On Friday, after work, a friend and I were on our way down Long St to visit an old favourite watering hole of ours, Zula Sound Bar.

We were very nearly on our way up the stairs when I suggested that we try MiamMiam instead, as it sounded a bit quieter, and it had been some time since I’d last been there (December last year).

So, in we went, down the atmospheric narrow corridor that leads into MiamMiam’s cool interior.

Being so early, there was hardly anyone there, but we sauntered up to the well-stocked bar and started ordering a few rounds to help us leave the work-week behind us.

The barmen were far friendlier than I’d expected (trendy places don’t always have genuinely friendly barmen, or so I’ve found), and we soon got to chatting about the place, and how they’d just relaunched as Cafe Miam.

In its previous incarnation, Miam Miam was a rather cold place, full of attention-seeking trendoids, dressed to the nines (and then some). Not a place I frequented.

The new Miam, they said, would be very different, and would now include a fine-dining experience, with a chef from the Mount Nelson on hand to whip up succulent treats for platters and snacks.

Unlike a traditional restaurant, though, you won’t have to sit formally around tables – you can lounge on comfortable sofas and the like, whilst decadently munching on whatever goodies you’ve selected.

To emphasise their point, they asked if we’d like to try something, on the house – so we did.

Out of the kitchen came a platter of sushi, a whole plate of chicken kebabs, bowls of spicy nuts ‘n’ nibbly bits as well as a selection of highly addictive olives, all of it absolutely delicious. All of it free.

The kitchen opens some time this week, apparently, and they’re planning to run all kinds of special evenings every week, such as live bands, girls evenings, and so on.

They didn’t have a menu available at that point, but I will take a look once the kitchen is up and running.

Something interesting that they showed us was a box of special teas that they’ll be serving, unique in that each teabag is, apparently, made of silk, with specially selected organic teas inside.

Certainly something I’d try at least once.

We had a few more drinks, nibbled at sushi, and enjoyed their sublime music. The place hadn’t filled up by the time we left (around 8.30pm), but I expect once word gets out about their new Friday happy hour (all drinks half-price between 6pm and 8pm), things will pick up very quickly.

I will most definitely be back.

Cafe Miam (formerly MiamMiam) is at 196-and-a-half Long St, Cape Town. Happy Hour is 6pm-8pm every Friday. Tel (021) 422 5823.

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