With amazing weather and time on our side we strolled the short distance from Oxford Circus to be greeted by familiar accents and décor – a waterfall-wall, subtle blue lights, a large fish tank and stainless steel finishings all creating clean lines and a cool environment, just right for an intensely hot summer’s night. Keeping with the seaside Cape Town theme, the walls also have sepia tone images of District Six and historical fishing harbours making it worth a look around.
To the right is the extensive and elegant sushi train for those wanting a quick bite, or else booths and tables to the left for the combination of a SA and Japanese culinary experience. There is more seating downstairs as well as a 22-seater teppanyaki table around a large iron grill, with a £32 set menu of six courses and 10 wines to taste – perfect for a birthday or work dinner where the chef provides added entertainment.
With a funky chilled wine boutique downstairs, we settled in to enjoy the full CTFM experience with a crisp Boschendal Sauvignon Blanc and some amazingly flavoursome sushi for starters. For those in the know, CTFM’s salmon roses and fashion sandwiches are just fabulous, and perhaps even a South African invention as they are not found around London. We also had the rainbow roll selection – perfectly presented and ideal for a light soothing palette pleaser!
The seafood platter was what we had come for though, and while the summer special looked amazing, we went for the Hout Bay Seafood Platter, a sharer which included both lobster and linefish as well as fish cakes, two styles of calamari plus spinach and seasonal vegetables!
There are a mixture of set menus for those wanting to try out a variety of fish and seafood, or for those not partial to seafood, steaks and spare ribs as well as delightfully presented Bento boxes for something different!
When we saw some desserts being delivered nearby, we were convinced by their sumptuousness and impressed by their portion size, selecting the SA speciality of milk tart as well as a Belgium waffle with a delectable dollop of real vanilla pod ice cream.
Conclusion: the seafood was fresh and well prepared, presentation second to none and the platter is a very a generous portion for two people. If we rate out of five, we give CTFM a 5/5 as the food, service and decor makes the culinary experience value for money and a great night out. Plus it’s perfectly placed for a pre- or post theatre meal. A South African seafood experience in the heart of London, what a treat indeed!
