Cape Town is known for being a hub for all foodies, with new restaurants, coffee shops and delis popping up across our trendy streets. Some restaurants have become so popular – such as The Test Kitchen and The Pot Luck Club – that Capetonians and tourists book months in advance for a table at these chic establishments. Luckily for us, Luke Dale-Roberts has decided to give us food lovers even more to look forward to with the launch of a new restaurant, The Shortmarket Club on Monday 27 June.
Luke Dale-Roberts together with his wife, Sandalene, his top chef Wesley Randles and manager Simon Widdison have partnered to open The Shortmarket Club in a heritage building, just off vibey Bree Street.
‘I’m extremely excited about what this will bring to the City Bowl,’ says Dale-Roberts. His involvement is more of a supporting role, as his focus will remain on The Test Kitchen and The Pot Luck Club in Woodstock. ‘The restaurant is unique in its design and it’s a place to relax and really lap up the feeling of luxury that surrounds you – and the delicious food of course!’
Head chef Wesley Randles, who has worked closely with Dale-Roberts since the opening of The Test Kitchen, is clearly having fun with this big new project, ‘It’s the type of place where we want people to linger and have fun, where lunch turns into drinks at the bar, or an after-work get-together turns into a languid dinner,’ he says.
The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and, in keeping with its opulent old-world feel, many of the dishes are modern interpretations of classics. Breakfast will boast something new with the likes of shiitake brioche toast soldiers with boiled eggs, quinoa granola made in-house and a classic Arnold Bennett omelette, which sounds totally divine!
And if this couldn’t get any better, the open kitchen will also feature a braai barbecue section and you can expect the likes of kingklip with tamarind and palm sugar, and crayfish with smoked sweetcorn coming off the grill. ‘We’ll be serving perfect tomahawk steaks, fillet and ribeye from our grill section,’ explains Randles, ‘and we’re getting really creative with the sauces and sides – think savoury churros, chips in duck fat and our signature café au lait sauce of The Pot Luck Club fame.’ The stuffed petit poussin will be roast to order and carved at the table, adding flair to the whole dining experience.
As for the look and feel of the restaurant, Sandalene has taken this under her wing, with lots of leather and wood to create a club feel with black and aubergine colourings – giving the space a moody ambiance. A wall of framed butterflies, conceptualised by artist Mark Rautenbach, whose work features strongly at The Test Kitchen, creates a striking visual focus. Made from documents about The Test Kitchen and The Pot Luck Club, it is a testament to the success of those restaurants.
We cannot wait to see The Shortmarket Club rise to foodie success and we look forward to hearing your reviews. Will you be booking a seat for the opening?
OF NOTE
Where 88 Shortmarket Street, CBD
When Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, except Sundays.
Contact [email protected], www.theshortmarketclub.co.za
Margie Bell Mark Richards one for April U0001f49c