The Cape Malay Restaurant is one of those places one wishes one could wrap up in a doggy bag and take home. The aromas of good, wholesome homeliness are what greet one even before the the warm reception.
And perhaps my upbringing had something to do with it, but at the outset I was enthralled not only by the set menu but also by the entirety of the experience, both cultural and culinary.
In the Western Cape, Malay cooking has become synonymous with the name Cass Abrahams. Therefore it came as no surprise when I learnt that Abrahams had trained Martha Williams, the head chef at the Cape Malay Restaurant, in the art of authentic Cape Malay gastronomic delights.
Tucked away in Constantia, the Cape Malay Restaurant offers a treat of balanced aromas, tastes and colour. The restaurant itself is nestled within soft candlelit rooms tastefully decorated to yield just the right balance of home, comfort and tradition.
Two things that struck me immediately were the wine list and the ratio of vegetarian versus non-vegetarian dishes.
I stuck to soft drinks for the evening but my companion was bowled over by the extensive wine list and we were particularly impressed with the section that suggested specific wines that will complement certain Malay dishes.
Vegetarians are not catered for as an afterthought.
Everything, from appetisers, to starters to main courses and desserts have a down-the-line split.
They offer two menus at present, although these change seasonally. We had a choice of butternut soup, which, as delicious as it looked, had too much ginger for my companion's palate, but my smoorsnoek was cooked to perfection and topped with crunchy cabbage.
There are four main course dishes: a delectable bobotie, a mild (but oh-so yummy) chicken curry; a slightly spicy vegetable breyani and a dhal (red lentil) curry.
They are all served with a portion of basmati rice, puri (a crisp pan-fried bread) and a roti (a soft, floury, pan-fried bread).
The obligatory sambals and pickled atchaars are just the right accompaniments for these dishes.
It is impossible to finish everything they bring to the table but, as our knowledgeable waitron explained, in true Cape Malay tradition, food plays an important role in the creation of homeliness and togetherness. The idea is not necessarily to
finish everything but to have a taste of each item and for the table to look as full and inviting as if one were to sit down to a feast.
Even the desserts are something to behold: malva pudding, caramel-baked meringue with homemade custard or boeber.
We both decided to try the boeber, which is a tasty milk-based drink with the same consistency as custard. It is prepared with nuts and soft vermicelli and rose water for a luscious, exotic taste.
To top off this great meal, coffee is served with a tiny koeksister.
I expected the real McCoy, a traditional Sunday morning breakfast coconut and aniseed koeksister but alas, it was the little western twisty, dripping with syrup. The three-course meal costs R140 per person.
What sets Malay cooking apart from say, Indian cuisine, is that the milder spicing does not strip the palate off of one and perhaps the gentler aromatic character.
Dating back to the 17th century, Malay cooking has evolved to reflect the influences of the times: the curious mixtures of its origin as a product of the early Indian and Malay settlers in the Cape and the creative indigenous cooks of this area's additions make for the interesting mélange of taste, texture and aroma.
And perhaps what sets the Cape Malay Restaurant apart from other speciality eateries is that its authenticity smacks of home-cooked, down-to-earthness that Capetonians and tourists will find alluring.
- Call 021 794 2137 to book.