Pay R99 for two 220g steak fillets served with vegetables at Vanilla, valued at R210 (save 53%)

Seeing as technology is not as far advanced enough to have given the world flying cars or aeroplanes powered by toothpaste, the ability to move an island from one part of the world to another is still far out of reach. Experience a taste of Manhattan in Cape Town’s own piece of it, without the need for binoculars, hopping a plane or messing around with advanced land-teleportation, with two 220g steak fillets served with vegetables from Vanilla for R99.

While there are many restaurants which try to pass themselves off as fine-dining just by filling their menu with unpronounceable, obscure dishes and hiring snooty waiters, Vanilla combines all that class and sophistication with an easy, relaxed atmosphere. Whether you’re a struggling artist, or a Lady Who Lunches, with the combination of old favourites and elaborate new inventions on the menu, there’s always something for everyone to enjoy.

There aren’t many places that could peddle the staple food of red-blooded Joe Everyman with the panache of Vanilla, and it has nothing to do with the fact that the classy joint finds its home in the chic Cape Quarter. The Gorgonzola steak is over two hundred grams of cheesy perfection ideal for hungry bellies but for those who want something more adventurous than Gorgonzola, the plain fillet steak comes with any choice of sauce. Served with mixed vegetables and the fries that American sitcoms insist are a necessary addition to every meal, the steaks are an ideal departure from standard bistro fare.

You and your date can enjoy your nibbles in the classy cut-crystal décor of the interior, charmed by the futuristic mood-lighting and entranced by the shiny chandelier. If the weather is good, try a taste of café society so loved by Europeans and art students everywhere and dine al fresco, maybe sipping a colourful cocktail outside on the piazza. Vanilla, a smell proven by Disney World to make people happy, wafts through the entire restaurant accompanied by soft strains of jazz music to create a relaxing atmosphere perfect for a spot of fine-dining.

Food Fact: According to a book of world records, the most expensive burger in the world is served at a New York burger-joint called The Cookie Jar. Using a pure-beef patty tenderised using a mermaid’s hair brush, the burger is served with lettuce, tomato and shavings of Italian truffle.