Bistro1682 @ Steenberg: Tapas
A quick nibble on Potstickers, Bao buns and Patatas Bravas
We just had a quick drink here and tried a few tapas.
Duck bao buns
I don't think anyone comes to 1682 for authentic bao so I will be lenient lol. They were very rich. The bao bun itself was soft and pillowy, and the vinegary grapes were very welcome as a contrast to the other richer elements. The sauce was sweet and gooey (meh) and they used the same vegetables as a garnish and filling. The duck was nice. Overall very salty and rich but not terrible and I would consider ordering it again if I was in the mood for that kind of thing or if I was sharing with someone else who hasn’t tried them yet.
Pork pot stickers
Firstly, I know it's really bad to order pork. Especially from places which don't use ethically sourced pork. This was very disappointing. It kind of felt like”same same but different”t (after the duck bao) in terms of the flavours and the sauces. The mayo and sauce was very creamy and intense. They were extremely fried. There was very little freshness besides a bit of cabbage and it needed more freshness considering the other elements being very fried or very rich sauces. I shared it with someone and neither of us wanted the third one.
“Patatas bravas”
It's hard to go wrong with fried potatoes. They were hot and crispy. That being said, it's not a chip I would crave, they are mostly peel (had that signature earthiness) with some potato attached to the peel and so do absorb a fair amount of oil. I would have liked a bit more salt or spice on the actual potato. I liked the sour cream dip which was cool and creamy, however the oil that it was topped with felt a bit pointless.
I would note that this dish is quite filling and rich so most definitely needs to be shared with a few people if you are going to be ordering more tapas dishes.
House Salad (Tender greens, olives, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, sprouts, quail egg, balsamic syrup)
A really nice small and simple salad. It was crunchy, thanks to the lettuce and sprouts, and fresh and was surrounded by a thin layer of sweet dressing. I liked the garlicky olives and it felt novel to eat the little boiled quails egg.
The tapas menu at Bistro 1682 is extensive and seems to have remained largely unchanged over time. I will be back to try some more tapas as we frequent 1682 regularly. I often find that the same flavours and elements are repeated in each dish here, and it can get repetitive considering how intense and/or rich the dishes are. I do enjoy having tapas here, I’m am just never blown away.
Menu items tasted: Duck bao buns R98 ; Pork pot stickers R88 ; “Patatas bravas” R65 ; House Salad R66
Steenberg Rd, Tokai, Cape Town, 7945 (located at the Steenberg Tasting Room)
https://www.steenbergfarm.com/bistro1682-cape-town-contemporary-restaurant/
