Melville's Pablo Dos Manos has some of the best panoramic views across the City of Gold, and now they also offer one of the best brunches. They’re calling it ‘From Amalfi with Love’, inspired by the fare and flavours of Italy's Amalfi coast.
 
On the menu, you'll find a host of Pablo-Eggs-Go Bar breakfast classics including the red and green shakshuka, lobster Benedict and brioche French toast, alongside a wonderfully indulgent selection of new 'brunch tapas' items which we had the joy of sampling. 
 
Like most memorable brunch occasions it all started with a welcoming smile and a mimosa. Pablo Dos Manos's cocktail selection is very seductive, so if you're into your spritzes, sours and bellinis, this is the place for you.

We opted to begin our brunch journey with their new signature, Neapolitan-style pizza with a vodka-tomato base, fior de latte mozzarella and fresh basil and herb oil. It’s a great way to get the day going, easy on the eye as well as the stomach. But then it was time to dial it up a notch: a lobster and prawn brioche bun with sriracha lime mayo, which is salaciously good, just as naughty as it is nice, and very, very rich.
 
An exquisite beef carpaccio with citrus segments and shavings of fresh truffle was to follow. This almost took dish of the day. The team at Pablo just get things right; the food is always excellent, but some dishes just surpass even their high standards. This was one of them: subtly peppered wafer-thin slices of beef offset superbly with a combination of portobello mushroom and fennel brought to life with the delightful clash of truffle and citrus. We savoured every bite.
 
As mentioned, the carpaccio almost took dish of the day, but that crown was snatched by the theatrical magic of Pablo's linguine fatte in casa, which is made from scratch table-side. They flambé brandy and parmesan shavings in a giant wheel of parmesan before adding cream and truffle oil to create what must be one of the richest and most delightful pasta sauces out there. Then freshly cooked pasta is added and tossed through, spooned onto a plate with more truffle shavings and a touch of lemon zest. It's the kind of dish that would make Jamie Oliver blush, one where you'd lick the plate if only there weren't so many people around. (Take a look at our video of the dish being made here).
 
We thought we couldn’t eat anymore, but another cocktail helped stretch the stomach. The cocktails on offer are tantalisingly playful and on the sweeter citrus side; fruit-forward rather than booze-heavy, because let’s be honest, no one needs to start the day with a gin martini. Mirroring the Amalfi theme with Aperol spritz, Italian paloma and a wonderful limoncello Cinzano combination called a 'Capri Cooler'. And then, on offer for the brave: bottomless Cinzano spritz or mimosas.
 
To finish we savoured a delicate barramundi fillet, poached in a paper parcel with fennel, olives, lemon, tomato and capers, and homemade crisps as well as wood-fired prawns with garlic and lemon. Just gorgeous.  

It was time to undo the top jean button and take it all in. And there really is so much to see. You can’t talk about Pablo Dos Manos without talking about the ambience. It’s such a big part of why people love visiting: the setting is unexpected, the décor is stylish and contemporary without trying too hard and the views are phenomenal. Being part of Pablo House's boutique hotel means there’s room to rove, and people do, down a long, outdoor staircase past the premium suites to a secluded, tree-dappled garden and pool area with modish deck chairs. There’s also a little bar on the exterior deck for those wanting to soak up the sunshine and a sumptuous lounge area boasting the most magnificent art collection. 

Service is warm, but relaxed, and not in a slow sense, just that there’s no spinning or rushing about. You get the sense that the waiters have been there for a good while and that the staff all feel very at home.

This brunch is not to be missed. It’s running every Sat and Sun from 10:30 –14:00 (last seating at 12:00), until the end of 2023. Booking is essential. Email info@pablohouse.co.za