Cape Town's thoroughly modern hotel, The Silo, serves up old-school comfort food

The views from the rooftop of The Silo hotel are the best in the V&A Waterfront: 360 degrees of mountain, harbour and ocean from eleven floors up, and you’re even looking down on the seagulls.

This funky industrial chic hotel is the latest addition to The Royal Portfolio collection, an upbeat urban sister property to La Residence in Franschhoek and Birkenhead House in Hermanus.

Despite the high ceilings, industrial volumes delineated by the steel girders of the original grain elevator section and huge faceted convex windows soaking up every angle of view, the public spaces have the intimacy of a select club, reflecting the boutique nature of the 28-room luxury hotel.

Cape Town has already discovered the Rooftop bar as a hip destination for sundowners enjoying cocktails and light snacks, perhaps prawns from the tempura bar, a Greek Lamb gyro or pulled pork sandwich from the charcoal grill.

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Down on the sixth floor at the Willaston Bar the bar menu includes gourmet sandwiches and the house burger, and the Granary Cafe is the place for relaxed bistro comfort food.

All menus are designed by executive chef Veronica Canha-Hibbert (previously of Ellerman House) who has gone for unfussy excellence.

“The space is very eclectic – there’s so much to take in. The food doesn’t want to be too complicated or you get sensory overload,” says Veronica. “I thought we’d bring the food back to being as old school as possible, with three or four amazing elements on the plate that taste like they’re supposed to taste.”

The steak frites at the Granary Cafe was exactly that, old school, and satisfying: a generous slab of sirloin, hand-cut chips and a creamy bearnaise. The Confit pork belly was beautifully moist and full of flavour with just enough crispiness set off by chunky apple chutney and pickled red cabbage.

The menu is concise, with linefish, bouillabaisse or risotto being the other main dishes, and a raw bar selection offering alternatives.

The dark Tarte au Chocolat with hazelnut ice cream, salted caramel and tiny macaroons would satisfy the most demanding chocoholic, unless you prefer the cheese trolley or the nostalgia of a peach melba – good old-fashioned comfort in a dramatic setting with unmatched views.

This was originally published in one of the Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Property and Lifestyle guides. Visit Yourneighbourhood.co.za, like YourNeighbourhoodZA on Facebook and follow YourHoodZA on Twitter.