Manna Epicure
151 Kloof St
About
A wonderful all-white venue at the top of bustling Kloof Street (aka the Dining Mile), Manna attracts an interesting crowd of post-35 glamour -- all big sunglasses and groomed hair -- and is quite honestly my favorite casual lunch venue. Not only do I find the patrons fascinating and the white surrounds soothing, but the waiters are great (truth be told, service can be slow, but why shoot the messenger when he grins so charmingly), and the dishes are always interesting. Rather than starters and mains, the menu has been divided into Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Savory, and Hot sections. Dishes worth looking for are the Italian ham, papino, nectarine, caper berry, and Gorgonzola salad; the warm aubergine dish, prepared with nuts, Gorgonzola, fresh pear, and olive cream (very rich); and the "Patagonian" calamari, dusted with coconut and pan-fried with a lime and peanut sauce. A delightful array of tea cocktails and fragrant fresh breads complete the picture; the latter are served with every meal and can be bought from the small in-house bakery -- provided they're not sold out! Pity the place isn't open for dinner. (It gets hot in summer by the way -- there's no air-conditioning -- and it's pretty much open to the street.)
