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Foxcroft, Where Foodie Perfection Lives (2018 Review)

 

I launched I Love Foodies just under three years ago (eeek, time really flies). Needless to say, I’ve eaten out a lot. Like, A LOT. And in this time I’ve found myself becoming ever more critical – critical of presentation, service, texture, and, most importantly, what the food I’m served tastes like. I think when you start out doing what I do, there are a lot of firsts, but as time passes you become accustomed to good food, completely critical of bad food, and it takes a lot more to impress you.

That said, I do always look for the best in places – what do they do well? What are they trying to be? I’d never take my standard of a spot like The Shortmarket Club and use that to judge a pub restaurant like the Slug & Lettuce. They’re not trying to be the same thing, and I need to judge them for what they are trying to be and how well they do that.

That said, in this world I live in where literally all I do is eat and crit in an effort to make things better, there are those moments where I’m still absolutely blown away by the food I’m eating. Those moments that literally blow my socks off (or my flip flops, coz that’s my go-to). I like to think of these as my perfect foodie moments, and these are the restaurants that usually end up in my Top Three or Top Five Lists of the Year. One of the restaurants this year – thus far – that has left me with that perfect foodie moment is Foxcroft in Constantia.

foxcroft restaurant cape town

This is Foxcroft.

foxcroft courtyard

The gorgeous courtyard – def recommend sitting here!

Getting To Foxcroft

Yoh, I think that was the longest introduction I’ve ever written to get to the point of which restaurant this review is about. Well, ok, you probably read the heading, so there’s that … Back to Foxcroft. This is certainly a spot with a name, and it’s come up in my feeds and my conversations for probably about a year now. I knew it was ‘somewhere that side of the mountain’ and that apparently their cakes were really good, but beyond that I didn’t know much.

So I ventured out to Foxcroft with my sister Sabine on one gorgeous Sunday afternoon, and was delighted to find it right near Groot Constantia (one of my favourite wine estates to visit) in Constantia. It’s an unassuming spot – obviously, coz I’ve driven past dozens of times to get to Groot Constantia and never seen it. But I’d assume that’s part of what they’re trying to do – great food, fine dining, without the pretentious thereof. And it works beautifully.

Where Good Service Is Born

We sat outside in the courtyard overlooking the Cape Town mountains, and got started with a glass of bubbly – our hostess made the suggestion before we even had the chance to sit down, and we were immediately overwhelmed by the hospitality. Yes, I often have people ask me whether or not I get better service because I’m coming for a review, but that’s not the case. Sometimes I get to try things that aren’t on the menu or not usually included in a dish, but I’ve had good service, mediocre service, and bad service equally. The standard of the restaurant tends to change very little, and it is the quality of the staff that makes all the difference.

On that note – and I’m jumping waaaaay ahead of myself here – our waiter at Foxcroft was a Zimbabwean gentleman by the name of Mike. And he was, without a doubt, the best waiter I have ever had the pleasure of dining with. His attention to detail was impeccable, his friendliness incomparable – if there were a Best Waiter Award, he’d get that. And considering I generally eat out everyday, multiplied by three years of doing this work, that’s saying a lot. I can’t say whether it’s Foxcroft’s training or Mike’s nature, but he was wonderful and I can only recommend you ask for him when you get there.

foxcroft waiter mike

Best Waiter – Mike!

foxcroft serviette

Welcome to Foxcroft

The Menu

Now back to the beginning of my time at Foxcroft. Gosh, I can tell this is gonna be a long article. Apologies, I can’t not say everything I have to say. Foxcroft basically runs on a set menu structure. The lunch menu is set at R435 per person. This includes any two tapas, one main course, and one dessert – in addition to a pre-starter bread as well as a post-dessert treat. The dinner menu is the same, but is priced at R495 a person. They’re also currently running a Winter Special. This is priced at R195 – R295 per person for your choice of two to four plates; weekdays only.

Considering the price, this may not be your every day lunch spot. But it is a wonderfully special experience, and the amount of food you get will definitely ensure satiety. Generally I’ve found that one tends to underestimate how filling smaller portions / small plates menus can be, and some restaurants do get it wrong and you’re left feeling hungry and cheated, but Foxcroft is certainly not one of these.

foxcroft mcc welcome

MCC welcome

Pre-Starter Goodness: Bread & Oysters

We started off with a slice of potato and rosemary sourdough bread, served with chicken and mushroom butter and mushroom dust. When your pre-starter bread comes out like this and tastes as good as this did, then you know you’d better fasten your seatbelts (or, well, in this context, loosen your belt, I guess), coz you’re about to jump on to a culinary train ride of note.

Our bread was followed by a portion of Foxcroft Oysters (R90). These are topped with a sweet and spicy Asian dressing, compressed cucumber, and light potato crispies. I generally prefer my oysters ‘pure’ with lemon, but surprisingly I really enjoyed these gourmet oysters. They had a subtly spicy aftertaste, but were full of flavour, refreshing, and absolutely delicious.

foxcroft bread and butter

You’d think bread and butter is boring – but not if this is what you get!

foxcroft oysters

Oyster deliciousness

Exploring The Foxcroft Tapas

There were six tapas portions available (and there are seasonal changes), and this is one of the times were coming for a review gave me special privilege as we got to try three each, instead of the standard two. Sabine had ordered the Turnip Gratin, served with roasted onion, capers, parmesan, and lemon thyme, as well as the Honey-Glazed Fig, served with goat’s milk labneh and beetroot lavash. I had ordered the Seared Tuna Tataki, served with chipotle, avocado, cucumber, and rice puff, as well as the Venison Tartare, served with fermented radish, tomato, and dill crème fraiche. After that, we shared the Cured Yellow-Tail, served with mango atchar, buttermilk, and ‘slangetjies’, and the Free-Range Quail, a confit leg with rhubarb, pecan, and liver jus.

The tapas portions were all delicate, fine works of art created with love and passion and the utmost attention to detail. The presentation was suburb, and the flavours and textures worked together beautifully. I honestly couldn’t choose a favourite. I’d suggest just going with what you’d most like to try – you’re pretty much guaranteed to fall in love.

foxcroft goat's cheese

Honey-glazed fig

foxcroft seared tuna tataki

Seared tuna tataki

foxcroft venison tartare

Venison tartare

foxcroft yellowtail

Cured yellowtail. The slangetjies were a little spicy, but the rest delish!

foxcroft free-range quail

Free-range quail

foxcroft turnip gratin

Turnip gratin

Venturing On To Mains

For mains, Sabine went with the Free-Range Pork dish, served with gem squash, charred cabbage, and fermented plum. I opted for the Pan-Roasted Game, served with broccoli, confit onion, and smoked cherry jus.  I don’t think I need to add in any descriptions outlining the yumminess of both dishes – by now you’ll know that both were divine.

That said, I think that if you read the ingredients of the dishes as they’re presented on the menu (as I’m listing for each dish), you’ll probably be a little taken aback when the dish actually arrives. The ‘ingredients’ are indications of flavours, but you won’t necessarily get the vegetable or whatever it is in its pure form. More likely, it’ll be in a mousse or cream or reduction or sprinkle of some sort. You’ll get all over the flavour, with the added benefit of the finesse that’s birthed with the creation of different textures. I’ve found this to be the case in most finer restaurants.

foxcroft pan-roasted game and pork main dishes

Pan-roasted game and pork goodness

foxcroft pork belly

Ahoy Pork Yumminess

The Sweet Side Of Life

From mains we moved on to dessert. The sweet things generally don’t excite me much, but at Foxcroft I was excited. We couldn’t quite decide what to go with. I had my eyes on the Stonefruit dish, but Mike highly recommended the Compressed Strawberry. So Sabine went for that, while I stuck to the former.

The Compressed Strawberry dish comes with lemon curd, geranium, sour cream, and matcha. Through reading that you probably have as little clue as to what the hell this is as I had. I think I still don’t really know what this dish is all about. But it combines flavours and textures (again, I think I’m spotting a theme here) that bring out the best in every single ingredient. This dish also contained, without doubt, the best strawberry ice cream I’ve ever had, a flavour I usually shy away from due to its general artificialness. But I’m afraid to say I finished it all (and suddenly I can’t remember if I even left some for Sabine even though it was her dish – ooops).

My Stonefruit dish was equally divine. The ingredients listed include black tea, verbena, vanilla, and sauvignon blanc. But I’d like to say it included a whole lot of awesome and a whole lot of delicious wrapped together by a whole lot of heaven.

foxcroft stonefruit and compressed strawberry

Welcome to dessert heaven – Stonefruit and Compressed Strawberry

foxcroft compressed strawberry

Compressed strawberry. I mean, OMG!

Wrapping Up (Finally) …

After dessert we were pretty full, heavenly so, relaxing back in our chairs and enjoying the splendid views. It was time for coffee. And with that came our post-dessert treat of macarons and little jelly-mallow things. Sometimes I eat out and I have no idea what I’m eating. But that’s half the fun, isn’t it? I love cooking but I’m not a chef, and being delighted by things where you go ‘I have no idea what this is but I like it’ generally makes me happy.

Ok, I’ve now written three pages and 1618 words on Foxcroft. That’s almost a first year literature assignment. So I’ll have to end this, though I could go on for days uhhing and ahhing about this spot.

Foxcroft, thank you – I’m thoroughly impressed. And, Mike, that I Love Foodies Best Waiter award is yours!

foxcroft post-dessert treats coffee and macarons

Post-dessert treats

Experience It Yourself

You’ll need to go visit Foxcroft. You’ll find them at Shop 8/9 at the High Constantia Centre on Groot Constantia Road. They’re open Monday through Sunday for lunch (12:00 – 14:00) and dinner (18:00 – 20:30). You can obviously eat and be merry for longer than those times, but will need to arrive in that time period. Reservations are a must (though they do try to accommodate walk-ins). Call them on +27 21 202 3304 to make yours. For more information, queries, and menus, please visit their official website here.

Side note: Foxcroft will be closed from the 15th of July till the 5th of August for their winter break.

Written by Benike Palfi
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Article Date: April 2018

Cape Town Review: Fantastic Foxcroft (2019 Review)

 

As you may have gathered by now, we at I Love Foodies eat out a lot. Like a LOT. And most of these places are amazing, but every now and again, there is a restaurant we really, really, really want to go back to. But then life happens and we just don’t get the chance. So a little part of us silently hopes they invite us back, because then it’s official and technically work, and we have to find the time! One of those wonderful places is Foxcroft. And yes, they invited us back and we made time!

Benike and I lunched at Foxcroft early last year and loved every single second. From our perfect waiter, Mike, to the amazing food, the impeccable attention to detail and flavour, to the incredible wines our culinary adventure was paired with, Foxcroft was as close to perfect as is humanly (chef-ly?) possible. Now as Benike is currently exploring London, it means she left Cape Town’s foodie bests to me and whoever is lucky enough to join me. Benike is not liking this arrangement much and feels very left out, but alas, the foodie show goes on .  Sorry, Niki.

One of the things I love about Foxcroft is that it’s a little bit more laid back and chilled than its big sister restaurants La Colombe, La Petit Colombe (both of which we also love), and Protégé (who we have yet to meet). This means Foxcroft is just a little more accessible, a little more approachable to the average Jane, both financially and from a flavour perspective. Don’t get me wrong, I love the magic that the big sisters offer, but you can’t dine there once a month. At Foxcroft, though, you could …

foxcroft contantia cutlery

Looking forward to using these …

foxcroft contantia table setting

Welcome to Foxcroft

The Spring Lunch Menu

Foxcroft is currently running a Spring Lunch Menu special till the end of November – so you better make a reservation ASAP – coz this one is pretty special indeed. In a nutshell, R345 gets you the Foxcroft bread dish, one cold tapas, one warm tapas, a main, and a dessert. Want wine? Go for the pairing at R595, which is totally worth it.

Lazy Sundays with Happy Fish

Anyway, as you may have figured out, Foxcroft invited us to try this special and, of course, we agreed. So, this last Sunday, I grabbed Ray and we set out for Foxcroft in Constantia. He’d never been there before and I was looking forward to the ‘See, told ya’ moment once he experienced it all.

We were one of the first people to arrive for Sunday lunch and so chose a table in the outside area, shaded by umbrellas. I quite like this part of the restaurant as it feels a bit like you’re having lunch in your garden. There is even a fish pond with some rather excitable fish. I’m pretty sure the mesh surrounding the pond is purely there to prevent the fish from jumping out, which they seem to attempt every now and again.

Bubbles

As all good things start with bubbles, Foxcroft promptly surprised us with some, the Steenberg Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc ones to be exact. Happiness. Werner, our amazing waiter, warmly welcomed us and explained the menu in detail. The thing about Foxcroft is that the staff there are incredible. From the menu to the wines, not only do they know their stuff inside out, but they also know it backwards and forwards. Many a restaurant could take a page from their book …

foxcroft contantia menu and champagne

Pond on the left 🙂

foxcroft contantia focaccia

Focaccia

Bread, Bread, Glorious Bread

Of all the things at restaurants, the one thing I never touch is bread. Unless it’s at Foxcroft. We were presented with this beautiful crispy, plump, freshly baked herb focaccia in a little iron pot. Inside, it hid the most divine olive tapenade. For someone who likes neither bread nor olives, I could have eaten the entire thing. It was that good. A little bite of heaven.

foxcroft contantia seared sailfish

Have you had sailfish?

foxcroft contantia carrot hummus

Carrot hummus

Cold Tapas

For our first tapas dish, the cold one, Ray and I both decided on the carrot hummus. Cause, have you ever even heard of carrot hummus? Exactly. It was served with shaved carrot, roasted feta (I have decided all feta should now be roasted), Baharat, and a super crispy lavash to scoop it all up with. As a complete amateur in the spicy things department, this dish had quite a kick for me. But it was so good and different to anything I had ever tasted before. Ray loved the carrot hummus so much that I let him finish mine too. Coz I’m good that way. It was paired perfectly with the aromatic 2018 Oldenburg Viognier.

Foxcroft has recently replaced tuna on their menu with sailfish and really wanted us to try this as well, so we did. The sailfish came seared with salsa macha, whipped avo, jalapeno, and tostada. This is also a winner, especially if you love seafood. Paired with this, we had the Silwervis Smiley Chenin. A great pairing and two amazing wines I had never had before.

foxcroft contantia beef shin

foxcroft contantia This is beef shin. Yes. You read that right.

Warm Tapas

We both had set our mind on the Greedfields Beef Shin before looking at anything else. I honestly had no idea what to expect from this dish and when it arrived looking like a bowl of porridge, I was a little confused. And then I tasted it and time stood still. Seriously. I think neither Ray nor I spoke for the next 10 minutes.

The carrot hummus was amazing, but the beef shin? Out of this world. Succulent beef, covered with crispy polenta and smothered with the most divine rosemary velouté.

The wine paired with this became my favourite new discovery of the day. The Mullineux Kloof Street Rouge 2017 – 90% Syrah and small amounts of Cinsault, Carignan, Grenache, Tinta Barocca, and Mourvédre – make this wine quite unique. Red fruit aromas and hints of spice reminded me just a little of Christmas and made me a very happy foodie indeed. An absolute perfect pairing.

foxcroft contantia main dishes plating

Foxcroft sure knows how to plate their dishes!

foxcroft contantia karoo lamb

Karoo lamb – isn’t it gorgeous?

foxcroft constantia pork dish

Yummy pork dish

The Mains

This was a tough choice between the pork and the lamb dishes. Luckily teamwork came into play and so Ray picked the lamb and I the pork, ‘cause honestly, can you even be friends with someone who doesn’t let you eat food from their plate?!

Let’s start with Ray’s dish. The Karoo lamb was made in two ways, each completely unique and oh so yummy, with shimeji mushrooms, spiced apricot, burnt onion, and sprinkled with buckwheat. It was a pretty awesome dish. This was paired perfectly with the robust 2014 Fable Mountain Night Sky.

But, I have to say, I loved my Oak Valley Pork even more. The crispy but soft pork was served with kimchi, charred cabbage, and sprinkled with a peanut crackling crumble. And it was incredible. As was the 2018 Thorne and Daughter Copper Pot Pinot Noir it was paired with. I generally like Pinot Noir, but this one is something special.

foxcroft constantia desserts

Our gorgeous Foxcroft desserts

Sweet Endings

Dessert is another thing I usually skip, but I wouldn’t dream of skipping it at Foxcroft! Ray chose the malt cake, with caramelised banana, Kivavoa 50%, and malted milk, and said those malted flavours reminded him of childhood. A definite winner if you are looking for malty chocolatey goodness.

If you want something a bit lighter, my choice of dessert would be perfect. I went with the aptly named Yogurt. The yoghurt and vanilla panna cotta balanced the sweetness of the apple, litchi, elderflower, and geranium that made up the rest of the dessert. Panna cotta is a firm fave for me and this one is up there with the best I have ever had.

This dessert was interestingly paired with a Freshman Sauvignon Blanc but turns out the dessert actually contains this wine, so the pairing made perfect sense. It was a lighter touch than the Thelema Vin de Hel 2015 that paired with Ray’s dessert, which, of course, is also a great wine to end a meal on.

foxcroft constantia malt cake

Malt Cake

foxcroft constantia yoghurt

The “Yogurt”

My Thoughts

The Thelema Vin de Hel was the only wine I had had before, and it was such a pleasure to try so many new and amazing wines, especially paired with such good food. This is what makes Foxcroft wine pairings so unique. They find the special, little known wines from smaller vineyards and let them shine. I think that is pretty damn awesome!

As for the food, oh wow, Chef Glen, as always, hats off to you, Sir. I love how you bring flavours together, without overwhelming the guest with too many flavours and textures. There is only one way to describe it: Perfect.

As we ended our amazing lunch, I looked over at Ray knowingly and said, “See, told, ya” and he agreed. I’m afraid I have now ruined all other food for him. Oops.

Werner, Daine, the entire staff at Foxcroft and, of course, Chef Glen Foxcroft Williams, a huge thank you to you. You go above and beyond!

foxcroft constantia coffee

All good meals end with coffee

Visit Foxcroft

The Foxcroft Spring Lunch Menu is available until 15 December 2019 at R345 per person and R595 per person with the wine pairing (do this!). If you can’t make the Spring Menu, there are also the regular lunch and dinner menus and tasting menus to explore. Anything you have is guaranteed to be exceptional!

Foxcroft

Address: Shop 8/9, High Constantia, Corner Groot Constantia Road and Constantia Main Road

Website: www.foxcroft.co.za

E-mail: reservations@foxcroft.co.za

Call:+27 21 202 3304

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Written by Sabine Palfi
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Article Date: November 2019

All information correct at time of publication. We do not accept any liability caused by errors, including, but not limited to, changes in price, menu, opening times, address, or other contact details. 

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