A Place To Hide

The Editor discovers The Jackal and Hide on Kloof Street | The Month May 2012

Regular readers of The Month will know how passionate I am about the culinary offering of Cape Town and the surrounding Winelands. I can’t claim to be particularly knowledgeable about food or foodie folk, but I do know what I’m prepared to pay for and will happily cover the 150-odd kilometre return-trip from my home in Franschhoek to potter* about the City Centre or wind my way to The Restaurant at Waterkloof, via Hermanus. So I’m always excited to meet like-minded people such as Linda Brash, who sent me some news about a relatively new Cape Town based offering, The Jackal and Hide.

Situated on that ‘stretch of heaven’ to those looking for a diverse offering of trendy places to eat, Kloof Street, the attractive restaurant has a beautiful view of Table Mountain and a menu conceptualised by
Octavio Gamo, of El Bulli fame.

Here’s the gist of what Linda shared with me: The Jackal and Hide, which opened to the public late December last year, is the result of the thoughts and efforts of Gavin Cohen and Federico Scarpecci.

Cohen is an inspirational designer and has used his artistic talents to create a beautiful dining space, which he describes as “Victorian with a contemporary touch”. Previously an old, distressed building, Cohen effected the transformation by “[bringing] in slick finishes and different textures to create a warm, relaxed space in which to enjoy a meal with friends.”

Scarpecci was previously associated with the Bang Bang Club and is more focused on the operations side of things, “I wanted to give Cape Town a brand new venue to enjoy excellent food with a view. For me, service is really important and we strive to deliver quality food and service – each and every time - in the most beautiful city in the world!”

Both men are passionate foodies and the menu is evidence of this. Given that it displays the influence of Gamo, you’ll have guessed that it isn’t going to be cheap, but I’d happily peg it as a good-value-for-money option. Starters range from R45 for an Asparagus in Orange Tempura dish to R120 for Fois Gras served with red wine and toasted breads (be warned though that the constantly changing nature of the menu means that not all dishes are available all the time). Mains include kingklip, lamb or chicken dishes at R70-odd and head towards R135 for the deconstructed Salmon Fish Cake and sour pepper sauce. Desserts range from 35 to 50 bucks, and the Mango Ganache with mint foam at the bottom end of that scale is good enough to want to buy twice! And in that vein I notice that their current special runs on a Monday, when you can pick up two main meals for just R120. Obviously booking on a Monday is essential.

Of particular interest to me, is the wine list which includes many wines chosen specifically to complement the menu and the cosy bar area, called The Hide, which has a large selection of spirits.  If you’re fond of cocktails, the Kloof Street Cooler is certainly worth a try – but best perhaps on one of the sunnier winter’s days we’re sure to experience in the months ahead. On that note the outside terrace is the place to be seen and offers the most spectacular view of Table Mountain and is the perfect place to soak up the sun.

Thanks to its location, the excellent menu and the highly-rated service, The Jackal and Hide has become an increasingly popular spot and a couple of calls to Cape Town locals made it clear that calling ahead is advisable – especially as the venue can be hired out exclusively to host private functions.

The Month and The Jackal and Hide have two R500 meal vouchers up for grabs.  All you need to do is go to TheMonthMagazine page on Facebook and post “Pick me for a meal at The Jackal & Hide!” to be in line to win.  The competition closes 15 May 2012. T&C apply*

The Jackal & Hide is open Monday to Saturday from 3pm till late, 108 Kloof Street, Gardens, 021 4241020.

*’potter’ is generally the euphemism I use when trying not to let on that I am lost…