Manolo`s Dutch owners Peter Zeeuw and Leen Filius, together with Cape Town interior designer Kevin Englebrecht, assigned themselves one room each to play and the result is three distinct dining areas: a red room done up in velvet curtains, fringed lampshades and French-style furniture; the starkly minimalist gold room with one bare light bulb, white tablecloths and bay windows; and the light room with plush mocha-coloured couches stretching the length of the room and playful orange light boxes. The front garden is also styled to the nines, with Phillipe Starke chairs and invitingly overstuffed couches with dramatic high backs on a dark wood deck fringed by leafy greenery and a view of the mountain.

Fortunately for epicureans, the food is as aesthetically pleasing as the decor - and sublimely flavoured to match. Naturally it`s at a price, but reasonable by Mother City standards. Mains are R82, although some of the more special items might include a surcharge. We started with gravadlax of Norwegian salmon with deep-fried oysters and a four- citrus butter sauce and deep fried goat`s cheese with a spicy tomato chutney, moving on to the seafood panache, with a trio of fish and a fillet steak so tender you could slice it with a butter knife.

It`s said you can judge a restaurant on its crème brûlée and Manolo takes no chances, serving a winning combination of three to completely overwhelm you - mint, coffee and natural.