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Jardine Restaurant

<p>Though the nighttime views are lovely at this spare, modern 80-seat restaurant (set on the second floor of a Victorian, it has a glass-enclosed dining room that looks over twinkling city lights), the real eye candy here is culinary. In the restaurant's open kitchen, Scottish chef George Jardine and his staff create dazzling dishes that fuse classic French sensibility and New World whimsy, like 12-hour-braised ox-cheek and scallop bordelaise, and aged rump steak with marrow and brioche crust. The à la carte menu changes every three weeks, and adventurous eaters can try the Perfect 6 menu, a six-course grab bag prepared with whatever ingredients were freshest at that day's farmers' markets. Wines are on the expensive side, by South African standards.</p> <p><strong>Insider Tip:</strong> Though Jardine is open only for dinner, its bakery, just a few steps out the front door and around the corner on Bloem Street, has counter seating and serves terrific pastries on weekdays (try the beet-and-horseradish tart with pickled vegetables for lunch). </p>