Meloncino

Enjoy Italian food made by 3 'imported' Italian chefs while overlooking the V&A Waterfront and Table Mountain. This contemporary Italian restaurant combines the best of current Italian cooking straight out of modern Italy, with an absolutely awesome view, in an architectural masterpiece. Located on the prestigious upper deck of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, Meloncino delivers outstanding value for money.

The families of cousins Paolo Carrara and Anthony Protoulis own restaurants in Cape Town and Italy . With all of these restaurant genes in the mix, it is not hard to see why Meloncino is walking away with the accolades. Wine Magazine March 2009 states” This is the home of Cape Town's best pizza: the Caldo Napoletana” and Diners Club handed them a Platinum Award for Wine List of the Year 2008.

Paolo spent some time in Rome learning from his father, and borrowed a few of his grandmother’s recipes to bring to South Africa as well. One of those is the Osso Buco All Romana. Bringing the freshness of contemporary Rome back to South Africa has been successfully achieved through successfully blending a playful use of architecture, the amazing views of the V&A Waterfront and Table Mountain and a absolutely splendid menu. The playful use of the colour orange against white adds a welcome feeling of warmth and freshness.

The 3 imported Italian chefs are Roberto, André and Luciano headed up by executive chef, Venezuelan-born Yomar. And they are turning out some amazing dishes. The usual suspects - pizza and pasta - are rejuvenated and improved and are made the real Italian way from scratch. Only the freshest local vegetables are used and the rest of the ingredients are imported directly from Italy. The chairs are Italian. As are the sofas, where you can have cocktails and complementary snacks of olives and nuts before or after a sunset cruise. There are even Italian taps in the beautifully clean bathrooms.

At the recommendation of the co-owner, a manager and the waiter attending our table, MyCapeTownInfo chose the Millefoglie di Filetto con Funghi Porcini e salsa Tartufata. This dish is fast proving to one of the favourite dishes at Meloncino. And MyCapeTownInfo can understand why. It is expertly cooked medallions of fillet topped with a creamy truffle and porcini mushroom sauce all served with potato purée. It was outstanding.