It’s easy to see why Mouille Point locals have adopted Lily’s as their everyday eatery for everything from breakfasts and coffee meet-ups to sundowners and dinner.
At first sight, Lily’s is all about stylish glitz; the beautiful brass-topped tables, cut glass tumblers and comfortable chairs encouraging long, lazy lunches contemplating the ocean view, and sliding glass doors extending the space to the outside cafe tables for summer. But once you’re inside the Kove Collection’s newest addition, it’s easy to see why Mouille Point locals have quickly adopted it as their everyday eatery for everything from breakfasts and coffee meet-ups to sundowners and dinner. It’s buzzing with a friendly, welcoming vibe and even on a Tuesday at lunchtime, all tables are taken and fill up as soon as they’re vacated.
“Lily’s is a restaurant for the local community,” says manager, CK. “The people around here tend to be health-conscious – running, exercising, going to the gym. They can stop here for a freshly squeezed juice after their daily run along the promenade and know that everything here is cooked from scratch with fresh ingredients.”
Don’t be deceived by the elegance into expecting delicate but unsatisfying bites. Plates are generously heaped, and you have to be hungry to work your way through three courses.
Our grilled calamari was succulent and tender, served on potato purée with basil cream and chopped tomatoes – a substantial starter. The beets turned out to be slender slices of pickled beetroot sandwiching generous dollops of creamy goat’s cheese with balsamic reduction and pine nuts. The presentation is unfussy but pretty, with microgreens and borage flowers adding colour and freshness.
Reading through the quirky menu, my husband chose the Holy Cow, for his main: a good chunk of tender fillet steak on mash with mushrooms and onion quarters. My best was the sesame crusted tuna on sticky coconut rice with wasabi aioli, coleslaw and edamame – fresh, light and contemporary. There are salads, sandwiches and burgers too, covering pretty much any dietary preferences.
The dessert menu casts caution to the wind with three options featuring chocolate. Death By Chocolate sounded fabulous but I was intrigued by the Please Sir can I have S’mores, a sultry chocolate mousse with peanut butter cookie crumble and roasted marshmallow ice cream. All that richness was nicely balanced by intensely fruity dehydrated raspberry dust decorating the serving plate – both elegant and satisfying, in Lily’s signature style.
Taste for yourself:
- Lily’s | 021 204 8545 | lilysrestaurant.co.za
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
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