuck in.
As we were a large group we didn’t get the chance to order off the menu, but were presented with a very comprehensive set menu list that seemed to include the most popular items. Our starter plate arrived covered with skewers of bright cherry tomatoes and squares of haloumi cheese, raw stuffed mushrooms and a small garlic loaf wrapped in foil. After some instruction from our waiter, we began grilling away merrily!
South Africans are certainly no strangers to the concept of grilling over open coals, which we call braaing. It’s ingrained in our culture. The owners of Galbi have drawn their inspiration from both the Korean and South African grilling palates and created a menu that is brimming with flavour and character. From your Japanese miso-marinated fish to tender lamb and venison, there’s something for everyone! We sampled loin fillet wrapped in prosciutto, chicken satay skewers and tender pieces of rump. All served with a side order of fresh garden greens, zucchini with pine nuts and absolutely delicious sweet potato fries. The bowl of fries with its decadent jalapeno dipping sauce was definitely a winner and more portions were needed!
A last word
By the time we’d finished off the last morsels we were all relieved that dessert wasn’t included on the set menu. Between the canapés, starters and main courses it was a wonder we were able to stand! Declining another glass of wine it was time for me to go, but not before finally doing what I’d wanted to all night long… push the call button to request our waiter! Oh yes, on each table there is a little button fixed on the corner for that very purpose. (Un!)Fortunately our waiter was so attentive I did not get the opportunity to use it!
Galbi is a great concept restaurant that will appeal to locals and internationals alike. The food is wholesome, fresh ‘n tasty and the portions fairly generous. It could be a little daunting for those not used to cooking in such a manner, but the owners and staff are perfectly happy to assist. Remember to push those buttons! Based on the items available on the menu, I wouldn’t recommend Galbi for strict vegetarians. But if you like your steak, this is the place for you!
We visited Galbi on a fairly cold evening when the red wine and toasty coals were exceedingly welcome, however I may be a little hesitant in summer when temperatures soar. But having said that, we South Africans braai year round, come heat wave or rainstorm! I might need to make a quick stop in summer to experience Galbi again. And those sweet potato fries are just so delicious…
Average prices at for starters at Galbi are in the region of R45 per person and main dishes start from around R220 for two people sharing.
Contact
210 Long Street, Cape Town, South Africa
Tel: 0214243030
Email: info@galbi.co.zaFor more Cape Town restaurants, click here.
lol!!! love the name!!!