Words: Sharon Waugh / Photos: Supplied
When you visit a place, dining there is never just about sampling the local cuisine, it’s about the whole experience; the sights, the sounds, the decor, the ambience and the interactions you have with the people you encounter. It all culminates in an experience that leaves a taste in your mouth – hopefully a good one.
We recently wined and dined our way through Cape Town, and here are some of the flavours we believe every visitor should taste:
The wine farm picnic
It’s not hard to see why people travel from all over the world to experience both the scenic beauty of the Cape Winelands and the products of this region. A picnic is a great way to enjoy both of these things simultaneously.
Our adventure began just an hour outside Cape Town at Boschendal where we enjoyed a picnic on lush green lawns in the shade of soaring oak trees stretching towards the sky. Much of the contents of our picnic basket (or rather box) was grown on site or ethically sourced from local artisans. Some of our favourites included the harissa cream cheese dip that went well with the freshly baked bread, and the free-range chicken drumstick with honey and mustard sauce. A bottle of Boschendal’s Cap Classique (sparkling wine) beautifully completed the meal.
A unique pairing with a bit of extra sparkle
While a wine tasting is practically mandatory for any visitor to Cape Town who drinks, there are other local drink pairing experiences to be had. The setting of a diamond jewellery showroom, however, certainly makes for a unique one.
After getting a history lesson about diamond mining in South Africa and learning to polish a diamond ourselves, the Diamond Experience at the Rockwell Shimansky then enabled us to indulge in a gin and chocolate pairing. Three Triple Three gins, with flavours of African botanicals, citrus and raspberry, were each paired with complementary chocolates that were enjoyed under the same lights that illuminated thousands of tiny diamond facets, all shimmering at us while we savoured the moment.
Making friends and meals
Cape Town is known as the 5th friendliest city in the world and Food Jams is the place to dine if you want to discover why. The only catch is you have to help make dinner first! During this interactive dining experience, we joined forces with a team of strangers to learn how to make ostrich bobotie, among other dishes. Not only did we pick up some cooking skills along the way, but by the time we sat down to enjoy the fruits of our labour, we had made some new friends in the process too. By getting strangers to collaborate, while jamming to the beat of the resident DJ, with the encouragement of some of the most charismatic staff around, Food Jams has discovered a certain alchemy that makes for a special night out.
Street food on a city rooftop
The Radisson RED Rooftop has always been known as a hotspot for beautiful people and gorgeous views. After a recent refurbishment, the new menu includes some distinctly local favourites, like the classic Gatsby. This usually consists of an oversized bread roll filled with chips (French fries) and other fillings. In this case, they have included battered linefish, masala onions, lettuce, plum tomatoes and pickles. Sampling local street food is a great way to get the flavour of a place and the Radisson RED Rooftop allows you to get a taste of Cape Town while simultaneously looking at it from an amazing viewpoint.
A sophisticated local experience
Yizani is the place to go for a refined world-class restaurant experience that is still distinctly South African. Located at the Southern Sun, Waterfront, the menu combines contemporary influences with classic local dishes. From West Coast mussels to the Malay-inspired curry, and a selection of premium grill cuts, as well as desserts like Malva Pudding, here we experienced polished service, perfectly plated mains, and a calm sophistication.
An immersive entertainment experience
GOLD Restaurant is known for offering a distinctly African dining experience that extends well beyond the borders of South Africa. Each member of staff wears traditional attire and the entertainment throughout the night consists of singing, dancing, drumming, storytelling and even Malian puppetry. Here, we experienced a more personalised affair in the form of the Spice Experience. In a private dining room, we learnt all about the Spice Route and how it influenced world history while sampling different spices and the dishes that they flavour. A sneak peek into the kitchen revealed even more remarkable skills among the kitchen staff who serenaded us after teaching us how to prepare our own spices.
Comfort food with some quirks
When you arrive in the Salon at Dorp, the double volume room filled with large pink granny settees and indoor palms almost takes your breath away, even before you notice the incredible views of Table Mountain out the windows just beyond them. The more you explore, the more you notice quirky details, like dinosaur bookends and mermaid motifs. On Signal Hill near Bo-Kaap, this sprawling hotel feels welcoming and luxurious but also somewhat unhinged. Here, in the Salon, they serve simple, home-style comfort food like their legendary roast chicken. The decadent cheese soufflé will also leave quite an impression. This hotel and its restaurant are full of personality, much like the artistic free spirits who call Cape Town home and are the reason that this city is the creative heart of South Africa.
From farm fresh treats to pan-African feasts, sophisticated dining to DIY bobotie, our journey through the Cape proved one delicious truth: to understand a place, you have to taste it. And if you taste Cape Town, you’ll be coming back for seconds.
Essentials:
Dining:
Boschendal – https://boschendal.com
Food Jams – https://www.foodjams.co.za/
Radisson RED Rooftop – https://www.radissonhotels.com/
Yizani – https://www.southernsun.com/
GOLD Restaurant – https://goldrestaurant.co.za/
Salon at Dorp – https://dorp.co.za/
Experiences:
Shimansky Diamond Experience – https://shimansky.com/
Cape Winelands – https://www.cape-winelands-info.co.za/
