On a cool Saturday evening my wife and I made our way to the trendy Sirocco restaurant, set on the water’s edge at Thesen Island in Knysna. We were a little too late to enjoy the views fully, but could just about see the heads in the distant dark – behind the yachts moored in front of the restaurant. We didn’t look too hard though, and hurried inside to get out of the cold.
We were met by the friendly front-of-house who confirmed our booking and showed us to our seats, tucked away in a little nook with what I would imagine were prime views for cats, or other creatures with great nocturnal eyesight. Louise, our lovely waitress for the evening, soon came to welcome us and get our drinks orders. I went with a glass of Leopard’s Leap merlot while my ever-pragmatic wife opted for a bottle of sparkling water.
Having settled in with our drinks and discussions of the phenomenal action-packed day we’d experienced thus far, we took the time to look around and take in the atmosphere. Stylishly bold lighting gives the restaurant a slick continental feel while retaining the warm candle-lit glow that makes things feel nice and cosy.
The Starters
Louise soon brought us our selection of starters, the Beef Carpaccio and Vegetable Soup. The Carpaccio was spot on – with a small mound of rocket placed on top to balance the rich flavours. My wife’s vegetable soup was hearty and flavour-filled, although perhaps a little too ‘earthy’ for her taste.
We recognized many foreign accents around the restaurant that evening, with a young French couple and their iPad-wielding daughter seated to our left, and a German couple to the right. A group of young women from the UK and USA chattered away in another corner.
The Main Course
A short while later our mains were served. My wife had decided to take advantage of my arbitrary personal policy of never ordering the same dish as another at my table, and had snatched Sirocco’s Signature Beef Fillet first. I instead opted for a seafood dish which featured hake, calamari, mussels, and prawns. The seafood was great and was seasoned with a well-considered combination of spices and sauce. I particularly enjoyed the mussels, although the fish was a little drier than I’d have liked.
Having done a little advanced reading I’d already known that the fillet was going to be excellent, but I was not prepared. When my wife’s steak arrived I watched her coolly getting her utensils in there – knowing well that I’d have to beg for a taster. When I eventually did try her steak I realised that I had made the biggest mistake of my life in not simply copying her order. It was a divinely succulent mouthful that will live on in my memory forever, and likely be imprinted into the memories of my descendants. Don’t get me wrong, the seafood was good; but do yourself a favour and order this steak.
The Dessert
Next we ordered our desserts; my wife took the home-made sorbet while I opted for the Choco Sirocco (a very popular chocolate-pudding, but I kept this knowledge to myself this time). The sorbet tasted excellent and was served on a ring of pineapple peppered with other fruits on top. My Choco Sirocco was a deceptively sized mound of what appeared to be chocolate cake; although my initial attack with a spoon revealed a hot, soft, gooey centre. It tasted like rainbows, happiness, and chocolate goodness; highly recommended.
All in all we had a great evening at Sirocco, and I can imagine that in summer the views would be simply fantastic and an ideal setting for cocktails too. If you’re in Knysna and are in the mood for a top-notch steak, Sirocco has you covered.
Have you been before?
