TTK Fledgelings — Restaurant in Woodstock

With winter in full swing, I figured what better activity than eating delicious food to distract myself from the icy weather? Surely a full belly would make me better equipped for the cold? Maybe, maybe not. Best believe I was going to test this theory. Since I was in the mood for testing, The Test Kitchen felt fitting. Like always, I did some research and was delighted to see their special prix fixe menu. It was meant to be! With joy, I made the booking.

Fast forward to Thursday afternoon, time to eat. Of course, it was the coldest day of the year. Leaving my heater was a struggle, but I dressed as if going skiing and picked up my business partner. Tumi looked over and said, “you look, um, cosy?” I replied, “yes, it is FREEZING.”

We arrived and were greeted by the most welcoming hostess, full of joy. The music was blasting my favourite throwbacks and everyone looked genuinely happy. The energy here is impeccable. Even before sitting down, the warmth of the people made up for the breeze outside.

We were shown to our table and browsed the menu, though I’d already dissected it online. We ordered sparkling water and looked around. The interior is stunning, industrial chic laced with elegance. Exposed brick and pipes contrast beautifully with white tablecloths and leather chairs. My favourite part was the open kitchen, it felt like watching one of my cooking shows.

Now, let’s get into the food. The prix fixe menu (R590 pp) includes five courses. Starting strong with my favourite food group (bread), we were served vetkoek with snoek pate. Crisp, golden balls of perfection, steaming hot with flakes of sea salt. I lathered on smooth pate, which melted into the bread. Crunchy on the outside, fluffy inside. The subtle sweetness paired perfectly with the savoury, umami pate. The sea salt enhanced everything. This course didn’t last long.

Next, the oysters. Beautifully presented on ice, with precise brunoise cuts, big applause to the Chefs. The oysters were larger than most fine dining spots. Incredibly fresh and delicate, with tangy dressing and bursts of flavour from the pickled vegetables. This went down swimmingly.

Then came the heirloom tart. The plate was a work of art, something you’d hang in your apartment. It tasted like summer. Visually and in flavour, layered with texture and freshness. The buttery pastry paired perfectly with juicy tomato and luscious burrata. Underneath, a marinated zucchini salad balanced the richness. Oddly enough, the star was the garnishes and drizzle. The tangy reduction, pomegranates, dried fruit, pine nuts, and rocket brought it all together. You must get a bit of everything in one bite. The flavours married so well.

For the main, I chose oxtail. This dish was fun to eat. Thoughtfully layered, fresh pasta sheets, tender braised oxtail, earthy mushrooms, and lightly pickled vegetables. At first, I only ate the top layer, which was good but not mind blowing. Once I gathered everything onto my fork, the game changed. The umami richness of the mushrooms and meaty intensity of the oxtail were lifted by the pickled vegetables. The pasta was perfectly al dente, bringing saltiness and chew. Very comforting, it reminded me we were still in winter.

Finally, the beef fillet, a spiritual experience. Everything was perfection, but the real star was their famous sauce. If you know, you know. If not, this is your sign. The steak was buttery and melted in your mouth. The silky celeriac puree was the perfect vessel to scoop up that godly sauce. The golden potato gratin was crisp yet soft inside, and the charred broccoli added freshness. That sauce, rich, glossy, umami, full of flavour. I’d drink it.

This was the most delicious, indulgent afternoon. From the atmosphere to the flavour journey, everything was beautifully curated. I can confidently say I concur with my hypothesis, a full belly does make you better equipped for the cold. Thank you TTKF for a memorable afternoon....

Layers upon layers of ‘slap your face’ flavor

Old or new, sous vide or pressure cooking together with home-curing, smoking or wood-fire barbecuing. This is just the cusp or tip of the Iceberg for Chef Luke Dale-Roberts of The Test Kitchen, rated #1 place to eat in Cape Town, #61 on the San Pellegrino top 100 restaurants in the world list (2013), and ranks #5 on my list of top 50 behind Alinea in Chicago, and the French Laundry in Napa, California. Situated in a newly refurbished late 19th century Biscuit Mill complex adjacent to other restaurants, and shops, The Test Kitchen, opening in 2010 led the way for neighborhood rejuvenation and collaboration in the arts, festivals, and helps reintroduce the culture of Cape Town that had been long forgotten. Now the area thrives with markets, wine boutiques, and modern art festivals making the biscuit Mill and The Test Kitchen a vibrant hotspot for locals and internationals alike. Truly and food and wine connoisseur's dream spot to spend an afternoon.

As a tourist visiting South Africa for the first time, it was an absolutely fantastic day, between activities, and then eating at The Test Kitchen for dinner, but for the country it was a sad day, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela had passed away early that morning. I was driving from Cape Town to Gansbaai and L’Agulhas that morning when I heard the news all over the radio. When I dined that evening I could see the somber look on some of the staff and the guests about the news. I had gone Shark Cage Diving that morning, and it was a fantastic thrill, let alone an adrenaline rush to be that close to one of nature’s most ferocious predators. The second adrenaline rush would come as I tasted the food at The Test Kitchen. I had the tasting menu, and it was just fantastic. This is a must do location when your in Cape Town. Read the entire review by visiting the Wine, dine, and Play blog, search blog archives for The Test Kitchen under...

What a let down!

We frequent restaurants all over the world and appreciate it for what it is. From street food in south east asia, chicharong in dominican republic, french chablis and oysters in france or expensive steak dinners in USA… we love to travel and experience food. Our latest favourite was a Japanese sushi restaurant in warsaw Poland. We heard about test kitchen and booked it for our return to SA.

The test kitchen was such a let down after booking with some special guests that I had to write about it. And hey, we are very easy to please.

The food felt pretentious, some dishes with not alot of flavour or fish smothered with a aioli sauce, carpaccio smothered with a mayo sauce you can hardly taste the meat.

The server kept serving over our guests and sticking his hands out for us to pass him some plates after the dishes.what happened to serve from the right and clear from the left… this is not the Spur restaurant although we also like to eat ribs at Sput but you expect Spur type of service from Spur not from an establishment where a 5 course and a whine pairing will cost you R1300 pp.

The wine and champagne was the most expensive ive seen it in SA restaurants with a R200 Graham beck Brut costing you R600 or more.

The manager of the night was a friendly guy but standing with his back to the floor on his cell phone at times.

A shot of Jameson whiskey on the menu ( that is just a printed piece of cheap printing A4 paper) is R40 a shot but when we had to pay it was R50. Not a big deal but you would expect perfection at a place that charge so much money for their food and drinks.

Overall a very disappointing experience on our first night back in SA.

Obviously Luke D Roberts is not involved here anymore. One or two dishes was nice but overall nothing special.

If Belly of the beast restaurant is a 10 then this is a...