The foodie world was all a-flutter at the news of the opening of Foxcroft Restaurant and Bakery in Constantia towards the end of 2016. The restaurant is the creation of chef proprietor of La Colombe, Scot Kirton, and pastry chef Glen Foxcroft Williams, and as such, reflects both in its make up. Comprising a beautiful bakery and an award-winning restaurant that serves lunch and dinner, Foxcroft is fast becoming the darling of the Constantia set.
The interior of Foxcroft restaurant and bakery is modern and clean with coppery tones, leather for texture and simple but impactful details. The space is backed by the open kitchen, a bakery counter that’s bursting with freshly baked treats and a charcuterie room where all manner of goods are on display.
Lunch and dinner are offered as a 3-course menu, with a choice of two tapas starters, a main and a dessert. You can also add unlimited bubbles (Steenberg Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc) for R200 a head with lunch.
Kirton’s influence in the menu is obvious in both the flavours and the delicate plating of each dish, and despite there being a fine-dining feel, it manages to not feel overworked or pretentious. Sitting outside in the shade of the fabulous oak trees it is comfortably casual, while still remaining elegant.
Starters are selected from a range of tapas plates, and with so many tasty sounding options, it’s a good thing you can choose two. The standouts were certainly the seafood options – the yellowtail ceviche and the squid served with chorizo and Ajo Blanco were both delicious. The tuna tartare with tempura avo, miso, and daikon is served with crisp baby gem lettuce cups, which make the perfect vessel to scoop up all the tantalising flavour. All of the dishes were fresh and light and in the heat of summer, a great way to start a meal, especially accompanied by a glass of Kleine Zalze Brut MCC.
The mains on offer are varied and there will be something to suit all preferences. The Chalmar beef, served with golden and crispy duck fat chips was popular, as was the meltingly tender confit pork belly with apples and fennel. It was, however, the 7-day dry-aged duck breast with turnips, gem squash and kale that came out on tops. Beautifully cooked with a meaty, flavour-packed jus and perfectly cooked vegetables.
For dessert, the consensus was that the rose and coconut panna cotta was the ideal summer sweet treat, beautifully set, fragrant, and pretty as a picture.
Foxcroft Restaurant and Bakery has found a way to bridge the gap between a casual lunch out and a bank-bending celebratory splurge, fitting snugly somewhere in the middle. Stop in for a coffee and a pastry (you’ll find it hard to leave), a lunch spoil or a special dinner out with a partner or friends. Foxcroft ticks all the boxes with the confidence of the people behind it who have become unfaltering industry stalwarts.
Photography: Claire Gunn
