The Cape Malay Experience at Cellars-Hohenort

Getting to Cellars-Hohenhort is like taking a little journey back in time and place. Winding down into the depths of Constantia, past the Alphen green strip and into what was indubitably a farm-house estate, the idea that you arrived in a car and not a carriage becomes more and more foreign.


A white rose-garden greets you and through the doors of the Cellars hotel is a magnificent Victorian-style lounge, with its plush seats and fresh blooms on each of the tables. This is the Martini bar but I feel that this sophisticated early 20th century drink doesn't lend it's name well to the surroundings. Instead of the dark leathers and sleek veneer that martinis imply, there is everything that is opulent about this lounge bar with its doors that lead onto a patio and the rolling lawns of the gardens beyond. I expected to see ladies in Victorian or even further back in history, late 17th / 18th century pastel or boldly coloured bustles floating over the lawns rather sooner than I expected to see a suave martini-drinking modern businessman here.
So I would say: forget the martini (I can't believe that I just wrote that - martini lover that I am) but this is possibly one of the nicest spots to sip a glass of bubbles as you sink into one of the plush. Worth a try, because I find it so absolutely decadent is the 2007 Klein Constantia MCC Brut which is made from a Chardonnay left on the lees and which has an exceptional flavour. In the heat of summer there was a cool breeze that waltzed in through the doors that open out onto a stoop that overlook the lush and leafy-green gardens that in a typical Cape Town was was accompanied by dark clouds hanging over the mountain. Even the weather seemed to be colluding in creating an atmosphere that was other-worldly.

The Conservatory restaurant, as it is very aptly named for the 18th century buildings is itself is situated in a space which feels like it is cantilevered over the gardens and the floor to ceiling glass doors and windows give the impression that you are in a treehouse as the foliage and old oak tree trunks surround and slope down out of view below you while the wrought iron gates that lead outside remind one again of a culture that highly valued landscaping over the rustic.

In keeping with the traditional Cape farm buildings, the restaurant serves a Cape Malay Experience. Cape Malay food came to the area by way of Indian and Malay settlers who were brought to the Cape as slaves in the 17 century.

 The aromatic, hearty dishes have evolved into what is a unique culinary expression of  South African Cape Indian-Malay culture. It also often involves the balance between sweet and savoury, making it a difficult cuisine sometimes to get right. The irony that this should be served to its fine-dining  patrons aside, mostly because it has evolved into fine-dining, this completes a sense of authenticity of the place and the time you have stepped back into.

The theme of floral that one first encounters in the rose gardens outside persist in the dining room. But not in the décor, as you might imagine. The dining room itself is simply and elegantly restrained with white table table cloths and dark-wood riempie ribbon-back chairs. Rather it is in the food and wine that the floral essence carried through.

 Our wine server, Lunga Sodinga, very diligently recommended that we pair our food with the Paul Cluver Riesling 2011, which was not only light with citrus and lime and complimented our food perfectly, but which had a wonderful nose of intensely floral roses.

We were presented with a kind of “amuse bouche” which consisted of mini mince samoosas, chilli bites and poppyseed egg squares that were served with dipping sauces of mint and bulgarian yoghurt and fruit chutney. The starters are a tangy ginger and butternut soup with a milk foam while the alternative is a delicately dressed garden salad with artichoke.

 Then comes a selection of curries.

A yellow butternut and lentil dahl with lots of danja (coriander) is mild and refreshing. It is also vegetarian. The mild Cape Malay chicken and prawn curry is delightfully seasoned with cumin, tumeric fennel seeds and danja that marry together beautifully. And to add to this is the scrumptious, and to me, the highlight of the meal, lamb knuckle curry, slow-cooked till tender with potatoes and tomatoes. Again it is not heavily spiced but the flavours are distinct. With this comes basmati rice and a selection of symbols, chutneys and atchas so that you can spice up or cool down your meal according to your taste.

The traditionally South African malva pudding carries through the theme of South African heritage to the end of the meal. The syrupy malva came with a vanilla crème anglaise, a scoop of amarula ice-cream and chopped up dried apricots, which is another ingredient that we often find in Cape-Malay cooking. But the malva is just the penultimate South African touch. With coffee come mini sticky koeksisters.
>The menu changes regularly though, according to the Chef Martha Williams lastest creations.   It was great to chat with her and it turns out that she is something of a celebrity having been on Pasella and Top Billing.

Ps. I was lucky enough to have to review this experience for The Waiting Room Magazine.