the scoring system

---

Each restaurant is scored out of 20, with half marks possible. It is important to note that every restaurant is scored on the same basis. A casual dining restaurant might therefore score 11 or 12 out of 20, and still be a wonderful dining experience, whereas a fine dining establishment may fail to deliver on expectations and score 14. The scores are therefore helpful only in the context of the reviews.  

Food

8/8. Extraordinary: Unique and complex, reflecting an original, coherent creative vision and perfect technique across the entire menu. Unforgettable. 

7/8. Outstanding: Unique and complex, reflecting striking creativity and perfect technique across much of the menu. Memorable. 

6/8. Excellent: Reflecting some creativity and a total command of technique. Delicious. 

5/8. Very good: Reflecting a strong command of technique. Satisfying. 

4/8. Good: Well-cooked across the menu, tasty. Enjoyable.

3/8. Average: Hit-and-miss across the menu, bland, flawed. Regrettable. 

2/8. Bad: A failure of technique across much of the menu. Unpleasant. 

1/8. Terrible: Flawed across the menu, largely inedible. Disgusting. 

0/8. Horrific. Inedible. Revolting. 

Wine 

6/6. A wide selection of top wines from the Western Cape, and wines from a number of other countries and regions, including older vintages. If the restaurant is very specifically about place, then the requirement for an international range falls away, but the region must be comprehensively represented. 

5/6. A selection of top wines from the Western Cape or relevant sub-region, including many older vintages. 

4/6. A selection of top wines from the Western Cape. 

3/6. A selection of good wines from the Western Cape.

2/6. An inadequate selection of wines from the Western Cape. 

1/6. Very little wine, none of which is any good. 

0/6. No wine list worth the name. 

Service

4/4. Warm, knowledgeable, across every detail: faultless. 

3/4. Warm, knowledgeable, attentive: excellent. 

2/4. Warm, attentive: competent.  

1/4. Cold, Indifferent, inattentive: incompetent. 

0/4. Rude, absent, dishonest: fire immediately.

Setting, Décor and Ambience 

2/2. Striking, interesting, comfortable. An enjoyable ambience. 

1/2. Indifferent, uninteresting, conventional. An ambience that neither adds nor detracts from the overall experience. 

0/2. Ugly, dirty, unkempt. An unpleasant ambience.