The Test Kitchen Woodstock

If you do one thing while in Cape Town, then go have dinner at The Test Kitchen. It's Luke Dale Roberts brain child and you might have to rob a bank and then book at least 3 to 6 months in advance but it is SO worth it. It is an experience you will remember the rest of your life!


The cocept is that the whole restaurant is split into 2: a dark room where you start with canapes and cocktails and the Light Room where you have a forma dinner with wine. The food is AMAZING. If I could afford it, I would go monthly to experience the changed menu!.





The Dark Room menu is allocated via Countries and themed accordingly:

South Africa - Bo-Kaap Slangetjies and Wagyu Biltong

 England - Pork Scratchings and Cheddar Ploughman

Korea - Ssam Jang Veg and China - Lamb XO Dressing

Japan - Shiso Granita

Peru - Ceviche

Just look at the box, so deceptive... beautiful in gold leave and chocolate.

Scotland - Billionaires

And everything has its Dale Robert's twist, like the Billionaires as I know it is a sweet shortcrust pastry with caramel and chocolate. Not here. Here it has duck liver pate with a berry glace on a savoury shortcrust pastry topped with chocolate and gold leave - probably the best (and prettiest) dish I've eaten!

The Light Room is what you normally expect from a 5-star restaurant - light, airy, open plan kitchen and lots of cutlery and wine!

The start you off with the best bread and spread ever (like you haven't been eating for the last hour!).

Here is the menu:

12 Hour Smoked Sea Bass Tartare, Lovage Oil, Horseradish Snow

A Seasonal Mushroom Bisque (added just for fun)

TTK Nicoise Salad

Char Grilled Scallop, Cauliflower And Cheese, Black Garlic Salsa

Lamb Sweetbreads, Liquorice Liver Jus, Lime Gel, Preserved Lemon And Pinenut Gremolata

Or

Slow Cooked Pork Belly, Wood Roasted Sweet Potato, Smoked Chestnut, Orange Dashi

Pan Seared Duck Breast, Sour Cherry Clafoutis, Duck Liver Stuffing, Sour Cherry Jus

Strawberry Rose Ice Cream, Coconut Meringue,Minted Strawberry Sherbet, Rhubarb And Burnt

Vanilla Butter, Lemon Bush And Cinzano Snow

“Bread, Milk & Honey”

And just to add a touch of theater, they mix your wine at your table according to your preferences and add flavour with little tubes.

And then, after being so stuffed you don't think you can eat another bite, they bring in real billionaires with coffee.

So one word of advice: pace yourself. The food is a lot! Not even Hubby could eat it all!

Enjoy!