When I heard about a spot in Bantry Bay which promised 'a celebration of Mediterranean roots infused with fresh flavours and coastal charm', I was intrigued.
I'm a sucker for seafood, so it was a bit of a no-brainer that I would head down to Amare to see what all the fuss was about.
Upon arrival, I was met with a charming restaurant tucked away on the Bantry Bay roadside. I'd use the word 'cute', but I feel it's a little more sophisticated than that. It was still pretty cute, though.
That sophistication shone through in the plethora of patrons wanting to snap the perfect picture for Instagram. It was actually quite the sight seeing so many people pouting and posing next to the Amare sign and on the long, comfy-looking couch placed at the entrance. No, I am not a grumpy old man.
I digress... on to the food and exceptional service.
I was greeted by the wonderful Storm who ensured that the evening was just to my liking. It really cannot be understated how important service is to making an evening memorable - and Storm was fantastic.
The meal started with bread and the biggest olives I have ever seen, before tucking into two recommended starters.
The first was crumbed Greek feta with honey, cabernet balsamic and oregano. Wow. This was incredible. The crispy crumb worked perfectly with the creamy feta hiding inside. Delicious.
We were also recommended the kingklip ajillo with garlic, chilli, lemon and parsley. This was also a winner.
Now it was time for mains.
The menu is mainly made up of pastas, with a selection of steaks smothered in a 'signature Amare sauce'.
I opted for the sirloin cooked medium rare, as I was interested to find out what the signature sauce was all about. I also ordered the linguine with prawns, garlic, olive oil and chilli.
NB: I was there with someone else, so I didn't order and eat all this food by myself. I mean, I could have, but the meals were shared.
The steak was very nice, although I couldn't quite work out what the signature sauce was. It was very olive oil and garlic heavy, but it didn't add too much extra to the flavour of the meat. Not pictured above are the crispy potatoes with burnt butter and sage - a side that can be ordered with your steak. I wanted to take a pic, but they were devoured so quickly. Delicious!
The prawn pasta was really good, with my only gripe being that the prawns were tiny and not many were included in the meal. The fresh, tangy tomato-based sauce was refreshing and complimented the prawns perfectly.
All that was left now was to try the dessert. The menu has some interesting options like hibiscus poached pear and a coconut lime panna cotta, but what caught my eye was the warm chocolate torte with olive oil salted lemon sorbet.
Wow, guys. Wow.
This was my plate of the evening, without a doubt. The warmth of the chocolate torte and the smooth zingy flavours of the sorbet had my tastebuds bouncing. An unreal combination that needs to be tried right now. Man, I think I need to pop down to Bantry Bay...
Overall, it was a really nice experience at Amare. The food was good, the service was excellent and it's a very chilled spot perfect for a romantic meal or catch-up with mates.
They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with prices ranging from R175 to R850 for dinner and R50 to R165 for breakfast.
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