Daawat, which bills itself as “the authentic Pakistani restaurant" gets the thumbs up from me. I first popped by on a Friday for lunch. Though I knew for certain that if it was truly authentic, it would be closed for jumua (Friday lunchtime prayers for Muslims), I got my hopes up anyway. They were closed. So I put off my visit for Sunday, when I knew I’d be tired and in need of wholesome sustenance after my weekend move. Outside Daawat, which means “invitation”, looks like any city centre restaurant. Inside, it reminds me of the many Muslim homes I have visited in my life, having grown up in a multicultural community. The decor was reminiscent of that at the many Muslim functions I attended in the Bo-Kaap when my father taught at St Paul’s. Both ardent fans of Indian, Pakistani and Malay cuisine, my partner and I were excited to sample the menu of this month-old restaurant. There were the regulars: tandoori chicken, prawns, curries and breyanis – and, like a blessing bestowed upon us, a separate vegetarian section. Despite initially serving alcohol when it opened, Daawat has responded to the suggestion of a patron who suggested that they would be well-supported by the Muslim community if they cut the alcoholic beverages from their menu. As a result, the restaurant is 100% halaal. I know this because, after we had placed our orders, the owner, Azhar Chaudry, came over to chat to us, filling us in on the history of the place. But first he asked us whether we were strictly vegetarian “or only vegetarian today”. When we confirmed we were indeed veg-lovers, he asked whether we thought the selection was ample. We did. Sticking with the theme of authenticity, André and I decided we wouldn’t order anything we thought we could get anywhere else. So, to drink, we each ordered a Ninboo Pani (R18) which is fresh lime juice mixed with soda or water. It was delicious and refreshing. For starters, André ordered the Thai veg soup (R30) while I went with the vegetable spring rolls which were incredibly tasty with a hint of curry. When it came to ordering mains, André chose the the bhindi masala (R70),which is lady fingers (okra) with onion, tomato, turmeric, ginger, garlic and curry leaves; and a cheese and chilli naan bread (R25). I went with the malai vegetable kofta (R65) – deliciously soft vegetables mashed together with paneer (cheese), made into balls and served with a creamy sauce. I had this with a roti (R10). Though my meal was rich, it was very tasty, with a fusion of flavours I don’t remember encountering before. The roti was buttery (just as roti should be), but not as soft as I would’ve liked. And, being a cheese lover, I couldn’t stop myself from nicking part of André’s naan, which was yummy too.

Unfortunately, in my eagerness to tuck in, it slipped my mind to photograph our beautifully presented meals, so what you see is a photograph of our left-overs which we took home, rather than a representation of what was served to us.

All Cape Towner reviews are unannounced and paid for in full.

The one thing Cape Town does not lack is halaal restaurants and food outlets. But while few cities can compete with the number of halaal establishments in the Mother city, finding an upmarket restaurant with consistency in the food quality and service is not as easy. This has created an ideal opportunity for a new kid on the block, Daawat in the CDB, to throw down the challenge to existing restaurants that specialise in Pakistani cuisine.

According to journalist turned restaurateur, Azhar Chaudhry, Daawat opened formally in Cape Town about a month ago. However, the restaurant has had a long standing reputation for authentic Pakistani food in Johannesburg. In March I was privileged to try their fare for the first time in Fordsburg and was delighted with what they had to offer. Now after a long wait to find the right location, Capetonians can finally experience their spicy Pakistani fare for themselves.

Daawat is located on the corner of Buitengracht and Mechau Street in Cape Town and finding it might be a bit of a mission your first time. The easiest way to reach it would be to travel on Buitengracht Street heading towards the Waterfront. The second street left after Somerset Road will take you into Mechau Street which is a one way street. But parking in front of the restaurant is limited. You may want to go around the block to the parking lot behind the restaurant where there is ample parking which exits into Buitengracht.

The setting is upmarket with understated elegance. Visiting it in the evening when the hustle and bustle of the city traffic has died down makes one forget in this tucked away corner that you are even in the city. Large enough to accommodate big groups – whether it is family or business associates – without infringing on anyone privacy, the place could easily become a favourite hangout for discerning diners.

The menu is rich and varied and my tablemates and I found it hard to choose from among their many offerings. We ended up choosing starters that ranged from spicy chicken winglets to delightfully light chicken corn soup. Main courses ranged from traditional Pakistani chicken tikka, to more continental Fillet Mignon to Prawn curry. The one outstanding thing in every dish we tried is the care that was taken with the preparation and the delicate blending of spices to delight the palate. Chaudhry said this is a hallmark of his restaurant and one he is determined to maintain.

The restaurant which has now been approved by the Muslim Judicial Council Halaal Trust, initially opened serving alcohol, upon the suggestion of his non-Muslim partner, Chaudhry said. “However, this was only for about the first week that we were open. It has since been done away with and we have now been approved by the MJCHT and are awaiting our halaal certificate to be delivered. As for non Muslim diners who insist on alcohol, we have them order their meal, then let them go to the pub next door for a drink while their meal is being prepared and return 20 minutes later,” he said.

My table mates agreed that Daawats passed the first test with flying colours. While for the restaurant the challenge will be to maintain their high standards, diners have the far more pleasurable challenge to return to try other interesting dishes on their menu. Pricing suits the upmarket setting but is not too excessive, neither are the portions frightfully big. It is well worth recommending.

Daawats is at shop 2 Dockside Building, corner of Buitengracht and 31 Mechau Street Cape Town. They can be reached at 021-421 9017 or on daawat@absamail.co.za. VOC (Munadia Karaan)