A True Festa at Ponto's Gateway

Just below Virgin Active at Gateway Shopping of Theatre, sits Ponto’s, a family-driven Portuguese restaurant brand built around authentic flavours, warm hospitality and the joy of bringing people together over food in a vibrant, contemporary setting.

When we stepped in, we were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff and seated beside the glass window panels overlooking the outdoors. Inside, the space is beautifully curated with vibrant plants, a massive art mural, a pretty bar area and music setting the tone, as well as a piano and mic stand for live entertainment – perfect for those vibey evenings.

Behind the festa (the Portuguese term for feast, party, celebration, and festival) was Chef Shantal, who prepared a beautiful spread for us, with the wonderful Nxolo tending to our table. Our feast featured colourful, refreshing drinks and flavoursome starters, then a great main and artisanal desserts. And now, we’re going to share them with you.

Cocktails

From their drinks menu, we had very summery picks: a Spicy Mango Daiquiri, a Fitch & Leedes Cheeky Cherry with a shot of tequila; a glittery Midnight Magic mixed with Fitch & Leedes lemonade with vodka; a Caipirinha, a white rum with lekka lime; a couple of Pornstar Martinis with premium vodka, passionfruit puree, cap classique, and vanilla syrup; and a zesty Tangerine Daiquiri, with orange juice and tangerine puree.

Starters

Already transported to the sun-kissed shores with the drinks, now it was time for the golden, spicy bites. We eased in with Crumbed Jalapeño Poppers stuffed with mixed cheese, Crispy Fried Aubergine paired with spicy mayo, Wood-oven Cheesy Prawns, and Peri-Peri Chicken Livers, which had a little kick to it. A bold start already!

Mains

Fortunately, the starters were light because this was a true feast: generous sharing meals, hearty coastal seafood, grilled meats, and rich spices. Their menu celebrates Portugal’s bold, comforting flavours, with a local twist. Our team was in awe at the final spread. Each main was accompanied by either a side of fresh fries, savoury rice, a Greek salad or vegetables.

Ponto’s speciality, the Full Portuguese Chicken, was saucy and well spiced. From the surf and turf selection, the Hake & Chips with mint sauce was a nostalgic favourite, while the Crumbed Calamari & Grilled Chicken and Prawn & Chicken Combo were delicious duos of flavourful prawns, golden crumbed calamari and juicy grilled chicken. A melt-in-your-mouth Kingklip was served with creamy mashed potato and roasted veggies, and each of the Queen Prawns from the platter was met with delighted squeals.

We first devoured the beautiful Tomahawk with our eyes; an aged French-trim rib-eye served with bone marrow and fries. Tender, succulent and finished with lovely char-grilled notes, it was a showstopper. Their gourmet burgers – Liana, a succulent beef patty topped with red onion, tomato, salad leaves, pickled baby marrow and BBQ house relish, and Jairus, a juicy lamb patty with red onion, tomato, salad leaves, pickled baby marrow and coriander mayo were succulent and a satisfying, wholesome mix of protein, carbs and vegetables.

From their pasta selection, we had the Krystyns, a lovely combination of bacon, chicken, and mushroom in a creamy peri-peri sauce. For the vegetarian options, we had Falafel Balls with hummus, which were like little bites of joy, and a Falafel Wrap filled with salad and tahini. All their sauces are made in-house, and their meats, seafood and produce are locally sourced – so you can always count on everything being fresh and full of flavour!

Desserts

Yes. In this lifetime and in every lifetime, dessert will always be a constant. After all the chit-chatting and lingering over the glorious mains and drinks, we got to a very sweet and special ending. Beautiful, delectable slices of Carrot Cake, Chocolate Cake, Red Velvet and Cheesecake, all served with vanilla ice cream, adorned our table. To complement them, creamy cappuccinos, a Toffeenut Latte, and a Pistachio Latte completed the sweetest send-off.

Thank you to Chef Shantal and the Ponto’s team for the warm hospitality, incredible flavours, and truly memorable experience.

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