Vixi Social House

8 February 2019

VIXI SOCIAL HOUSE

Corner of Strand and Bree Streets, Cape Town

The first thought when you enter is, wow! this place is huge. The second thought is, why the crappy red and white floor tiles at the entrance, that may be intended as a retro introduction to a rather old-fashioned décor style, but just look worn and tired, especially when contrasted with the lovely parquet of the rest of the floor.

A branch of Glasfit once operated from this space, so there has been quite a face lift and the corner is almost unrecognisable to those of us who loved the Glasfit.

The main entrance is in Bree Street, separated from Villa 47 by the entrance/exit to a parking garage, and there is a group of tables on an outside deck there, with a bar counter to the left as one steps inside. The kitchen is front and central, not quite in your face and yet not quite hidden. Most of the dining space is to the right, the corner of the twee streets, and the immediate impression is that old school style of dark wood, bare brick, wood and metal trimmings.  Large windows on two sides give lots of natural light.

Vixi looks like images I’ve seen of 19^th century hotel restaurants.

The food experience is based on Mediterranean cuisine, specifically from its eastern shores. The “fresh” options are yoghurt-based items, pomelo halves with black salt and a mezza plate or platter. The “hearth” dishes are divided into two sections: (a) fried or scrambled eggs with mezza bread to which you can add a variety of elements (that will inevitably push up the base price of your meal); (b) cilbur eggs, caponata eggs, spicy chicken livers and two sweet pancake dishes. No shakshuka, no Turkish eggs. More significantly, no big fry up.

I chose the cilbur eggs (R55), which are two eggs fried in turmeric with a spicy home-made yoghurt (labneh, I guess), tomatoes and chill flakes, plus a generous portion of fresh, warm mezza bread.

The eggs were fried to order, the yoghurt was creamy, and the merest breath of chilli heat was delightful, but if there were no bread with the dish, it would be grossly insufficient to break any fast. The bread was served piping hot and was utterly delicious, so much so, that I was tempted to order more.

The service was good, and the coffee is excellent and well-priced. The espresso is served in a cup not the currently trendy glass.

There were other patrons apart from me, but the place was far from full and it’s going to take some doing to get a crowd in here, except perhaps for First Thursdays.

I like the food of the eastern Mediterranean, but I’ve realised it’s best for lunch or dinner, not for the kind of breakfast I want unless one has multiple courses, or many dishes on the table at the same time. It feels like a healthy breakfast but hardly ever like a hearty one.

Vixi Social House isn’t cosy, though it’s welcoming and has a comforting atmosphere and I can’t see myself dropping by often for just a coffee, never mind breakfast. The competition in Bree Street is still tough and there are at least two other places I feel much more at home at. But, if you like this Mediterranean cuisine vibe, pop in.  The nosh is good.