Hiding in a rather inconspicuous shopping center in Morningview you'll find a gorgeous looking restaurant serving delicious crepes, crisp and flavourful waffles and great coffee - Rather Tart.
We found this place by searching for dessert-centric places, and boy are we glad we did.
Their exteriors look like a chic boutique, with pretty purple floral prints and clean decor. I am obsessed with the branding of this place. I have always been a sucker for florals, especially when showcased in such a classic and beautiful way.
The theme carries through into their menu, which mainly features crepes and waffles. If you're not in the mood for waffles or crepes, don't go to a crepe parlour and waffle bar.
Joining us again (not that we mind) was Dylan and Courtney, and our other friend Matt.
He learned pretty quickly not to touch anything without it being photographed first!
For drinks, Connor ordered a Red Cappuccino with absolutely adorable foam art, and Matt's cappuccino had some pretty cute foam art too.
We think the baristas were just showing off. (and rightfully so)
Dylan also grabbed a coffee milkshake which he said was delicious and not overpowering.
To eat, we all had waffles. How couldn't we when they looked so damn crisp and fluffy?!
Connor grabbed a true American treat - the fried chicken with tabasco maple syrup. Soft chicken with that toasty waffle and sweet and spicy tabasco maple syrup... This plate did no wrong.
Matt grabbed the classic with bacon. We discovered something we haven't seen before - the bacon bits and cheese were incorporated into the waffle batter and cooked. It made for an interesting looking waffle that tasted great. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.
Dylan had a waffle similar to Matt's, however his had the addition of cheese and chives. Again, nothing but happy grunts for this.
Courtney had what looked like a tower of decadence - a nutella and strawberry waffle with vanilla ice cream. The fresh strawberries added that necessary bit of tang to the dish.
Seriously, look at all that chocolatey goodness
Finally, I'd ordered the savoury mince and cheese sauce with a mild chutney. My only complaint here was that there was too much topping to waffle Otherwise, it was delicious. A flavourful mince and a creamy cheese sauce. Yum!
No one else shared in our sentiments for a dessert crepe, so Connor and I ventured into that one on our own with a Lemon Meringue crepe. The staff were more than happy to separate one portion into two for us to share.
The crepe itself was thin and cooked well. It was filled with lemon curd and crushed meringue and while it tasted rather tart (sorry) as a lemon meringue should, we thought the dish was a tad bit soggy. There was too much curd and while the crushed meringue added that much needed texture, it just felt, well, weird. We'd opt for less curd, toasted Italian meringue and crushed biscuit to round it out and drive home that original flavour.
Another pleasant shock was our bill. For five of us, each with a meal and a few things to drink, it was around R600.00, just R125 per person (just in case you were too lazy to work it out yourself). We were impressed and full.
Also, if a restaurant's slogan is "Eat Dessert First", we already know we're gonna love it.
If you find that you can't make your way to their store in Sandton, check them out Neighbourgood's Market in Braam or the Fourways Farmer's Market!
Also, if you really want, they do catering!
All in all, we had a fantastic time at Rather Tart. There was never an issue with waiting or unpleasant staff. While some of the atmosphere is lost with the location (which, to be fair, is slightly unavoidable), Rather Tart more than made up for it in the vibe that they create.
We think Rather Tart was rather awesome, and will definitely visit again.
Stay hungry for adventure, friends.
Steph & Connor
4.5/5 Crepes