With a great collection of spectacular and very expensive apartment buildings reaching high into the sky, Strand could well be called the Miami of False Bay, so glamorous are parts of the area.
Gorgeous sea horses
Ben’s on the Beach has a stylish interior with a mural of aluminium sculptured sea creatures dominating the room. The enclosed veranda right on Beach Rd. has sea views across the Bay. Generous portions feature on the large menu with dishes ranging from red meat to fish to fowl.
Nautical themed
The day we were there, we were in a meat mood and ordered the Fillet au Poivre, coated with a duo of peppercorns, pan fried and flambéed and topped with the most delicious brandy cream reduction sauce we have eaten in a long time.
Fabulous Fillet
I decided to have The Tuscan style pork belly, a generous 350 grams slow cooked piece of superb pork topped with fennel seed, garlic and herb crust finished in the pan. It is served on creamy cannellini beans with sautéed potato wedges and seasonal vegetables and was absolutely superb. The portions were so generous that we had to take home about half of each of the dishes, which we enjoyed that evening.
Yes, it’s pork belly
There are other meat options like the entrecôte with melted blue cheese, garlic sauce and onion marmalade, which looked totally delicious, and, of course, many fish dishes featuring prawns, calamari, salmon, and even snails with garlic butter– not my cup of tea.
To top it all off, I just had to try the superb vanilla ice cream with homemade caramel sauce, a wing dinger for a diabetic –but I only had a little. The service is friendly and professional, the wine list is adequate, featuring some excellent wines from the area, and corkage is a sensible R40. Get there you will love it. Do phone ahead and make a booking, especially on weekends and public holidays.
BEN’S ON THE BEACH 142 Beach Rd. Strand phone 0218537977