EYE-POPPINGLY DELICIOUS ALL-DAY OPTIONS AWAIT AT THE NEW EYE BAR

Whether you’re popping in for a quick brekkie, a snack on the go, a leisurely à la carte affair, or tapas-style plates shared over a cocktail – or two – Eye Bar will see to your every need. This new Cape Town foodie hotspot opened on 21 December 2020 and is serving up delicious all-day fare. Exciting flavour combinations and a generous choice of options abound.

With up-to-the-minute interiors designed by architect Robert Silke, Eye Bar is a stylish new go-to with a modern menu to match. Located on the ground floor of the new Vïb Cape Town, which happens to be the first Vïb by Best Western in the Southern Hemisphere, Eye Bar comprises a cocktail bar, grab ‘n go coffee station, indoor restaurant and open-air terrace. The venue is open daily to both members of the public and guests of the hotel alike.

To start off your day, you’ll be hard pressed to choose between the contemporary Continental deli offering or the traditional hot breakfast. If you opt for the former, there’s a tempting array of healthy smoothie bowls brimming with power treats such as chia seeds, rooibos-poached dates and berries. Or, try any of the Yoghurt Parfaits, which come dressed in mint syrup, maple syrup or honey, along with seeds, muesli and fresh fruit. All the usual baked goodies are there too, of course – croissants, cinnamon rolls, Danish pasties, pan au chocolat, assorted muffins, and 8 different types of breakfast loaf complete the carb hotlist.

An enticing selection of classics fill the Hot Breakfast menu including Eggs Benedict and Florentine and a good old fashioned full English breakfast. Barista-made, Fairtrade coffee puts a caffeine zing into this morning run. If you’re en route to work and in a hurry, then grab it to go along with your take-out breakfast.

If you’re coming for lunch or dinner, order off a sit-down à la carte menu that features a number of world cuisine influences and leans towards fusion-style cooking. For light meals, there are Asian notes such as ramen bowls, and a teriyaki beef or yakitori chicken burger with fries. Mediterranean flavours make their presence felt in the form of an Italian Panzanella salad with the traditional crispy bread, olives, tomatoes and bocconcini, but with a Middle Eastern twist, thanks to the addition of cucumber and a tahini dressing. Adding shavings of smoked springbok is optional.

Adventurous flavours are the hallmark of Eye Bar’s sandwich assortment, which changes daily. Think curry tofu, sesame sweet potato, peanut compote and coriander chimichurri, or, spicy sweet and sour salmon, with fennel, orange and cream cheese.

For main course, try the crispy buttermilk chicken with quinoa tabouleh and a roast garlic shawarma sauce or the pan-fried rib eye dusted with herb rub and accompanied by mushroom ketchup and roast garlic cream. The steak is served with chips or panzanella salad. Vegetarians and vegans are both catered for, with standout dishes such as the charred tandoori cauliflower served with vegan yoghurt, sambal balado, baby pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, onion salad, and a peanut and miso vinaigrette.

Delectable desserts are on offer. Try the drool-worthy chocolate and matcha cheesecake brownie with chocolate cream, raspberry coulis, raspberry gel and marinated raspberries, or the white chocolate mousse and honeycomb with hazelnut praline, baked white chocolate crumble, candied lemon, and honey lavash.

If you’re easing into the evening with cocktails, then look to Eye Bar’s Small Plates Menu for a range of mouth-watering morsels to accompany that after-work unwinder, or pre-dinner drink. And here’s a hot tip: you can also order any of the Small Plates as a starter portion if you’re dining à la carte.

The Spanish-style tapas plates include grilled chorizo sausage, but with a deliciously unexpected peanut and miso dressing. The calamari is done tempura-style yet comes with a suitably Spanish smoked paprika aioli.

The finger sandwiches will have you abandoning all thoughts of that conventional High Tea cream cheese and cucumber staple. Instead, sample the sesame sweet potato roosterkoek with anchovy and mushroom, the stuffed bao buns, or the braai broodjie with cured ham, blue cheese, soya and balsamic fig relish.

The snacks are a must-try. The goat’s cheese and candied ginger poppers come with a miso caramel, and there’s chicken wonton tacos with smoked jalapeno relish, among other savoury delights.

The Small Plates Menu finishes off with seductively sweet treats, like dark chocolate salami, red velvet and white chocolate fudge, and baked malva doughnuts with cardamon and caramel.

To peruse all the full menus for Eye Bar, please visit www.vibcapetown.com.

For breakfast, no pre-booking is necessary. Eye Bar takes reservations for lunch and dinner. Opening hours are from 06h30 to 22h00 (as per the Government curfew). Outside of lockdown curfew, the regular closing time is 23h00. Eye Bar is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including Public Holidays.