The word ‘tapas’ for me conjures up images of plate after plate of delicious snacks and treats. The kind of food you order several kinds of, all at once, and then share among friends.

It was with this in mind that a good friend and I set out to try the ‘tapas’ lunch special at Fork, a small restaurant in Long St. Unfortunately for me and for my budget, Fork’s version of tapas was somewhat more upmarket than I’d had in mind.

Fork has the largest napkins I have ever seen… big fluffy cloths that give the impression that the food is going to be good ‘n’ messy. Sadly, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

On paper, Fork’s special (R50 for a glass of wine/soft drink, a plate of tapas, and a cappuccino) sounds pretty reasonable, until, that is, you see the size of the portions.

One small plate, bearing five very beautiful, very insubstantial morsels. Five tiny little nibbles and it’s all over, finished, leaving you feeling rather cheated, tasty (and pretty) though it might have been.

Now, I’m all for fine dining, and the delicacy of tastes etc etc, but I’m not terribly fond of having to spend over R100 before the food even begins to touch sides (and I am by no means a hearty eater).

Still hungry, we decided to order a dessert to share, hoping this would help bridge the gap. Unfortunately, whilst good, it was not quite worth the forty minutes it took to reach our table. The first batch wasn’t quite right, the waiter apologised, and asked if he could get us another coffee whilst we waited.

I left Fork feeling hungry, very late for work, and rather miffed that we were charged for the extra coffee we ordered simply because the dessert took the long route through the kitchen.

I’m afraid I won’t be back.

Fork Restaurant is located at 84 Long St, opposite the Purple Turtle.

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