I immediately fell in love with the décor – The black and white tiled floor, contemporary green couch and whimsical elements like white-rabbit-shaped lamps and ‘Alice was here’ signs add just the right amount of fun without compromising the esteemed name of the collection. We were seated at the perfect spot to people-watch while enjoying some of the best snacks – definitely a good spot to stop and take a breath while shopping, or meet up with a friend for coffee and cake, and perhaps even some jabberwocky.
Before we could dive into the very inviting sweets awaiting us in the custom-made cake trolley, we thought it only appropriate to start off with something savoury. The agenda included the tuna tea sandwich, pastrami croissant and Caesar wrap. The tuna sandwich is tasty and light, best suited for diners who are just a bit peckish. General manager Standton’s recommendation to try the pastrami croissant was definitely a good choice – it is so much better than I initially thought it would be. The mustard is really what makes the dish, and I’m not a major mustard person, but it was honestly very nice and I’d have it again. The best savoury item on the menu has got to be the Caesar wrap (also Standton’s suggestion) – it is the ultimate combination of flavours for bacon lovers, like me, with strips of crispy (but not burnt) bacon, gem lettuce and a parmesan and anchovy dressing which enhances the bacon flavour terrifically. I will go back purely to have this wrap again.
Beverages were another highlight of our meal – we started off with lemon fresh tea and an ice cubed latte. The tea I’ll admit was really just lemon tea for me, but the coffee was an experience. As the name points out, the coffee is served in the form of ice cubes along with a glass of hot milk to pour over the cubes, and condensed milk to sweeten. It was magical! The aspect of pouring the milk over the coffee ice cubes and watching them melt and turn the milk into coffee added a playful aspect, appealing to the child in me, and while I was sceptical of adding condensed milk to my coffee (as someone who doesn’t usually even take sugar) it wasn’t overly sweet but rather added an element of rich creaminess and delight – I’ll be trying this at home!
Moving on to the main attraction (for me anyway) we sampled the macarons, baked cheesecake and the oh-so-divine triple chocolate cake. Can you guess the winner? Hands down the chocolate cake! For macaron lovers, like myself, do yourselves a favour and get there early if you want to order these – They were good, but honestly not the best I’ve tasted. The cheesecake, on the other hand, was a little more on the sour side of the cheesecake scale, which is great for those who prefer deserts without an overly sweet taste. Now, the chocolate cake. This is the most delicious, moist, rich, decadent and homey chocolate cake you ever did see! Ingredients include 80%, 70% and milk chocolate (hence, triple chocolate) and there’s a layer of gold-dusted chocolate ganache coating the top and sides of this bundt-shaped, brownie-like wonder, making it the ultimate treat for chocolate and cake lovers alike. It’s a taste you can never forget and won’t ever want to!
To finish off, we tried the peppermint crisp milkshake, and the Pink Rabbit (or strawberry milkshake). Both were superb (and frankly quite addictive!), with peppermint crisp/chocolate combined with fresh mint in the one, and fresh strawberries and pulp in the other. My guest and I agreed that the Pink Rabbit was the winner, but that didn’t stop us from finishing every last drop of both shakes!
If you’re in the area and looking for a good spot for a quick bite, or a great cuppa and cake while people-watching, The White Rabbit is it.
For more, go to www.dalliancerestaurant.co.za/the-white-rabbit, or contact +27 (0) 21 418 1037.
