There are dinners that simply satisfy, and then there are those designed to linger in the memory.
My evening at Ongetem Restaurant and Bar, tucked inside Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof, was very much the latter.
Invited to experience the launch of Ongetem Restaurant’ s new spring menu, we arrived to an atmosphere that felt effortlessly convivial: warm, polished, and unmistakably Cape Town.
The restaurant bears the culinary stamp of chef Bertus Basson, whose philosophy is rooted in an appreciation of South African and regional flavours. His spring menu marries familiar local comforts with unexpected accents and contemporary technique.
The evening opened with roosterkoek, still warm and beautifully charred, accompanied by whipped apricot butter and pickles. It was followed by woodfired flatbread in two irresistible guises: confit mushroom and garlic with Parmesan and parsley butter, and smoked trout with lemon cream cheese and capers.
The starters moved seamlessly between indulgence and finesse. Prawn toast with gochujang mayonnaise and sesame delivered crunch and lingering heat, while beef carpaccio with miso cream, yuzu dressing, avocado, and coriander balanced richness with freshness. Crispy fried squid with proper tartare sauce brought a nostalgic touch.
For the main course, spinach and ricotta panzarotti, cloaked in brown butter emulsion and sage was pure comfort elevated.