An Ocean Basket

I don't eat fish in London as I don't think it is fresh enough.  I utterly understand that this is likely to get me stoned in Billingsgate Market and many chefs will get huffy but having lived in Cape Town, I just don't like the fish.

I'm even more picky today as I'm just back from Cape Town (which incidentally is one of the most beautiful cities in the world - but I am biased) and have been gorging myself at The Ocean Basket.  This is a local (South African but with branches in Cyprus, Dubai and Mauritius) chain restaurant (breath - its a good chain restaurant) which does some of the best Calamari that I have ever tasted.

So let me introduce you, first the restaurant is wooden chairs, paper table clothes and tiled floors with a enticing menu and touches that make me smile.  When seated, you are presented with the menu and drinks are taken quickly and with a smile.

Nothing ground breaking but the wine list is not bad at all for a chain restaurant but then again, the one I went to was only 30 minutes from Stellenbosch.  Bread, butter and a plate with chilli, garlic and tartar sauce are brought as a matter of course which is brilliant as it means the cooking is simple and you can ramp the flavour up as you prefer.

I had calamari three ways (incidentally, it cost £7 so not bad price wise either) as a main and my brother and I shared 'prince' prawns as a starter.  Not only is the food fresh and the calamari tender but they are not shy of using butter which is really lovely.

The calamari (Cajun, deep fried and lightly fried) is served with rice or chips or salad.  The rice is Saffa Rice so yellow and tasty rather than white and flavourless. The menu ranges from fish fillets to mussels, calamari, prawns, sushi and platters - with a slight nod to Greece in that you can get the basics like humus if you are a vegetarian.

Desserts are pretty standard although for tourists, you may wish to try the Don Pedros which are glorious.

Can't recommend it more and must say I've never had a bum meal at this restaurant so it is definately worth a try.

Lxx

p.s. It is a family restaurant so you can take the children as well as your older relatives and the staff will deal with everything with ease

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