Carne Constantia

There is only one place to visit for the best steak in Cape Town. And now you don’t have to trek all the way into the city, as Carne opens a third branch in Constantia.

Steakboyz were fortunate to test drive the latest incarnation of the winning Carne concept. The original restaurant in Keerom Street was followed by a smaller bistro version in Kloof Street. Chef-proprietor Giorgio Nava now looks to raise the stakes, and extends his successful formula in the southern suburbs. Carne exports the brand’s superb menu and stylish décor, and you’re guaranteed to have a memorable dining experience.

The ambience is warm and sophisticated, and you can sense the passion for providing a meat-lover’s experience from all the friendly and knowledgeable staff. Carne’s restaurants are world class - only the finest ingredients and meat (from beasts reared on Giorgio’s own farm in the Karoo) are used.

The evening began with servings of some signature Italian delicacies; including ravioli filled with slow-baked lamb, and pan-fried sweetbreads with mash. The entrees were all absolutely delicious, but we were all champing at the bit to tuck into proper chunks of meat.

Normally the raw steak cuts are presented to you on a meat-board and explained in detail. For our test-run evening though, Giorgio prepared platters of all his classic winners: the 1.2kg La Fiorentina, flat-iron, sirloin and hanger steak. Oh – the hanger steak. A speciality cut; it hangs near the kidneys giving it a more robust flavour. But as usual, such is the quality of the meat - all of the cuts get rave reviews from around the table. Perfectly grilled, and not a drop of basting sauce in sight.

Now a word must be said about the star of the kitchen – the Josper grill. We enjoyed an exclusive look into the (spotless) kitchen, where the magic happens in the Josper grill. Often described as an oven, its primary role is grilling - and boy does it do that well! It burns top quality coal below two grill racks, but the secret is the front door which helps contain all the natural flavours and moisture inside. The bars of the hot grills (normally at a setting of 300 °C) cook the meat swiftly and mark the meat beautifully.

Carne simply means meat in Italian; and many say simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication. Diners at Carne Constantia can look forward to a superb experience, enjoying some of the very best meat the Mother City has to offer.

www.carne-sa.com

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