We knew Coy existed. We knew it was Chef Ryan Cole’s second restaurant, a sibling to the highly rated Salsify at The Roundhouse. Beyond that, we had no expectations. Still, the menu looked promising.
The restaurant sits in a standalone building just before the Bascule Bridge, opposite the Cape Grace Hotel. It is technically part of the V&A Waterfront, but it does not feel like it. No crowds, no noise, no one trying to sell you a helicopter tour. Just the harbour, Table Mountain in the background, and seals playing in the water below.
When we arrived for lunch, the place was almost empty. One other couple. We had a reservation, which at that point felt like overplanning. A little scepticism crept in, the kind you get when a restaurant is too quiet on a Friday. We sat down, legs grateful for the rest, and ordered a few dishes to share.
What followed was one of those lunches you do not see coming.
The fried chicken, coated in chicken salt, was crisp and exactly right. The kind you eat too fast and wish you had ordered more. The beef fat roast potatoes were ridiculous, golden and rich, the sort of thing that makes you smile.
The bitter leaf salad had a good dressing with nice acidity. The rose harissa tomato salad, however, was not for us. The only little letdown.
And then the merguez. My wife is particular about merguez. She has strong opinions and very little patience for a bad one. This was outstanding, made by Richard Bosman, one of Cape Town’s most respected charcuterie producers. She did a little food dance. That tells you everything.
This was a “taste this, oh you must taste this” kind of lunch. We were sharing most of the dishes, and plates kept going back and forth across the table.
G´s Chicken – Chicken Salt – Habanero Hot Honey – Blue Cheese
There was a good by-the-glass selection, chosen with care, which matters at lunch. I had a Chenin Blanc from Lenuzza Vineyards, bright and easy-drinking. My wife went for the Knorhoek Pinotage, a solid Stellenbosch red.
Sitting at Coy, you have an amazing view over the marina, with Table Mountain as a backdrop. Sightseeing boats passing by, seals playing in the water, good food, and good wines, there was little to complain about.
If there is a breeze, it travels through the restaurant, which on a hot Cape Town day is not a bad thing.
We went back a few days later. That says more than anything we could write.
Note: If you are arriving by Uber, or order one afterwards, just walk over the bridge to the Cape Grace Hotel for drop-off or pick-up. In Cape Town, that is worth knowing. While waiting there, we noticed construction work nearby, also worth bearing in mind if you are planning a stay there soon.
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