Lunching well at la Belle

 13 October 2024

 

LA BELLE

Alphen Hotel, Alphen Drive, Constantia

 

The excursions with the Yorkies alternate between markets and restaurants, depending on the weather and on how confident we are that they’ll behave. Over the past two restaurant lunches they were good to the point of being almost uncharacteristically docile, so it seemed that La Helle would be a safe bet for lunch amid the grandeur of a historic and well preserved Cape Dutch homestead blessed with many huge trees in full late Spring verdant splendour.

 

Yup, the setting is spectacular. 

 

Inevitably, the dog friendly spaces at restaurants are outside and this is also the case at La Belle, with a large array of tables under umbrellas, and under shady trees, for that life affirming garden setting.  

 

Unfortunately, the Yorkies, specifically Prinses whose yapping button was quickly activated, didn’t take too well to our centrally placed table but when we sought to move to a table at the rear of the space, our hopes were dashed because the staff used the available table to build a row of tables for an expected large group.

 

It had been warm and wind-free in the City Bowl when we left home but on the other side of the mountain it was cloudy and a cold wind soon made life less comfortable outside but our indomitable spirits, and the necessity to be outside with the pooches, prevailed though we didn’t stick around for dessert or coffee.

 

We haven’t eaten in the main dining room for many years but my recollection is that it’s quite lovely and a nice mixture of old-school grandness and cosiness. 

 

Even at around 12h00 the outside area was almost fully occupied and there was quite a bit of turnover and it seemed that two or three groups of patrons were expected later. It also struck me that the demographic (at least outside) materially comprised what one would call the senior crowd; at times I felt like one of the younger customers there. The hip, cool, younger set obviously eat Sunday lunch elsewhere.

 

The wife, who hadn’t yet had her morning boost, stuck to coffee but I was more gung ho and my tipple of the day was the mimosa, seeing as how the drinks menu doesn’t mention Aperol Spritz. After the second one, the cooler conditions were no longer a worry. 

 

The wife, after some vacillation, went for the butter milk grilled chicken burger and fries (R165)  and I was drawn to the sriracha chicken skewers on flat bread (R175).

 

The chicken burger was quite excellent: flavoursome, juicy and a good portion. The fries were crisp and toothsome. A very good choice. 

On my dish, the chicken cubes were tender, succulent and coated with just enough sriracha for a subtle, agreeable hit of chilli heat at the back of the palate, and the flatbread was sublime: soft, pliant and probably had a decent crust before the chicken was placed on it. All in all, a very good, and surprisingly filling, light meal.

 

As mentioned, we eschewed dessert and coffee, choosing to visit the nearby Under the Trees market for post prandial delights. 

 

The bill, including drinks, came to R695,00.

 

The outdoor ambience at La Belle is quite splendid, the service was friendly and efficient, the coffee was good and the food was excellent. La Belle is a bit on the pricier side but the quality of the food and service absolutely justifies it and as mentioned, the setting is spectacular.