Rooftop chilling at Chinchilla rooftop café and bar

Exploring the menu

Both my guest and I opted for non-alcoholic beverages, which came in the form of a granadilla-flavoured mojito, and a cappuccino, as recommended by our observant waiter, Dennis. The granadilla drink was spectacular – refreshing and full of flavour.

Starting the journey

For starters, we went with the bouillabaisse which is a rich tomato-based seafood soup-like dish. The flavours are an amazing combination of rich, spicy and ocean, and the toasty pieces of bread served with the dish offer the ideal vessel for soaking up all that flavourful yumminess.

The main attraction

Our main meals consisted of the grilled tuna niçois, with baby new potatoes, tomato, green beans, olives and radish, and the salmon en papillote (which means it’s cooked and served in parchment paper) with fennel, celery, shallots, garlic, parsley, white wine and tomato. Both dishes were divine, with the tuna being seared to perfection and seasoned perfectly, and the salmon complimented beautifully by the accompanying elements of the dish, although a little bit overcooked for my liking (just personal preference).

Grilled tuna niçois

Weather and dessert to warm the heart

By now the wind had picked up and the sun had set, so we were getting just a tad chilly with the fresh sea air creeping through the covers of the open side of the restaurant. Unphased, our top-notch waiter very attentively and coolly offered us blankets to keep out the chill, which was the ideal solution – we didn’t give the weather a second thought.

On to the dessert round, we couldn’t face each having our own dish, so we opted for sharing the chocolate brownie, which was just the right amount of rich, wholesome, chocolatey goodness and sweet vanilla ice cream to compliment it. Never missing an opportunity to enjoy a cuppa, we added lattes to this round. Looking for a choc brownie fix? This is the place.

Chocolate brownie

In the tropics

The evening was a memorable one, to say the least, as my guest and I talked and talked and enjoyed the exotic island-feel created by the tropical décor. The atmosphere was relaxed and filled with laughter and the feeling that all around us were really happy to be there. The music is vibey and chilled, drawing you into the moment and epitomising the best of summer.

Make your reservation by visiting chinchillarooftop.co.za/reservations/.