Winter is about spice at Upper Union in Cape Town

In winter, one wants a fire to sit beside and hot food to eat, which exactly what Upper Union’s new winter menu offers, writes Lorraine Kearney. 

ALSO SEE: WIN a case of wine worth R2500 from Hasher Family & Fine Wine Feast!

The idea behind Upper Union’s new winter menu is a warming spice route, from North Africa, to the Middle East, to the Indian sub-continent, to Cape Malay.

For Chef Amori Burger, eating is an event. ‘Don’t just eat because you have to,’ she said. And she likes to share: ‘Food for me, is this concept of sitting around the table and sharing and eating together.’

This was back in January 2023, when Upper Union in Gardens, Cape Town, opened. And it’s this idea she’s brought to her winter 2024 menu. The Seasonal Chef’s Menu has two options, each for two people sharing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pasture Menu (R750 per person) has oysters and the Garden Menu (R650 per person) is the vegetarian option. Both have a choice of starters, a main with a host of sides for sharing around the table, and a choice of desserts, and both end with a friandise.

No matter your choice, the house bread course arrives at your table. One on platter, individual kubaneh, one per person, and on another, three choices of butter (mebos and Klein River Gruberg, Mont du Toit EVOO, and Cream of the Crop makhani). They’re all good, but our favourite was the Mont du Toit.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Upper Union (@upperunion_restaurant)

For those who don’t know, kubaneh is a traditional Yemeni bread.

There is a third option: you can curate your own meal from the list of small plates, of which there are 17 – your meal also starts with the bread course. The menu advises you choose four to five and share between two of you. We were greedy, because it really is impossible to choose just a few.

The choices range in price from R95 for the aloo tikki with date piccalilli, 96-hour sourdough slangetjies and marigold (totally moreish), to R290 for the shuwa lamb shoulder, which comes with parsnip, pimento zhug (a spicy hot sauce from Yemen), Brussels sprouts and kapokbos chermoula.

First, though, a cocktail – a Cape to Casablanca for me and a Corpse Reviver No2 for my companion. It’s a splendid, though small, cocktail menu, just as it is a splendid, though small, wine list. ‘I didn’t want a boring wine list,’ Amori said. ‘I wanted something you don’t see every day, more bespoke, but not too expensive.’ We had a glass of Le Chant Rouge, a signature blend of Merlot, traditional Bordeaux varietals, Shiraz and Sangiovese, from the Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch.

Dishes, hands-down our favourites were the aloo tikki and the paneer lovable with poppadum, coriander and apple slaw, and tamarind chutney. Closely followed by the king oyster mushroom with whipped tofu (it’s whipped with butter beans and is wonderful), chilli crack, Union HP sauce and almond.

For taste and enjoyment, Upper Union’s winter menu is recommended. It’s also good value for money – you leave very full and satisfied, despite the ‘small plates’ claim. All in all, a fine night out.

Location: 3 Upper Union Street, Gardens, Cape Town

Hours: Monday – Sunday: noon-4pm and 6pm-10pm

Public holidays: Contact Upper Union

Contact: 021 891 0360

Website: upperunion.co.za

Instagram: @upperunion_restaurant

Facebook: Upper Union Restaurant

ALSO SEE:

Tucking into Tryn’s winter menu at Steenberg Wine Estate