A boys' weekend
I took my dad with me to my first evening at Vaudeville. He had come down to visit me for a boys' weekend, my mum opting to stay at home and let us have our fun. If you ever want a true reflection of a restaurant, take a parent with you. They won't necessarily mention anything, but they will show their disdain or their joy in their facial expressions. And, notably, their eyes are the tell-tale of a good time. I was, understandably, a little nervous to see my dad's reaction.
Walking in to Vaudeville you are greeted with a smile, given a welcoming drink, and seated with efficiency and grace. The servers are assigned a handful of tables in order to ensure their constant attention during your meal. That having been said, they are not overbearing or annoying. There is some preamble leading up to the show, during which the server takes your food choices from the set menu. Whilst some of the preamble is funny, it is not a comedy show. It is broken up into a few segments, with the server checking up on drinks orders just before the next segment starts.
The food is exceptionally good, it really is. The set menu is constantly evolving. For starters we had a mezze platter and the house salad. Main course was a choice of beef short rib, salmon ravioli, or a butternut, onion and gorgonzola tart. Whilst I opted for the short rib, my dad went for the ravioli. Being a very fussy Italian who insists on his pasta being al dente and accompanied by just the right bottle of wine, I was pleasantly surprised by his positive reaction to the food. Dessert was a dark chocolate torte with mascarpone crème, which we both enjoyed.
But knowing the food isn't airline fair is only half the deal. The show is a spectacular display by incredible athletes and musicians. I can't imagine the amount of practice that goes into performing on the level they are at, it is amazing. Regularly, throughout the course of the show, you can hear the audience gasp and murmur its approval at every feat. The musicians are adept at getting the crowd clapping. With my dad cracking a smile and nodding his approval, I knew I'd found a winner.
In the timeless and annoying words of every telemarketer ever: How much would you expect to pay for this? As I mentioned at the outset, Vaudeville is an experience that you pay for. The outer seats are R350 a head, and ringside tables or booth seating pushes the price to R395 a head. Which begs the question: Is it worth the outlay? Whilst that very much depends on how much loose cash you have to throw around, the short answer is yes. Even for those on a budget, I would highly recommend saving up for it and treating it as the sort of thing you reserve for very special occasions. Vaudeville gets both thumbs up!
Performances run throughout the festive season until July 2010, from Mon-Sat at 8:15pm with tickets costing R350-395 per person. The price includes the show, meal and entry into The Fez after the show. All tickets and VIP Lounge bookings can be made via or 0861 SUPPER. For group bookings of ten or more, a 10% discount offer is available.Vaudeville and the Fez Club are located at 11 Mechau Street, just off lower Bree Street on the Foreshore in Cape Town. Ample on-street parking with security is available.
