When I think of a proper Afrikaans nostalgic meal, you don’t particularly picture a Cape Town fine dining setup. I think back to perfumes of cardamom in a thick bredie, hefty slabs of fresh and creamy butter on a homemade bread roll, a herbal tea served strong and without milk; you also think of your Ouma pinching your cheeks and reminding you to eat another serving, with her stewed vegetables and mashed potatoes pooling in rich, meaty gravy. I think back to my Ouma Eli and her need to keep us as her beloved Cabano grandchildren looked after, in a way that Afrikaans families know best; through the celebration of a hearty plate, stockpiled in the gems that are generational recipes passed down in measurements that are ‘n knepie van hierdie or ‘n titseltjie van daardie. And truth be told, this was not at all what I thought I’d be thinking of when I walked into the sprawling splendours that is Journey | Urchin Cape Town’s doors. But boy, was I blown away.
Upon first glance, the Hyatt Regency welcomes you into the exact image of class. Warm lighting, cool grace, and effortlessly joyful soft tones of an intimate restaurant space leading to Urchin. Welcoming drinks are already a treat for the senses, as the journey into the South African coasts blend together in a calming blend of saffron, honey, and ginger. The ‘Journey’ element of the restaurant lends its inspiration from the physical journey that chef Marcus Gericke took along the Southern African coasts, spanning the culinary adventure all across the Cape. Your palette will cross from Kalk Bay and its rich coastal treasures, to Cape Winelands in Stellenbosch for a recipe revered in antiquity. From here, we venture deep into the West Coast along to the seafood delights of Paternoster, spinning shortly passed Langebaan and taking a pivotal turn to the Karoo’s meaty splendours in Prince Albert. We dive further into the sandy terrains to Beaufort West, making a change of scenery towards the east as George runs into our horizon. And once we gather our tastebuds from the sweeping magic of the Hermanus communities, we arrive at our final destination with a vivaciously aromatic welcome – landing right in the centre of Bo-Kaap’s best. A Western Cape journey, summarised into 1,627 kilometres mastered by the chefs helming the steer with expertise.
Our first plate, the ‘Voorhappie’, was a trip into a very special Aunty Ashmita’s favourite fish preparation. Here, we see an amalgamation of snoek, meebos, and curry leaf combined into a gently reimagined koeksuster blanketed in a featherlight smoor pateé. From line, to line-cook; the freshness teases you to Kalk Bay harbour’s finest on a breezy bite that ends with you wanting more.
Our second starter was a testament to pure Afrikaans and Cape Malay decadence as simple as ‘Bread’, in the shape of a classic – bread, jam, farm butter, and the spotlight of the bread shared with a light fynbos oil. Chef Marcus’s sourdough starter, Pete, has fermented for as long as I’ve been able to say: “Nog ‘n happie, asseblief, Ouma.” Bringing such a cherished element of nurturing onto our plates speaks to the passion that the meal has been prepared with, as the bread roll recipe has been recorded as one of the oldest known to Stellenbosch (and the butter recipe closer to its heart from the restaurant’s partner supplier, San Gabriel’s Homestead). This bread roll sparked a deep appreciation within me for the preservation of heritage of all South Africa’s cultural richness, especially through the language of food. Breaking bread is known in biblical terms as a sign of spiritual enrichment and sharing, but an act as simple as smearing a warmed slice with butter can speak to generations of wealth through the means of love. It is perfectly described by the menu as, ‘[an] emotional and comforting experience’.
After the trip down memory lane among the winelands, we welcome the ‘Beginbord’. We relish in a freshly caught crayfish that is gently poached on a buttery bed. The crayfish meat’s mouth-feel is unlike any other I’ve had before! It was a piece of heaven, the type of restfulness in a bite that one has when coming home to freshly pressed linen to lay down upon. This plate was paired with a young Sauvignon Blanc (2024) from Buitenverwachting wine farm, hand-picked by the spirited Devan Luke, a beating heart impassioned by the world that is winemaking and even more so in wine-pairing.
From ‘Beginbord’, we move to the ‘Cold Starter’ which inspires a chill in temperature but a heat that trickles along your tongue. Here, we celebrate a pickled prepared fish with garnishings. It inherits a brightly acidic texture from its roots in a Cape Malay sauce, that expands into a landscape of refreshing, crisp radishes and edible flowers. This dish reinvigorates the senses to the location of the restaurant in Bo-Kaap, where the magnum opus of the Cape spice world meets at the doorstep of Atlas Spice Trading. Personally, I’ve spent many of my childhood afternoons between its original location and its current, fingers trailing the bright green and yellow labels of mulled spices or herbs that led me to grow curious of the world’s currency in whiffs and wonders. We paired a Chardonnay (2023) with the pickled fineness, from Atlas Swift Cape South Coast‘s finest.
A ‘Warm Starter’ course shortly follows, where the real tear-jerking memories of Ouma and Mamma’s kombuis were welcomed in a soothing embrace. We were delighted to a plateful of braised oxtail, risotto-style samp, and a fynbos atchar that rekindles familiarity to a mid-year wintry favourite. This recipe indulges in a slightly poached vegetable to lighten the introduction of red, marbly oxtail and a buttery spoonful serving of mash atop to really sink your teeth into the dish. When pairing with such hearty flavours, the Rijk’s Touch Pinotage (2023) plinks onto your tongue with a dancing smoothness without overwhelming your palette, which I tend to find a red wine can do. Here you are instead met with a balanced and robust dark berry likeness, that complements the meal expertly.
Our ‘Main’ course (the showstopper, of course) is an over-the-flame lamb chop and tomato bredie. My word, there should be poems written and dedicated to this plate. I was in awe of the visual and taste gallery invoked by Urchin’s attention to detail with this dish, where a pickled onion and fresh coriander bouquet blend together. It’s a type of fineness in flavour that one simply can’t imitate at home, unless being guided by a trusted master. We paired this plate with an Eagle’s Nest Shiraz (2020) that tied the present together with a neat, shiny bow.
For desserts, we were delighted to three courses of properly rendered boerekos tradition. A milk tart reimagined, vrugte ysblokkie; malva pudding in a comforting yet contemporary style, and last but not least, the padkos. Each of the trio were paired with a chilled glass of Jakkalsvlei Red Muscadel, finishing the night’s fine dining with a flair of wings to fly you into a dreamy sleep.
As the final sip of Muscadel settled and the last spoon of nostalgia dissolved on my tongue, it struck me just how extraordinary this Journey | Urchin experience really is. It’s not merely a tasting menu, but a hand that clasps yours as you page through a family heirloom’s photo album. Each plate felt like a page from home, reimagined with grace, curiosity, and respect to all of its stalwarts.
If you’re searching for a dining experience that stirs your roots while surprising your senses, Journey | Urchin is your next unforgettable stop. Come hungry, come curious, and leave with your heart a little fuller than before.
Yours sincerely,
Sabs x