March 2010
Cavells serves ‘Spanish, Italian and American cuisine’: what this basically means is that they serve a little bit of everything western. But far from being a jack of all trades, Cavells actually excels at many of their dishes.
We ordered some tapas as appetisers, going with the Albondigas Con Salsa, a meatball in spiced tomato sauce and the Pollo Con Limont, a dish of chicken pieces stir fried in spices with a hint of lemon. The meatballs were juicy and were clearly made with good meat as there was hardly any gristle, unlike most homemade meatballs you find in this city. The chicken was nicely done, but could have managed with a little more kick.
The real goodness comes in the mains. With this family-run restaurant, it’s obvious that great care is taken in creating the different flavours as well as in the preparation of the dishes.
Unfortunately, this can sometimes mean that the meals are served a little slow, but trust me, they are worth the wait. Spellbound is sizzling lamb made with brandy and served with fries and mixed vegetables. It’s nice enough, but could not hold a candle to the piece de resistance; their burgers. Fresh and homemade, the Cavells burger patties, in my humble opinion, are better than those found in gourmet burger restaurants. Not only are Cavells Restaurant Time Out reviews anonymously and pays for meals they large in diameter, but they are thick and juicy, and cooked to perfection. We ordered ours with a double patty, double cheese and a salami slice after asking for a recommendation. And it was wonderful, although too big to take a bite out of. It was more than enough to ensure a return visit.
Still not done, we decided to sample something from their rather extensive milkshake menu. Being the gluttons we are, we ordered the Shockalicious, a chocolate, coffee and vanilla concoction which I found a little too heavy on the coffee; and having learnt to trust Jackie’s (our server/floor manager) recommendations, we ordered an Ultimate Rum Raisin Milkshake. Looking like a regular milkshake, it was a heady, creamy drink which did not skimp on the alcohol. Delicious yet potent, it was a wonderful ending to our meal.
One of the best things about Cavells is the service. They make it a point to speak to each customer to make sure they get the most out their meal. And this is one place where what is recommended is actually good. Rosheen Fatima