Sadly La Piccola has been sold by Oliver Jacobs and has lost all the charm that it had when Ollie was owner/manager.
The first shock when we popped in for dinner last week is that you can no longer order The Goat Father or Signal Hill Cabernet Franc by the glass. In fact you can’t order them at all because the wine list has been down graded to a take-it-or-leave-it unknown wine by the glass.
The new owner, assuming that was he, slouched around looking oh-so-disinterested and did not manage to even greet us when we arrived. Not because he was busy with other tables. We were the only diners as it happened, until one family came in to occupy a table and soccer fans sat at the bar and ordered beer. There is no vibey atmosphere and the Italian background music has been replaced.
I would hate loyal readers of this blog to experience what we did.
Watch this space for a review of another great pizza dive when we find one!
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cabernet franc, La Piccola, pizza, Signal Hill, The Goat Father
We popped into La Piccola a couple of nights ago and had a very similar experience only worse. On entering, we immediately saw that the restaurant must have changed hands and the menu had become the ubiquitous High St. pizzeria one. After and hour and a quarter, we realised that not only had our pizzas not arrived but the people on the next table, who arrived long after us, were tucking into their food. Also people had been arriving and leaving with takeaways. I went to the same disinterested man, behind the bar and informed him of our wati, to be casually told that there had been a mix up in the kitchen, and that our pizzas had been sent out as takeaways. You would have thought that he could have had the initiative to come to inform us and apologise. We were offered a free glass of wine by way of compensation. When the pizzas arrived, they had clearly been hanging around for a few minutes: the mozzarella had stiffened up and looked over cooked; my daughter got something she didn’t order. Very average: bacon replaces pancetta, stale and dried out Parmesan on the table. We did leave a tip as the waitress had been very pleasant but as we left, Mr. NewOwner Man was sitting behind the bar, watching the television and feeding himself. Not only were we not greeted on arrival, our departure also went un-noticed, despite our disappointing evening. He deserves to go under. In the meantime, we quite like Sorrento in Westlake Business Park.
Hello, me again. Just remembered another pizza dive that has been recommended, although I have not tried it. It is in Hout Bay, near the Scare Crows, where the little Spa is on your left as you approach HB. It is another cafe during the day and morphs into a pizza place with another proprietor at night. It came highly recommended by a Parisian colleague of mine, who is a real foodie. The pizza dude makes his own limoncello and an Italian chocolate liquer, both of which I tasted at the Earth Food Fair in Lakeside (on the same site as Builders’ Warehouse) on Saturday mornings. Both were knock out – if his pizzas are as good, I’d say it was worth going out of the way for.
Hi Josie,
Thanks a ton for your input. Sorry that you also wasted money and an evening. When you google La Piccola Tokai, my posts are third from the top of the first page so hopefully will be widely read!
We also have a good time at Sorrento and plan to go back armed with the camera and do a full review.
That place in Hout Bay sounds worth investigating. I must get to the Earth Food Fair. Crazy about limoncello. Great idea.!
Hi Glenda and Josie, The pizza place you mention in Hout Bay was Massimo’s Pizza Club but it has now moved – problems with the Scarecrows folk apparently, At the moment, he isn’t confirming where his new premises will be (although it will still be Hout Bay) and as he is on holiday, nothing is going to happen until September. But when he does open up – rush there with all haste. These are the best pizzas you will find outside Italy – as long as you prefer quality to quantity, If you like the normal, SA gloopfest of cheese, cheap stuff piled high and more cheese, then they won’t suit. But if you like crisp bases, gorgeous tomato sauce and excellent quality toppings, then you’ll be happy! Ciao
Thanks Cathy.
Quality is what we crave! If there are some Italian wines to wash it down with, all the better.
Lets all keep our ears to the ground and whoever hears first when, where and how this pizza guy fires up his oven again, please spread the word. Anyone know his name?
Ciao ciao
Follow him on twitter – @pizza_club. His name is Massimo and his wife is Tracy and they are great people. Can’t wait for them to reopen – check my visit here – http://blogs.food24.com/cathymarston/in-the-club
hi all,
i’m Massimo of the Pizza Club.
thank all for mentioning my pizzas and my limoncello.
we are back from a long holiday in europe (8 days in sicily.. we got a few new sicilian recipes!)
we will reopen, hopefully in Hout Bay, in Spring.
while we wait we might continue to sell our liquor at the market in Tokai.
just today i have started experimenting with some new liquor: orange & honey, cinnamon, espresso liquor.
ciao
massimo
rated by locals as ‘the best pizza in the world’ served at Blue Water Cafe and Pizzeria on Imhoff Farm. Arguably the best views in Cape Town too. The wine menu filled will some lessor known boutique wines achieved a Diner’s Club Gold. Next door they have the dinkiest wine shop in town…Old Cape Wine Shop where they have wine tastings every Saturday.
Facebook: Old Cape Wine Shop Imhoff Farm
Blue Water Cafe Imhoff Farm
Thanks for all of your input.
Give us a shout when you begin cooking again Massimo.
Rael, is the Blue Water Cafe open in the evenings too?
Glenda
hi again, we are finally able to announce the location of the new Massimo’s:
it will be here: http://twitpic.com/2mf2ye
just 100 metres before the old location. it will be in an old barn, with a beautiful garden, with tables under a giant oak tree! we should be open by end of November, lunch & dinner, from Wed to Sunday. follow our website for more news and opening date. Unfortunately we do not sell anymore at Tokai’s market, but if you cant wait till December, email us as we have plenty of Limoncello and Chocolate liquor bottles.
ciao
It sounds great! Can’t wait!