What comes to mind when you think of seafood? If you’re a BIG seafood lover like I am, I go into foodie heaven just thinking of crispy salt & pepper calamari, big bowls of juicy, plump mussels drenched with a lovely, aromatic sauce, grilled butterflied prawns with a rich garlic lemon butter sauce or a spicy seafood paella with tons of flavour. Ok, now I’m officially hungry and craving seafood! 😉

If the above tickles your taste buds in any way, then you have to try out the delightful seafood bistro, Saltwater Grill, in the garden city suburb of Pinelands. This cosy and unpretentious gem is just down the road from where I live and since opening its doors in 2015, has gathered a loyal following. Dylan and his team have got things just right from the start with their sublime food and friendly service.

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I was invited by my friend Bev to celebrate another birthday lunch (any excuse for more birthday celebrations!) and chose to go to Saltwater Grill on a Tuesday afternoon. I’ve been a few times but not in a while and had a real craving for some fresh and tasty seafood. As it was a lovely day, we sat in the covered outdoor seating area. We brought our own wine to enjoy with lunch, a lovely bottle of Silver Myn Rosé from Zorgvliet which paired beautifully with our food. At the time, no corkage was charged as they were awaiting their liquor licence. No corkage is charged on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays. Corkage fee of R30 per bottle applies on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. They are closed on Sundays. The newly revamped wine list has just been launched with expert advice by Vinimark, so you’re sure to find some great choices.

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The menu is quite varied and offers a range of starters, salads (definitely not boring and a bit different), home-made Italian pastas, main courses, platters and desserts. They recently added some burgers and steaks for the meat lovers.

We opted for the Monday and Tuesday special menu where you get a choice of starter and a main course for R100 per person – what a bargain! For starters, Bev chose the Crispy Calamari Tentacles with their own signature Tartare sauce and I had the Salt & Pepper Calamari Rings with spring onion & mint, a bit of a twist on the classic. Both were so tasty and fresh that we couldn’t stop gushing about it in between mouthfuls and sips of our delicate and crispy Rosé.

The mains were an easy choice for us as we were both in the mood for grilled Fresh Cape Hake with real lemon butter. All mains are served with your choice of fresh cut chips (these are to die for!), lemon savoury rice, fresh salad or sautéed vegetables. I chose the fresh salad while Bev went for the sautéed vegetables. This meal is another winner – the grilled hake is so beautifully cooked that it literally melts in your mouth and you keep going back for more and more … until there is none left!

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Unfortunately, we had no space for dessert but I have heard that their New York Cheese Cake is sublime and deliciously out of this world. Seriously though, what is their secret? Personally, I think everything is made with a special ingredient called love, and that’s why it’s just so damn good! I’ll have to save some space for dessert when I go again. And there will be a next time as you can’t beat fresh and tasty food at reasonable prices, genuine and friendly service in a cosy atmosphere.

So whether you go with a bunch of friends or with your significant other for an impromptu date night, go and check it out for yourself and let me know what you think when you do. I think you’ll be in for a foodie treat!