Being a restaurateur is not for sissies, but it seems that Liam Tomlin has the Midas touch. With his latest offering, The Bailey, on Bree Street, Tomlin looks to revive a bygone era, where dining out was an occasion.

Engendering Nostalgia

I have very keen childhood memories of dining out being a grand affair. Being one of five siblings this may have been to do with the size of the crew heading out, but also dining out was reserved for special occasions and a little pomp and ceremony was part of the experience. In our household these rare occasions were marked by the scent of my mom’s Yves St Laurent Opium perfume, also reserved only for special occasions. When that heady scent filled the air, my siblings and I knew that a trip to dine out was imminent and the excitement was palpable.

It is this kind of ceremony and nostalgia that The Bailey hopes to invoke; a nod to a time when dining out was a treasured experience. This is not fast-casual dining, this is also not foams and tweezers, instead this is elegant, refined dining, the way it used to be.

Remembering Bailey

The three-story building on Bree is marked by its bottle green exterior and gold lettering – named after the Tomlins’ treasured chocolate lab, Bailey, it is a fitting tribute to a dearly departed family member. No doubt Bailey would have approved.

The Bailey Café

The first two levels of the space comprise the restaurant; the entrance to the ground floor café impresses with a voluminous shimmering chandelier. Green velvet banquette seating, gilded gold mirrors, marble topped ornate tables and furnishings reminiscent of a French bistro complete the interior. Here you can enjoy coffee and a decadent pastry in the morning, or take in a leisurely  lunch, perhaps selecting from the daily plat du jour.

The Bailey Brasserie

Level two is home to the brasserie, where deep-buttoned leather seats and pops of red velvet provide warmth, and an impressive collection of art pieces from the Tomlins’ own collection adorns the walls. The level feels spacious yet cosy from the plush textiles and parquet flooring – reclaimed from Tulbagh, restored and laid piece by piece.

Waistcoated staff surreptitiously fill your wine glass and deliver freshly baked, warm mini baguettes and whipped butter to the table.

Food at The Bailey Brasserie

As you would expect from the environment, the menu is sophisticated yet not complicated. Bistro fare that is produce-driven and served in a way that seems simple but we all know, definitely isn’t. Tomlin, known for spotting and incubating talent, has head chef, Jacques Grové (25), at the helm. Grovés’ young age belies his talent, garnered from years at Chefs Warehouse in Bree Street and Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic.

The menu has staples that you would expect from a brasserie – chicken liver parfait, a savoury tarte tatin or oysters with caviar, to name just a few. We sampled the risotto of the day which is a must have – on that day it was artichoke and was utterly decadent. I would go back just for that.

For mains I had the Tournedos Rossini with pommes Anna, creamed spinach and sauce Périgueux (principally madeira and truffles). The fillet of steak was wrapped in bacon, perfectly cooked and served with the lightest version of pommes Anna I’ve ever had – a silken potato stack topped with shaved truffle. Fellow diners at the table had the Gnocchi with asparagus, grilled oyster mushrooms and truffle and also sang its praises with enthusiasm.

The fillet of steak was wrapped in bacon and perfectly cooked.

Dessert is an experience in itself. I loved the table-side service of a stunningly good Crêpes Suzette, complete with a beurre sauce resplendent with fresh citrus. The entertainment factor of watching it being prepared and the theatre of flaming Cointreau added to the charm. Table service of classic dishes will be a hallmark of The Bailey, so browse the menu for dishes that will have this flair.

Another standout for the day that I have to mention was the chocolate soufflé, a literal puff of deeply dark chocolate with a quenelle of blood orange ice cream to round it out – absolutely sublime.

Whiskey & Wine Bar

Level three is where connoisseurs meet. An uber luxurious whiskey and wine bar with a grand piano and grand aspirations. Colloquially donned, ‘the forever 30 bar’ it’s a space where you can appreciate the finer things, like table service from a team of stylishly uniformed staff… no begging at the bar here. Jewel coloured velvet seating and an outside balcony area will make this a go-to place for movers and shakers to meet.

Individual cabinets line the far wall and regulars can own their own liquor locker to house curated special selections, choosing from an impressive collection of Scotch, Irish and Japanese whiskeys (in amongst wine and more). Just don’t pick locker number 13, that might just be Liam’s final resting place one day – the chef-owner loves the space so much, he might just have a kiln of his ashes permanently installed there.

Why You Should Go

Tomlin states that The Bailey is a ‘selfish expression of things we love’, which doesn’t really seem selfish at all. From the artwork to the finishings, the menu and the attitude, everything is geared towards a superlative experience. That kind of attention to detail has a price tag; you can expect to pay between R120-R240 for a starter, with their specialty 36-month cured Ibérico Jamón at R380. Mains are priced from about R220-R350, or you can opt for a dish for two, like Beef Bourguignon and hasselback potatoes, for R850. If you are after a special experience that takes dining to a cherished level, then that’s what you’ll be guaranteed to get.

From the artwork, to the finishings, the menu and the attitude, everything is geared towards a superlative experience.

Tomlin and his business partners (his wife Jan and the owners of Tintswalo Lodges – Lisa & Warwick Goosen; Gaye & Ernest Corbett) know a thing or two about refined hospitality and The Bailey is the perfect expression of this collective of talents and experience.

The Bailey, 91 Bree Street, Cape Town

Opening times Café Bailey (ground level): Monday -Saturday, 07h00-21h00 | Brasserie: Monday-Saturday, 12 noon- 14h30; 18h00-21h00 | Whiskey & Wine Bar: Monday-Friday, 15h00-late; Saturday from 17h00

Call 021 773 0440 | Email  | Instagram

All images copyright of Sam Linsell (except Tournedos Rossini)