Feed me: Blockhouse Kitchen
Blockhouse Kitchen in Constantia Uitsig, Cape Town is a must-visit. The setting is stunning and the food is divine.
If you’re paying in Rands, it’s not cheap but it is worth it. The menu boasts pastas, small plates, large plates, burgers, and desserts. The small plates include bruschetta, baos, and tatakis. The big plates include short rib, chicken breast, and hake. There was only one meat pasta which was a pork ragu and the rest were vegetarian. The burger selection is limited to three burgers, one of which is a vegan burger, but they all looked quite tasty. I saw someone else being served one of the burgers and their burger looked quite jam-packed with ingredients.
The setting
When you arrive at Constantia Uitsig you are met with beautiful views of the mountains and the vast expanse of a typical Cape wine estate. It really is quite scenic. Given its location, Blockhouse Kitchen offers a great wine selection and really yummy food.
The food
We opted for the short rib and the mushroom pasta and both were real winners. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the mushroom flavour in the creamy pasta sauce burst through my taste buds. So tasty! The short rib was nice and saucy with a great taste on the bbq sauce. The short rib itself was so soft and melty, it just came right off the bone. We also ordered a side of soft sweet potato fries which came with a creamy garlic aoli.
The braised short rib served with fries
The variety mushroom rigatoni
Sweet potato fries with garlic aoli
For dessert we had a chocolate brownie (served with ice cream) and the baked cheesecake (served with a granadilla curd). After our tasty mains, we had high expectations for dessert and they did not disappoint. My only criticism is that my cheesecake was a bit burnt on the side – the burnt flavour really soaked through so I left a bit of the cake on the plate. The rest of the cheesecake was tasty and the granadilla added some much-needed tartness to the sweetness of the cheesecake. I did also eye the rustic ice cream cake which promised smashed oreo and “proper caramel sauce”. I’ll have to try it next time if it’s still on the menu.
Cheesecake with granadilla curd
Chocolate brownie with chocolate ice cream
The service
Service was good – as you would expect at a restaurant in a wine estate. It wasn’t too full and the team gave us enough space to enjoy our meal but remained nearby and attentive if we needed anything. Everyone we engaged was friendly and polite – the woman who seated us, the man who lit the candle on the table, Yannick our waiter, and the women who served our meals.
The cost
It’s around average price for a good meal in Cape Town, keeping in mind it is on the more expensive side given it is located at a wine estate. The small plates ranged from R60 to R110; the big plates ranged from R160 to R318; the pastas were between R112 and R198; and the burgers were between R138 and R152. Dessert ranged from R80, for one of their meringues, to R98 for the panna cotta.
I would certainly recommend it for a great family meal or a romantic dinner for two.
All images are mine.
