The new 15 on Orange Hotel sub-lets retail space at the two lower levels of its building, and I had been looking to find Black inside the Hotel, having read about it. The Hotel staff claimed to not know what I was talking about – having found Black, I understood why, in that it is independent to the Hotel, and therefore opposition.
Black is on an upper level, on the corner of Orange and Queen Victoria Streets, and is the most stylish coffee shop I have been to in Cape Town. It belongs to a clothing retailer, who has teemed up with Saeco to create a two-level outlet which sells Saeco coffee machines and coffee beans, as well as ladies’ clothing, an odd combination. This is the first Saeco retail outlet in Cape Town. The floor tiles are black porcelain, the black tables and chairs look Italian designed, there is a smart black leather couch inside the coffee shop, the “Resident Barista” Hershel wore a smart black jacket with his jeans, and they even brought me a black pen when I asked to borrow one.
The menu is neatly laminated, detailing the coffee styles sold, as well as tea and hot chocolate. Lattes are available in hazelnut, cinnamon and caramel, at R 21. The same flavours are available for “steamers” (not sure what these are). The ‘Glamour Cup Cake’ sounded expensive at R 35, while the ‘Fashion Cup Cake’ sounded more reasonably priced at R 22 – unfortunately both were sold out, so I could not judge their value. Croissants cost R 16 and the bread of the day with a “gourmet filling” costs R 28. That is the sum total of the menu!
There was not much left to eat with the coffee, so I chose what looked like apple crumble. I asked Hershel if he had fresh cream to serve with it – he said he did not, and I asked if he could send someone to the cafe across the road to get some. He looked hesitant, muttered something about the costing of his food, but then sent for some cream. Disappointingly it was not an apple crumble at all but a dry slice of cake with a crumble topping, which I had to send back.
The ultimate stylishness was the serving of the cappuccino in a unique Saeco double glass coffee cup on a smart oval silver tray, with a beautiful small silver spoon, and a triangular portion of white and brown sugar each, with the serviette completing the look.
I asked Hershel for a copy of the price list of his coffees and the coffee machines three times, and finally he had to tell me that he does not have photocopies, as the prices are on a laminated price list. He promised to e-mail the list, but I have not yet received it after almost a month. The bill was requested a number of times as well, which came with the rest of the can of cream and the cafe’s invoice, which I rejected due to the inaccurate information provided about the “apple crumble”.
Hershel was friendly, willing to help, but somehow seemed more suited to the fashion side of things than to the coffee shop. The food needs serious attention, both in terms of its quality (or lack of) and in extending its very limited range. The coffee is excellent.
Black, underneath 15 on Orange Hotel, corner Orange and Queen Victoria Street. Tel 076 278 5459. www.blackonorange.co.za
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com
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Looking forward to giving it a try on Tuesday – spending the evening there