Four & Twenty Cafe — Restaurant in Wynberg

Four & Twenty - Chelsea Village

Four & Twenty is a beautiful yet quaint spot. I’ve been going back and forth about using the word ‘quaint’, as I don’t really know what it means. I definitely should have paid better attention in English class and not used my dyslexia as an excuse for not taking it seriously. If only I knew I would be in this predicament a couple/more than a couple years later. Long story short, I really like the look of the place. It is super inviting and homely, and I think it is rather cute. My business partner and I had the pleasure of having breakfast here on Saturday before we went stationary shopping at Cavendish. We were both looking for a delicious and protein packed meal to fuel our shopping center quest. We got seated straight away, I chose a table facing the kitchen as I love people watching, and I always find it exciting watching the food being made, and if I’m lucky, any drama that’s about to unfold. Fortunately for them, but unfortunately for my entertainment, there was no drama in the kitchen that day.

Okay, back to the table. The waiter came and took our coffee orders. I ordered my usual, almond flat white. Now, this was not great. Unfortunately, almond milk is hit or miss, and on this occasion it was definitely a miss. If you’re not a fan of cows milk, please order the oat milk option. Trust me. Although it wasn’t all bad, it came with a delicious heart shaped shortbread cookie that was perfectly sweet and crunchy.

Alright, enough about that. Let’s get into the food. I ordered the smoked trout frittata and I chose the herb buttered sourdough as my side. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived. I was incredibly hungry and the portion is quite substantial. It’s essentially a thick open omelette topped with a generous amount of smoked trout and a big dollop of cream cheese, served with thick, crisp sourdough lathered in butter. I mean, what more could one ask for? The omelette was perfectly cooked, soft and just a bit crisp on the edges. There are bits of caramelised onion in the egg mixture which adds a hint of sweetness and umami flavour. Then you tie in the saltiness from the trout, and the creamy richness from the cream cheese. Now, take all of that goodness and put it on top of golden brown, buttery sourdough. Oooh yum! Need I say more? I absolutely loved this and it kept me full and satisfied for hours, honestly I think it’s the only thing that got me through hours of walking around the shops.

I just wanted to mention my most recent visit, I decided to try something different. A little birdie, one of my friends, told me they have the most delicious eggs Benedict. As a true fan, I thought it was only fitting that I give it a go. They have quite a few unique options and I decided on the Eggs Be. Oriental. Just to note, it doesn’t come with toast for some reason, I would definitely recommend adding a slice of sourdough. Honestly, I was a bit nervous about my order. I was trying to wrap my head around an umami hollandaise and the addition of edamame beans. Finally, the wait was over, and a beautifully plated dish arrived in front of me. It looked utterly amazing. A bit on the smaller side, but let me tell you, the taste made up for it. This is hands down the best eggs Benedict I’ve ever had. I don’t know where to start, okay probably best to start with the star of the show, the hollandaise. It is rich, sweet, and umami but not overwhelming. I think it has some honey and soya sauce in it and it pairs perfectly with the earthy exotic mushrooms, the fresh al dente edamame beans, the silky eggs, and then the perfectly toasted sourdough soaks up all the flavours. This is a ten out of ten, it would be an eleven if it were just a bit bigger. I can highly recommend this dish.

Overall, I always have a lovely experience. The waiters are always incredibly friendly and attentive. Apologies, I do not have the prices as their website is under construction and I didn’t take photos...

Based on recommendations from travel websites, I went with high hopes for this cafe. I was told that the build your own breakfast experience was a good one. I cannot say I enjoyed myself, nor was I blown away.

Whilst the aesthetic of the restaurant was lovely, the quality and value of the food delivered was not reflective of the cafes appearance.

The prices are ridiculously high, and I can categorically say that the difference in taste between the food here and any generic fast food eatery is indistinguishable. For the same portion size at any other place which should have cost R100 at maximum, it cost R260 instead. I was particularly upset by the size of the ciabatta toast. I was given two pieces each no longer than an index finger despite being charged a premium price for it. The rationale is that the food is of a fresh and better quality than elsewhere, yet I tasted very little to indicate this.

The service was quick, however staff were arguing in the kitchen very loudly which I cannot call professional or conducive to relaxation.

Tl/dr: Far too expensive for food that is no different to a fast food breakfast eatery. Pick somewhere else for a...

Starting with the good - the service was excellent. It was a busy morning and our waiter was on the ball. That's what the two stars are for.

On to the not so good - if you're unlucky enough to sit near the kitchen (highly likely as it is a small restaurant) you will be deafened by the old cow bell and your conversation will be interrupted continuously when the chef rings it vigorously (angrily) every five minutes for service. Would absolutely not recommend and would beg the owners to find a new system for alerting waiters.

The food was nice - however, after indicating i wanted wholewheat as one would assume the most normal bread in the world would be an option I was told they dont do wholewheat and was given the choice of sourdough, rye or gluten free bread. The waiter informed me that gluten free was the softest option so i went with that. Unfortunately my 60+ mother didnt get the same advice and ordered rye which was so hard it was inedible so i switched with her.

Why even offer rye if you aren't able to actually eat...