Restaurant Review: Homespun at The Andros

Published 2021/08/13

Hidden in the leafy suburb of Claremont, Cape Town, is the city’s newest fine dining addition and it’s something to be seriously excited about.

Those who frequent the popular Homespun by Matt in Blouberg will know all about chef Matt Schreuder’s elegant and inspired cooking and his latest southern suburbs venture is no exception. The new restaurant, located at the 5-star Andros Deluxe Boutique Hotel, offers a unique take on European cooking methods with flavours influenced by Asian, South African and other global cuisines. 

The Food

Head chef Chris De Jongh is working alongside Matt creating a thoughtfully nostalgic menu that packs a punch of flavour. There’s an option to enjoy either a three-course or a five-course tasting menu with the latter costing R595 per person with an additional R375 for the wine pairing.

Things kick off with the bread course, which is so moreish, you’ll have yourself craving seconds. Beautiful, freshly baked milk buns are served with a Wagyu and boerewors beef fat candle to dunk your bread and onion “three ways” with onion marmalade and onion ash. The combination of flavours creates the illusion of eating the best boerewors roll of your life. Next up is the show-stopping venison amuse bouche, which pays homage to chef Matt’s childhood memories of a venison stew made by his great uncle in Wuppertal, Germany. Dainty pani puri are presented on a tree branch and surrounded by the scent of cinnamon to recreate those memories. The venison tartare pani puri is packed with a perfect balance of flavours with that hit of umami from a parmesan cream and finished with a burnt lime oil that takes it to another level.

Following this, guests can look forward to starters such as the cool and refreshing Caprese, which is no ordinary salad and comes with a tart goats cheese panna cotta and smoked tomato sphere. Another option that deserves a very special mention is the char siu pork belly pancake. The hearty dish is made to be wrapped up and enjoyed with your hands with a miso salsa verde. It’s succulent and lip-smackingly good.

Moving onto the next course, guests can tuck into a pleasing plate of panko-crumbed beef tataki with ginger and wasabi or opt for the delicate prawn dumpling. The latter is a bowl of pure flavour. The plump, packed dumpling has the most gorgeous prawn filling and is brought to life with a dashi broth of dreams. It’s topped with katsuobushi that whimsically quivers as the broth is poured into the bowl.

For mains, you’ll be treated to a choice of five dishes. A slightly newer addition to the chefs’ repertoire is the lamb dish, which comes with textures of corn, chicken sweetbreads and is inspired by a proper South African braai. The lamb is cooked to perfection and delivers on that smokey braai flavour with a refined touch. The winner, however, is the crispy gammon dish and it’s no wonder the chefs can’t take it off the menu. The gammon is served in two ways: light and crispy croquette for texture and a soft, sticky and gloriously glazed slice with the perfect hit of orange. To complement the sweetness of the pork, the dish comes with a velvety pecorino cream that adds that salty, rich flavour. Sweet potato puree, pickled mushrooms and bright garden vegetables round off the dish.

To end off your meal with a bang, the olive chocolate garden is a dessert that may not sound to your taste but the combination of dehydrated olives, dark chocolate, toffee and tonka bean make for something magical. It’s 100% vegan, too, which makes it even more impressive. If you’re wanting something with a bit more sweetness, the Not Banana is full of tropical flavours. The dessert, which looks like a banana, is mainly created with passion fruit and white chocolate with the sorbet being the only banana element and a crunch of peanut crumble adds a wonderful texture. 

The Wine

Sommelier Michelle Michaels (previously of Greenhouse) brings her charm to the beverage offering. The wines are exquisite and perfectly paired with the tasting menu. You’ll also find some exciting lesser-known bottles in support of smaller wine farms, making it an even more memorable experience. Expect to sip on bottles such as Cape Point Sauvignon Blanc Reserve, Swartberg Wingerde Miracle Bush White, The Raptor Post from Fable Mountain Vineyards, and La Bri Affinity.

The Vibe

The new restaurant is elegantly decorated in neutral tones, letting the food be the star. In winter, a fireplace warms up the space while warmer days will allow for sunny al fresco dining. Service is slick and on the ball without being overbearing and the team will make you feel right at home from the moment you walk through the door.

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What’s next?

Not only is this a great spot for an intimate date night or lavish lunch; chef Matt hints at Homespun at The Andros becoming another great venue for a spot of high tea. The team are looking into creating an inspired afternoon offering in the coming months. Matt also briefly spoke about opening up the lawns to picnics in the warmer months.

Homespun at The Andros is open Tuesday to Sunday with lunch from 12pm to 3pm and dinner from 6pm to 9pm.