When I was invited to experience the new spring menu at Ongetem Cape Town, chef and restaurateur Bertus Basson’s restaurant at Canopy Cape Town Longkloof Precinct, I arrived ready to eat my way into the new season. There are few things quite as Cape Town as welcoming spring with a table full of good food, a glass of something lovely and enough sunshine peeking through the windows to make you forget winter ever happened.
Tucked into the Longkloof Precinct between Park Road and Kloof Street, Ongetem brings Basson’s unmistakable South African culinary sensibility into the heart of the City Bowl. The spring menu leans into generous sharing, beautifully prepared local ingredients and the sort of food that encourages you to loosen your belt and stay at the table just a little longer.
And that is exactly what this dinner felt like! From flame-kissed roosterkoek and homemade butter to seafood, dry-aged sirloin, South African-inspired sides and a table full of springtime flavours, the evening unfolded as a generous introduction to what makes Ongetem such an inviting Cape Town dining destination.
In true Cape Town fashion, I arrived (rather bashfully) late to the party — only to be met with the faces of all Cape Town’s sister guides decorated with smiles, warm welcomes, and equally as glamorous outfits suited to Ongetem’s decor.
Ongetem Cape Town Dinner Soirée
The menu started as all wonderful things go — with a gloriously creamy, softly whipped homemade butter. To make things all the more South African, the apricot-butter was served with 3 roosterkoek made over a flame; gosh, the dish was reminiscent of spring braai time and smoky-sweet evenings around the fire. The intimate setting allowed us at a bustling, brimming-with-excitement party of 14 to eagerly share knives and plates among one another. This way, the daunting feelings of introductions and formalities melted away as softly as the butter on our breads.
Along with the roosterkoek, we were treated to two flatbreads topped with all flavours that al fresco delivers. Think freshly sliced ribbons of smoked salmon trout, juicy whole capers and lemony cream cheese atop a flat bread. Another for the more rustic style foodie fiends was the confit mushrooms with garlic, molten parsley butter and hearty sprinkles of Parmesan. Both South African show-stopper breads were our amuse-bouches before the starters, which were deserving of limelights in their own right.
The Starters
What I loved about this dinner setting at Ongetem was how each plate was served. We were waited on with such warmth and served each course with a knowledgable recounting of best wines to pair (I went with the Villafonté‘s 2023 red, by Seriously Old Dirt). Our starters remained in line with all of spring’s fresh, light notes — fish, herbs, and lighter-than-air condiments.
The prawn was prepared with swirling Benito flakes atop a crisply toasted sandwich, finger-length and immersive in buttery Gochujang mayonnaise. Beef carpaccio sliced medallions were topped with a miso cream, avocado, coriander and a subtle yuzu dressing. Along with the generous portions, came the lightly battered crispy fried squid made with Basson’s ‘proper tartare sauce’; we’re not playing around here!
The Mains
If the starters and amuse-bouches weren’t already sneak-into-your-handbag worthy, then the main courses were simply the stars of the Broadway plates. Plenty of time was allowed between courses to fully digest and unpack among the guests in all of its glories; masters of the radio scene, Cape Town’s must-see mantelpiece curators, editorial experts, and the culinary world’s classiest bunch. Besides, of course, the moment for photo opportunities between dishes being mandatory to preserve the supper worthy of royalty!
Served first was a Diesel & Dust Beer battered hake with even more of that proper tartare sauce. Fluffy, feathery, and fully worth its salt (no pun intended here). Following the hake, we were served a perfectly pink Norwegian salmon poached in a wonderfully herby, refreshing bath of its cooked reduction. A spinach and ricotta panzarotti prepared in a brown butter emulsion topped with balmy soft sage made my mouth water from its sheer aromas dotting the table. And last, but not least, the steakhouse Big Pappa of all steaks; a dry-aged 500g sirloin served straight from the bone. The confit garlic placed neatly atop the sirloin simply melted my resolve away from tucking in, in front of all of the guests. Just awe-inspiring mains rivalled by none!
Sides, of course!
As if the mains weren’t formidably feast-worthy on its own. There was a spread simply tumbling onto our table of every conceivable South African side that you can think of when yearning for that true springtime braai. But, in true to his fashion, Basson upped his game with the preparations.
Pumpkin fritters in a miso caramel sauce, traditional slaptjips stacked hilltop-high, mac n’ cheese baked in a dish with homemade rigatoni, and roasted cauliflower prepared with preserved lemon, harissa, and almond plating.
By the time dessert rolls around, you may find yourself wondering whether you have room for another bite. The answer, naturally, is yes. This is Cape Town, after all.
What made the evening at Ongetem particularly memorable was not simply the sheer abundance of food, but the feeling surrounding it. There was generosity in the portions, warmth in the service and a distinctly South African sense of kom sit, eet iets running through the entire experience. It felt like a dream combining a family-friendly dining experience with moving hands, bright cheeks, soulful food; combined with the liplekker recipes from Basson’s kitchen himself.
The new spring menu is a celebration of the kind of food that begs to be shared in both word and experience. From smoky roosterkoek and creamy butter to beautifully prepared seafood, hearty steaks and sides that deserve considerably more attention than their supporting-role status suggests. It feels polished without losing that wonderfully familiar local-is-lekker soul.
If you’re visiting Cape Town
There’s another reason to linger a little longer. Canopy Cape Town Longkloof places you right in the middle of one of the city’s most walkable pockets, with Kloof Street, Gardens, the Company’s Garden and the City Bowl all within easy reach. The hotel’s Passport to Cape Town adds another lovely layer, acting as a pocket-sized guide to some of the city’s must-see spots. You can read all about why Canopy by Hilton wants you to stay like a local in Cape Town, in my blog review.
P.S., some wonderful gift ideas included there, too!
So, whether you’re planning a Cape Town food trip, looking for a new restaurant in the City Bowl, or simply searching for somewhere to eat, sleep and explore your way through the Mother City; Ongetem and Canopy Longkloof make a rather delicious, daring pairing.
Come for the dinner. Stay for the city. And, for goodness’ sake, leave room for the sides.
As always with lots of love,
Sabah Cabano 🐯