Brother and sister Jason and Melissa Laing have taken over Roots Café and Kitchen in Roeland Square, across the road from Wembley Square, both having left Firefly Café in Camps Bay. The restaurant ownership change took place a month ago, the former owner Jess being friends with the siblings. I was invited to try the restaurant by Jason.

When Firefly Café opened seven months ago Chef Mel headed up the tiny open-plan kitchen, and she was always busy with food preparation, making it difficult to chat to her.  She did tell me that she had worked at Salsify at The Roundhouse, but at Firefly the focus of the restaurant was strongly Vegan, but not exclusively.

Visiting Roots last week,  I had an opportunity to learn more about Chef Mel, and her career journey to date.  She studied at CTIA  in Stellenbosch, and did internships for her studies at Salsify, The Shortmarket Club, and at the One&Only. I reconnected with Jason at Firefly earlier this year, he recognizing me from dancing at La Parada Constantia Nek, proudly showing me a photograph of the two of us, taken there at least three years ago. Jason moved to Canada at that time, but returned during Lockdown, and became one of the Firefly Managers.  He sprung into action when a service issue arose with a waitress, demonstrating his skill at pacifying and emphathising with the customer.

An inter-staff relationship issue at Firefly became difficult for the siblings, so when their friend Jess left Cape Town to move to Johannesburg, they jumped at the opportunity to take over Roots. Currently they are still running with Jess’s menu, having only taken over the restaurant a month ago,  but Chef Mel is already planning and designing new dishes, planning to add more Vegan dishes. They are grateful for the loyal custom of clients working at Roeland Square and at Wembley Square, having inherited Bridget the Barista, who knows each customer’s coffee preference.

A huge blackboard dominates the restaurant, small in size, with small tables for two, with benches that Mel and Jason painted in a lovely mix of pastel colours. They have a large outside seating area, with herbs and vegetables which they grow there too, as well as a large stacking window which serves as a coffee hatch, creating safety from a Covid perspective.

I couldn’t read all the menu items on the blackboard, the lamps getting in the way of some of it, but Jason helped me with the dish names and prices of the menu.  I ordered an Avo Smash (R45) with poached eggs on rye toast, a tasty midday brunch and beautifully presented. We laughed about my tea taste, one only having a choice of Five Roses or Rooibos.  I had to settle for the Five Roses, as the Somalian shopkeeper across the road does not stock Earl Grey, Jason running across to check. I took a most delicious slice of chocolate cake topped with soft meringue (R40) home with me.

Other Menu items include crumbed chicken strips (R80), grilled chicken served as a salad or a wrap (R75), Asian chicken salad or wrap at R80, Toasties, pizzas, salmon salad (R88), and Quinoa salad (R80).  One can buy croissants (plain, chocolate, almond) to take away too.

Their predecessor Jess built up a list of clients in the area, and Mel and Jason send the list a dish of the day daily on weekdays, on a collection basis, at R88. When I was there, the dish was a healthy combination of falafel, spinach, quinoa, cucumber, tomato, mint, sumac onions, hummus, and dressing, a generous portion.

Having met both Mel and Jason before, it felt like coming home to a friends’ kitchen, chatting away and catching up, making it a very personal eating experience.  I am super impressed that they are franchising Roots already, opening in Sea Point soon. The website has not yet been updated, so does not yet reflect the new ownership. When I asked for the bill, Jason refused to accept payment.

 

Roots Café and Kitchen,  Roeland Square, Corner Glynn and Solan Streets, Cape Town. Cell 082 909 8350,  www.rootsfood.co.za Instagram: @rootscapetown Mondays – Fridays, 7h00 – 15h30.

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whaletalesblog.com www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide