The Kove Collection, renowned for their top-notch cuisine, recently added a new member to their sparkling lineup of eateries across the Cape: Lily’s. Situated on the trend-setting Beach Road in Mouille Point, a stone’s throw from the Atlantic Ocean, the restaurant is a laid-back space that lends itself to family dining with a modernistic yet sophisticated twist.
Named after the owner’s daughter and festooned by his wife, Lily’s sports an array of tables with golden surfaces, spread across a floor covered in wooden tiles that form a zigzag pattern. The seats, with their subdued stone shade, are sizeable and comfy, while the metal chandeliers that hang from the ceiling above are rather eclectic. The upper section of the walls, featuring a large and bold floral print in shades of black, forms a sharp contrast with the lower section, coated in a sequence of white blocks.
When we arrived for dinner, we entered through a doorway suffused with warmth, created by a roaring fire. The room had a charmingly intimate atmosphere thanks to the dim lighting and winsome tea light candles placed on each table. The sliding doors were opened to reveal a porch area that was closed off, to shelter diners from the chilly winds typical of an autumn evening. We immediately felt at home as we removed our coats before ordering our meal.
We got underway by taking swigs of two varying drinks- one cold and the other hot. The cold beverage, called ‘Dirty Beets’, is as the name implies concocted with beetroot, mixed with carrots, Granny Smith apples and lemon. Its warmer counterpart, the ‘Mochaccino’, was not a listed menu item but went down a treat nevertheless given its rich, creamy consistency.
For starters, we nibbled on ‘Lily’s Salmon Fishcakes’, a light and fluffy delicacy prepared with watercress. We made a special request for the apple and wasabi aioli to be excluded from the dish, and were pleased that our needs could be accommodated, leading to us being served deliciously mild seafood. Another starter sampled was ‘Broccoli, Every Which Way’, which involved the green vegetable being charred and pickled, then devoured with a dash of salad cream, sprinkling of pine nuts and dollop of whipped goats milk cheese.
Like our starters, our main meals were also nutritious food choices, abundant in proteins and complex carbs. For instance, ‘Just Keep Slimming’ was a tantalising combination of grilled hake, and cous cous made with cauliflower. The repast was seasoned with aromatic parsley and unfailing lemon juice. On the other hand, the ‘Crispy Grilled Fillet of Trout’ had a piquant kick to it and was complemented by sultanas and confit tomato. Coriander brought forth an extra hint of flavour.
To end off our meal, we contemplated ordering one of Lily’s in-house cakes at their bar, such as their New York baked cheesecake, carrot cake or apple and cinnamon cupcakes. Being as health-focused as they are, they even offered ‘Carb Clever Delights’ for those keeping close watch of starch intake, and ‘Veganliciousness’ eats for the devoted and strict herbivores.
However, ‘Espresso Yourself’, a molten lava cake with salted caramel oozing out of its centre, was the most tempting spoil. As if that wasn’t decadent enough, it came with the coffee-flavoured ‘Caffeine Fix’ ice cream. A more refreshing after-dinner snack was ‘Passion No Cream’, a meld of coconut pannacotta, mango coulis, sesame wafer and fruit salad. After polishing that, we were sure that our satiated bellies were struck by euphoria!
OF NOTE
When 7 am – 10 pm daily
Where Shop 1, East-West Building, Corner of Beach Road and Surrey Place, Mouille Point
Contact +27 21 204 8545
[email protected], lilysrestaurant.co.za
Photography Courtesy