Review: Stoking the Flames of Rebellious Cuisine at Ember & Oak
In a Constantia-based heritage cottage, a neon sign depicting a somewhat offensive hand gesture glows proudly, while bold wallpaper and a defaced Mona Lisa look down on diners. This is Ember & Oak, the new restaurant run by husband-and-wife team, Tim and Judy Pick.
Tim uses 18 years of fine dining experience to whip up a culinary masterpiece. Then, he presents it in the lid of a cardboard egg carton as if it somehow wasn’t worthy of a plate. Wealthy Constantia residents are eating off enamel-coated tin plates for the first time in their lives, yet when you sample the food served on these plates, it’s hard to be anything but impressed.
Tim honed his skills under some of South Africa’s most elite chefs, including Franck Dangereux, James Gaag and Scot Kirton at establishments like Foxcroft and La Colombe. While he has nothing but respect for these masters, he does however have a certain disdain for what he refers to as “the pompous stuff” often associated with fine dining. This translates into a restaurant experience that is charmingly irreverent in every way.
Ember & Oak serves a relatively short menu of small plates with flavours and influences from all over the world. Highlights include the meltingly tender Moroccan Lamb which is perfectly complemented by crunchy pistachio dukkah and harissa. The Duck Tacos are an exquisite combination of tender meat, velvety molé and vibrant pineapple pico de gallo, served in a soft taco. The Linefish Chapati also impresses, but it’s easy to see why the Cape Malay Cauli is one of the favourites. Inspired by a traditional snoek braai, this unintentionally vegan delight pays homage to local flavours, blending coconut, curry and apricot.
Located on a Constantia wine farm, the meal would not be complete if not paired with just the right wine and, in this case, one with Ember & Oak’s distinctive flair. Listed under the ‘Panty Droppers’ section of the drinks menu is the Chardonnay Slushy and the Frozen Aperol Margarita. Alternatively, you can have a blend of the two in the form of a Tiger Bite, named as such because “it has stripes and it bites.”
Tim explains that most of the food is cooked on an open flame, hence the ‘Ember’ in the name. ‘Oak’ refers to the wine barrels associated with the area. To us, it feels that they are the ember, stoking an irreverent flame under the oak of Cape Town’s fine dining scene, with their cheekily impressive dishes served in an endearingly casual way.
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