Orphanage Cocktail Emporium: A Review

Orphanage Cocktail Emporium opened just a few months ago on what is fast becoming Cape Town’s hippest spot. Humans are social creatures and much like animals to the watering hole, we like to get together and rehydrate.

I am not really a cocktail kind of gal, or at least I wasn't until last night. From the minute Orphanage opened its doors it has been on the lips of every Tom, Dick and Harry, I just had to go and find out what all the fuss was about. If it’s good enough for Gordon Ramsay, it is good enough for me, the infamous British chef spent hours at the bar when he was recently in the mother city sipping his way through the extensive menu of potions and alchemy.

The lighting is low, just as it should be; customers are spilling out onto the pavement, grasping glasses filled with soulful spirits. This is a sophisticated establishment, oozing class with a shot of panache for good measure. The suspender-clad mixologists, lined up behind the bar are no amateurs; they are award winning bartenders, quite literally.

Upstairs is the main bar, with scattered seating, a door at the back leads you downstairs, passed the smoking quarters to the second bar, by the DJ booth, here lies tables used for sit down meals, in particular their weekly supper club soirees, that get packed away when the evening heats up to make room for any debauchery. The vibe is enchanting and the drinks served are seductive and exciting, a far cry from my usual gin and tonic.

We start with the house cocktail, aptly named ‘More Tea Vicar’ served in a little china tea cup but be warned, this is no morning brew. On the silver teaspoon sits a lemon gel, a palate cleanser – of course, to be consumed before the cocktail. The illusion of afternoon tea is playful and unique, adding an indefinable, elusive quality that makes this work night or weekend drink such a special one. 

You want to know what is in the tea-cup? Vanilla infused Ciroc vodka, rooibos syrup, cranberry and lemon, with a sweet foam on top. Unreal. What’s more, R15 of the drink’s cost is donated to the St Francis Children’s home, hence the dubious name. 

There is even a cocktail on the menu containing 22 carat gold leaf, suitably named ‘Great Expectations’. The Orphanage Mojito is not your ordinary mojito, their twisted classics have them using mandarin infused rum and mandarin liqueur for an all together pleasing citrus effect. With over 26 cocktails to choose from, including non-alcoholic options ‘for the viruous’, you should really pull up a chair and order some nibbles.

This drinkery is not about the food but boy is it good; choose from sharing platters or ‘boards of sustenance’, or little plates of food, sharing is caring here and the small portions are deliberate. The truffle chips will change your life as will the hot breaded goats cheese and little lamb buns.

I already want to go back…

The Oddyssey Gastropub: A Review

When pubs were first frequented, very little emphasis was placed on the food – if any at all, you were lucky to get a pack or pork scratching’s with your pint.
Things have changed and the term  ‘gastropub’ we have come to know was devised in the early 90’s, uniting pub culture with fine dining.

Pub grub got a make-over, fine tuning the essentials – tweaking the faithful bangers and mash, fish and chips or Sunday roast to appeal to its new customers. In the 00’s gastropub’s hit America, big time and only last year was the term added to the dictionary. This year, Cape Town’s very first gastropub opened it’s doors for the first time and is a few days shy of it’s 1 month anniversary.

History class over, we can move on to current affairs and social science. Going out is something Capetonians love to do, with many of us living for the weekends.

My new ‘local’ is 199 Bree street in the City Bowl, enter the Oddyssey to find a roaring fire and warm smiles behind the bar which lies opposite several long tables overflowing with chatting, sipping and snacking whilst avidly following the last few minutes of the bokke game.

The menu is exactly what you want from a gastropub, the first section of the menu entitled ‘nibbles’ is exactly that, a few plates of delicious morsels to share with friends. Once you have read your options  on the menu – a meeting may have to be called to debate whether or not to simply order the entire nibbles section and devour that. Having that option is really nice for those informal afternoons that suddenly become evenings, lubricated with hops or grape juice.

We chose the Carpaccio and Chilli Poppers, my parter in dine – claims to be able to judge an establishment on their little stuffed jalapenos and so I take her up on it.  Let’s just say they didn’t live to tell the tale. The carpaccio was out of this world, so flavorful and unexpected. The owner/managers are of Italian descent and the chef is their other cousin, the menu started large and they battled it out to finish with just 6 mains on the menu.  The chicken liver bruschetta was highly recommended but with 3 courses yet to go, I somehow resisted. I had to try the zucchini salad – paper thin slices adorn a plate with a golden crispy parmesan topping, exquisite.

Friends joined our table, glasses in hand and desire in their eyes - they snatch our menus and immediately squabble over who orders what, as we all need to get one of each, no duplicates - so we can all have a bite of everything.  Makes sense, but no, the pork belly from a happy hog prevails, 2 pork belly’s and one calamari are on their way and a starter of ribs has been super-sized to have as a main and the same done with the beetroot goats cheese tart for my waif-like friend.  She assures me she is purely saving room for the brownies that she eagle-eyed on another diner’s plate on the way in.

The evening flew by in a haze of good food, wine and conversation, the benchmark for a good Saturday night out.  We surrendered to the nutty brownies and sticky toffee pudding with slimming ice-cream, of course -  which I must add is the best one we have all ever tasted, hands down.

Next time I am taking an army of friends, as we still have the other half of the menu to get through and I may need some help with the bangers and mash and braised lamb shanks. Who’s in?

The Pot Luck Club: A Review

Woodstock has bombarded its way through to the front of the line of foodie meccas in the Mother City with the opening of the Pot Luck Club at the Old Biscuit Mill.

The Pot Luck Club is the younger, edgier sister of Luke Roberts’ first born; the infamous Test Kitchen, also at the Old Biscuit Mill. 

You travel up in a glass lift as the restaurant is set atop the tallest building in The Old Biscuit Mill. The view of Cape Town is as pretty as a picture. 

To the Irish, a potluck meant a meal with no precise menu, the expression comes from a period when parties of Irish women would congregate and cook dinner together. The women only had one pot, so they cooked the meal together with whatever ingredients they happened to have that day.

Luke doesn’t veer too far from this notion for the Pot Luck Club (or PLC to its regulars) with his ever-changing menu adapted to concord with the season’s produce. Instead of rudimental Irish stew left-overs though, Luke has offerings along the lines of Smoked Beef Fillet with black pepper and truffle café au lait and Pork belly with Luke’s XO dressing, red cabbage and apple slaw. 

The space can seat up to 100 people, boasting its own cocktail bar – it oozes cool but not in a snooty, unattainable manner as you may expect of one of the most talked about concept restaurants in the city. It is warm and welcoming with panoramic views up above the trendy yet utilitarian streets of Woodstock.

All the cooking goes on in the open kitchen which stretches out into the dining area. The chef’s pour their hearts out creating tapas size plates of Luke’s creations to a buzzing restaurant, service after service.  When the eatery winds down, watch them massaging marinades into chicken and prepping for the various stocks and potions accompanying each finely tuned dish.  

We ordered six plates and two desserts to share, the portions aren’t large but you wouldn’t want them to be; this is not a binge, it is a food voyage.  From salty to sweet, sour to bitter to umami, followed by a sweet ending, all your taste buds will be positively tantalized. 

Our Salty choice was the Smoked BBQ Veal Tongue Tostada – soft, smoky and moreish, don’t let the cut put you off. Two dishes from the Sweet section – a match made in heaven of warm sweet figs with chorizo and crispy duck rolls to die for. From Umami it had to be the famous smoked beef fillet with a truffle cream you want to drink.  Sour had to be fish tacos and Thai mussels, fresh and tart and fresh not overpowering. 

Hastily ordering our desserts like impatient children, they arrive swiftly – our orange and miso cheesecake with chocolate pretzel crumbs and quince and almond tart with – wait for it, malted pop corn ice cream.  Hitting your tongue in several places at once, this food was exciting, pioneering but laid-back.

If you are looking for a good night out, try the PLC, I dare you. Vibey, with delicious wine, even better food and cooler than cool surroundings – join the club, the Pot Luck Club.

*Photo by Michael le Grange

Societi Brasserie: A Review

Winter is fast approaching and the novelty of being cosy, wearing layers and drinking wine by the fire is all too alluring.

Societi Brasserie is the epitome of a bistro restaurant. Big wooden tables, copper pots hanging as decoration, clinking glasses, laughter and heady aromas wafting amongst the tables of diners.

Nestled between Tokai and Constantia, this local neighbourhood eatery is the younger sister of Societi Bistro in the CBD. The emphasis is placed on small local artisanal producers and this is obvious by their selective menu. A sizeable menu always makes me worry about how many of their dishes are coming from the freezer and store cupboard. Do not fret though, Societi’s menu is adapted seasonally by executive chef Stéfan Marais.

Separate to the usual courses one has to choose from is the ‘small plates from the counter’ menu.

We settled on one, somehow managing to pass up their mini cheesy calzones with apple chutney. We went for the free range Scotch Egg with smoked paprika aioli. So good. A meltingly orange yolk encased in a salty sausage meat case with crispy breadcrumbs alongside the smokiest homemade paprika mayo. Outstanding. I have never seen a Scotch Egg in South Africa.

For starters we decided upon squid with chilli and mint and mussels with cream and sauvignon with garlic; both fantastic choices but my eyes did wander off to other plates in the room, I won’t lie. The French Onion Soup, in particular - which I will be ordering next time with its golden, cheesy floating island is one of the more popular starters. I could see and smell just why.

The selection of pizzas is ridiculous, good ridiculous though, with options from farmed salmon trout with capers, crème fraiche, avo, rocket to spicy pulled barbeque pork with a smoky coleslaw. Hungry yet? Thought so…

Mains consisted of Yellowtail with polenta and salad but the winning order, which was not mine, unfortunately was the salty smoky duck breast served with spinach and creamy mash partnered with the perfect, not too sweet, not too tart cherry sauce, my partner went so far as to give it a 10/10.

If you are in the business for some honest, hearty grub, and by hearty grub I mean pasta, pizza, risotto’s and a roast lunch on the weekend then this brasserie is just what the doctor ordered.

Don Pedro's & All His Wives: A Review

A beloved Cape Town institution since 1991, Don Pedro’s Pizza parlour has long been the favoured hang-out for Woodstock locals, the theatre and art crowds as well as the city’s nocturnal restaurant staff.
'Til Madame Zingara came along, that is, one waggle of her magic wand and Don Pedro's was transformed into yet another prodigy child of the Zingara empire.  Don Pedro’s has the typical Madame Z flare with props adorning the walls both in and out of the restaurant, the outer walls are strewn with old photographs of how Woodstock used to look next to the rather lovely ‘community watchman’ keeping a beady eye on the neighbourhood.

 Inside there is heavy velvet curtains, signature larger than life bouquets, and candle-lit tables. The Piano is used on both Mondays and Tuesdays for some background music and the stage is habituated from Wednesday – Saturday at 8:30pm by the glorious Miss Dotty, diamonds and all belting out some old hits that you will find yourself singing along to, voluntarily – or otherwise. The food is spectacular, the Chef Mark - recently moved over here from sunny Scotland and has put his Scots signature on the menu. Quite frankly, I was not ready to hear the specials as I was already battling to choose from the menu but they were really something special.

 

 In addition to the weekly specials, the menu has entrees, mains and deserts as well as a smaller light meals menu, consisting of guilty pleasures like Fish and Chips, Nachos Grande, Chilli Poppers, Salt and Pepper Squid, The Royale Caesar Salad and a Classic Chicken Burger. Hungry, yet? The main menu is more sophisticated fare, not that anything is wrong with a well done fish and chips, but I am talking jus’s and garnishes here, all the good stuff!

Amongst the starters, we chose the sesame and soya glazed duck livers, served with a plum sauce and berries with crispy potato skins, wow, it was truly amazing, texture and flavour dimensions – it had it all, really something special, if you like duck, you will love this. We also went for the weekly special for the other starter, The breaded hen’s egg, a poached egg rolled in breadcrumbs on a parmesan shortbread disk, with roasted butternut cubes and rocket on the side with a glorious sauce. Shortbread? You say, with egg? I dunno about that, you say. Well neither did I and that is why I chose it, and boy am I glad I did, it worked so well, light but tasty and the egg was perfectly cooked, the yolk with the parmesan crunchy base was a real treat together.

 Moving on to our main course, after chatting with Mark and asking what his favourite things are on the menu, he does not hesitate to tell us the specials, of course as well as the fillet which has been dancing around in my mind since I first spotted it on the menu. I decided oh so virtuously on the line fish special, beautiful kinglip on a bed of spinach with balsamic glazed tomatoes, marquis potatoes and wait for it, a heady, scented truffle hollandaise sauce. By golly, light but flavourful with a rich earthy sauce, not to mention exquisitely presented.

Desert for us was not even necessary after our two, flawless first courses, but the chef insisted we try his version of a baked alaska, cold ice cream on a shortbread base encased in a hot Italian meringue on a berry coulis. One word, speechless.

 

 Don Pedro’s is not a quick feed for mere sustenance. It is a full on dining experience of note, the service is top notch which is aided by the fact it is not a large restaurant – cosy and full of character, great vibe and exquisite food, we will be going back, undoubtedly, maybe even for the duck special on Mondays. Over and out.


Monday- Tuesday : Pianist, creating a laid-back evening.
Wed-Sat: The gorgeous "Miss Dotty", former member of The Original Tons who wowed audiences for years at the Theater of Dreams is now performing at Don Pedro’s. Her rich velvet voice captivates the audience with the best of 70's Motown hits and the best of the great disco diva's.
 Mondays is double-duck special.
 Address: 113 Roodebloem rd, Woodstock, Cape Town
Bookings email: donpedro@madamezingara.com
Trading hours: Mon-sat : 4pm-10pm Sundays closed
021.447-6152