Tasting Menus have had a reputation in our country to offer endless numbers of courses (over 20 at The Test Kitchen in pre-Covid Lockdown times), with a price ticket to match!

Seeing the prices charged by Chef Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen at his new Restaurant KLEIN JAN at Tswalu, as well as his Innovation Studio pop-up in Cape Town, I did some research to check what is being charged at some of our top restaurants. I have listed the number of courses and the prices, and then calculated an average price per course with and without wines..

The Test Kitchen and Restaurant KLEIN JAN offer the most expensive Tasting Menus on a total price as well as on a per course basis. It is a shame that the La Colombe Group Menus are almost all designed according to the same formula. Interesting too is that most top Restaurants charge a Premium on their Vegetarian/Vegan Tasting Menus. 

Restaurant KLEIN JAN 

Lunch Tasting Menu R2500 for 8 courses, each with a wine pairing, at Restaurant KLEIN JAN in the  Tswalu Private Game Reserve in the Kalahari Desert. Average price per course including wine is R312,50.

 

JAN Innovation Studio 

At the pop-up Lunch at JAN Innovation Studio on Kloof Street,  don’t expect to see Chef Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen. His staff run the Lunches, at R 1695 for 10 courses, including a wine pairing with 6 courses, and a copy of JAN Journal.  Average price per course including wines is R169,50.

 

FYN

At Chef Peter Tempelhoff’s FYN a number of Tasting Menus are available:

#.   FYN Reduced Menu – 8 courses at R875, R650 extra for the wine pairing. R 109,38 per course without wine, R190,63 per course inclusive of wine

#   FYN Pescatarian Reduced Menu – 8 courses at R875, R650 extra for the Wine pairing, R109, 38 per course without wine, R190,63 per course inclusive of wine.

#   FYN Plant Reduced Menu – 7 courses at R775, R650 extra for the wine pairing.  R110,71 per course without wine, R 203,57 per course inclusive of wine

# FYN Premium Menu: 10 courses at R1175, R795 extra for the wine pairing. R117,50 per course without wine, R197 per course inclusive of wine.

#   FYN Premium Pescatarian Menu: 10 courses at R1175, R795 extra for the wine pairing. R117,50 per course without wine, R197 per course inclusive of wine.

#   FYN Premium Plant Menu: 9 courses at R975, R795 extra for the wine pairing. R108,33 per course without wine, R196,67 per course inclusive of wine.

#   FYN Lunch Menu :  6 courses at R575, R395 extra for the wine pairing. R 95,83 per course without wine, R161,67 per course inclusive of wine.

 

La Colombe 

La Colombe has a number of Tasting Menus:

#. The Reduced Chefs Experience: 9 courses ‘from’  R695, R495 extra for the wine pairing. R77,22 per course without wine, R132,22 per course inclusive of wine.

#.  The Reduced Chefs Vegetarian Experience : 9 courses ‘from’  R695, R495 extra for the wine pairing. R77,22 per course without wine, R132,22 per course inclusive of wine.

#.  The Chefs Experience : 12 courses ‘from’ R1095, R695 extra for the wine pairing. R91,25 per course without wine, R149,17 per course inclusive of wine.

#. The Chefs Vegetarian Experience: 12 courses ‘from’ R1095, R695 extra for the wine pairing. R91,25 per course without wine, R149,17 per course inclusive of wine.

 

La Petite Colombe 

La Petite Colombe in Franschhoek offers four Tasting Menu options:

#.  The Reduced Menu : 9 courses ‘from’ R695, R435 extra for the wine pairing. R77,22 per course without wine, R125,56 per course inclusive of wine.

#. The Reduced Vegetarian Menu: 8 courses ‘from’ R695, R425 extra for the wine pairing. R86,88 per course without wine, R140 per course inclusive of wine.

#   The Chefs Experience: 11 courses ‘from’ R995 (Lunch)/ R1095 (Dinner), R600 extra for the wine pairing. R90,45 per course without wine for Lunch/R99,55 per course without wine for Dinner, R145 per course inclusive of wine for Lunch/ R154,09 per course inclusive of wine for Dinner.

#   The Chefs Vegetarian Experience : 10 courses ‘from’ R995 (Lunch)/ R1095 (Dinner), R600 extra for the wine pairing. R99,50 per course without wine for Lunch/R109,50 per course without wine for Dinner, R159,50 per course inclusive of wine for Lunch/ R169,50 per course inclusive of wine for Dinner.

 

Foxcroft

Foxcroft in Constantia has a number of  Tasting Menus. offering course options, probably disqualifying it from this list of Tasting Menus (note, this restaurant counts bread as one of its courses!):

#. Reduced Menu: R395 for 3 courses without wine, R300 extra for the wine pairing.  R131,67 per course without wine pairing, R231,67 per course inclusive of wine.

#  Plant-based Reduced Menu: R395 for 3 courses without wine, R300 extra for the wine pairing.  R131,67 per course without wine pairing, R231,67 per course inclusive of wine.

#   Foxcroft Menu: R495 for 8 courses without wine, R400 extra for the wine pairing. R61,88 per course without wine pairing, R111,88 per course inclusive of wine.

#   Plant-Based Menu: R495 for 8 courses without wine, R400 extra for the wine pairing. R61,88 per course without wine pairing, R111,88 per course inclusive of wine.

 

Epice

Epice is one of three La Colombe Group restaurants based in Franschhoek, offering four Tasting Menus:

#.  The Reduced Spice Journey: 7 courses at R595 without wine, R395 extra for a wine pairing. R85,00 per course without wine, R141,43 per course inclusive of wines.

#.  The Reduced Vegetarian Spice Journey: 7 courses at R595 without wine, R395 extra for a wine pairing. R85,00 per course without wine, R141,43 per course inclusive of wines.

#.  The Full Spice Journey: 10 courses for R895, R645 extra for the wine pairing. R89,50 per course without wine, R154,00 per course with wine included.

#.  The Full Spice Vegetarian Journey:  10 courses for R895, R645 extra for the wine pairing. R89,50 per course without wine, R154,00 per course with wine included.

 

Eike

Eike is owned by Chef Bertus Basson, and is based in Stellenbosch. There are two options, not Tasting Menus as such as they offer course choices:

#.  Three courses cost R540, with course options offered. No wine pairing available. R180 per course without wine.

#.  Five courses cost R640, with course options offered. No wine pairing available. R128 per course without wine.

 

Overture

Overture is owned by Chef Bertus Basson, and is based in Stellenbosch. There are two options, the 3-course menu not a Tasting Menu as it offers course choices:

#.  Three courses cost R515, with course options offered. R305 extra for the wine pairing. R171,67 per course without wine, and a whopping R273,33 per course inclusive of wine!

#.  Five course set menu costs R615 without wine, and R405 extra including a wine pairing. R123 per course without wine, R 204 per course inclusive of wine.

 

Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo 

Owned by Chef Liam Tomlin, and the newest Chefs Warehouse to open, with Chef Braam Beyers heading up the kitchen. The only online detail is that four course are served, without a price.

 

Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia 

No details of the number of courses and the price are available online!

 

Greenhouse

Chef Farrel Hirsch is doing a great job at Greenhouse at Cellars-Hohenhort, serving an African Modern Dinner Tasting Menu of 9 courses at R 750 without wine, and R490 extra for the wine pairing. R83,33 per course without wine, R137,78 per course including wines.

 

The Test Kitchen 

Greatly pared down from its previous 21-course Tasting Menu since Lockdown:

#.  4 course Tasting Menu , with course options, costs R720, and R640 for the Vegetarian Menu. No wine pairing offered. R180 per course for the main Menu, and R160 per course for the Vegetarian Menu, without Wines.

#   The 7 course Discovery Menu (with course options) costs R1550,  and R850 extra for the wine pairing. R221,42 per course without wine, and an extremely expensive R342,86 per course including wines.

 

Salsify at The Roundhouse 

Headed up by talented Chef Ryan Shell, Salsify at The Roundhouse in Camps Bay offers two Tasting Menu options:

#   5 Course (with course choices offered) Autumn Menu at R650, R495 extra for the ‘Boutique’ wine pairing. R130 per course without wine, R229 per course with wines included.

#   7 Course (with options offered) Autumn Menu at R895, R675 extra for the ‘Boutique’ wine pairing. R127,86 per course without wine, R189,29 per course with wines included.

 

Camphors at Vergelegen 

Based at Vergelegen wine farm in Somerset West, Camphors offers two menu options with course choices:

#. 2 courses cost R350, including a glass of ‘Premium wine. R175 per course including wine.

#   3 courses cost R450, including a glass of ‘Premium ‘ wine. R150 per course including wine.

 

Le coin Français 

Le coin Français by Chef Darren Badenhorst in Franschhoek offers two Tasting Menus:

#   Tasting Menu: R845 (number of courses not specified online, but supplied by Chef Darren on enquiry),  for 8 courses R450 extra for the wine pairing. R105,63 per course without wine, R161,88 per course including wines.

#.  Chef’s Journey Menu:  R1045 (number of courses not specified online but supplied by Chef Darren), for 10 courses, R450 extra for wine pairing. R104,50 per course without wine, R149,50 per course including wines.

 

Le Chéne 

Le Chêne by Chef Darren Badenhorst in Franschhoek offers two Menus with course choices

#  2 courses cost R450, with wine pairing suggestions individually. R225 per course without wine

#   3 courses cost R650, with wine pairing suggestions individually. R216,67 per course without wine

 

Homespun by Matt

The best kept good value Fine Dining secret in Cape Town is Blouberg-based Homespun by Matt. It offers the following Tasting Menu options:

#   Tasting Menu: 6 courses for R495, with course choices, R375 extra for the wine pairing. R82,50 per course without wine, R145 per course with wines included.

#   Veggie Tasting Menu: 6 courses for R495, with course choices, R375 extra for the wine pairing. R82,50 per course without wine, R145 per course with wines included.

#   3-course Menu: 3 courses for R375, with course choices, R275 extra for the wine pairing. R125,00 per course without wine, R216,67 per course with wines included.

 

Wolfgat

Based in Paternoster, one of our country’s top restaurants, the Wolfgat website contains no details of the number of courses or the cost of its Seasonal Tasting Menu.

 

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