The full moon over the CBD of Cape Town lights up the city once a month and is a sight to behold. If you don’t realise that it’s a full moon, the snaking trail of twinkling torchlight from night hikers summiting Lion’s Head is always a dead giveaway. Another way to experience the brilliance of Cape Town under the full moon is to rise a little higher than everyone else and enjoy a Full Moon dinner, as well as amazing vistas of the city, at ON19 Restaurant at The Westin Hotel.

ON19’s ceiling to floor glass windows offer a breathtakingly high, 360º panoramic view from Table Bay and the city’s famous mountain landmarks, all the way to the Helderberg, where the full moon rises each month. It is without doubt one of Cape Town’s finest vantage points to tune into the cosmic cycles and marvel at the splendour of our special place in the Universe.

ON19 Full Moon Dinners combine exceptional cuisine, exquisite wines and the entertaining insights of Cape Town’s foremost astrologer, Dianne Garven. When you book, you provide the dates, times and places of birth of yourself and guests. On the night, you will find fascinating, personalised star charts at your place setting that will evoke illuminating conversations with your friends, family and loved ones. Dianne will also share her expertise on the positions of stars and planets on the night and provide insights into their meaning for those who are present to that particular full moon.

The 3-course dinner is cosmically-styled by ON19’s Executive Chef, Anerith Smythe and superbly paired with the wines of a featured, stellar Cape wine estate. On the evening we dined, the meal was paired with wines from Asara Wine Estate and fitted in perfectly with the theme as the estate is named after African gods of earth, sun and sky – symbols of the balance and harmony of nature.

The menu started with Natural pickings a sharing platter featuring organic baby vegetables and bocconcini with pistachio banga couda, lamb fritters, hay smoked beef and potted duck liver with fresh bread and onion marmalade. The potted duck liver was absolutely sublime, and the baby vegetables dressed in a delicious vinaigrette.

Mains is a choice of either Satsuma and Soy glazed Salmon trout, served with vanilla parsnip puree, warm bulgar wheat salad, coriander and fennel gremolata, grilled baby onion, honey and miso jus, or Charred Beef fillet with smoked aubergine puree, bone marrow fritters, pickled baby beetroot, potato fondant, black cherry jus. Both mains were generous and flavourful. There is also a vegetarian option of Spinach, feta and butternut Tortellini, served with roasted pumpkin seeds, tomato concasse, truffle buerre noisette, cashew nut crumble and butternut gremolata. Dessert is a astro-inspired dish called ‘Milky Way’, that will propel you into the sweet stratosphere – coconut, white chocolate and caramel milk chocolate truffles, date chocolate pudding and straciatella ice cream.

You should aim to arrive at 19hoo for pre-dinner drinks – we recommend the Amarula Spice, a combo of Amarula, mango juice, cinnamon and cayenne pepper and just so yum! Then take your front row seat in the starry sky at ON19, and experience a magical Cape Town evening in the alluring light of the full moon…

 ON19 Full Moon Dinners will be held on 23 March, 22 April, 21 May, 20 June, 20 July, 18 August, 16 September, 16 October, 14 November, 14 December.

R315.00 per person.

You will need to provide time, date and place of birth of yourself and your guests on booking.

The Westin Cape Town Convention Square – Lower Long Street, Foreshore
+27 21 412 9999 | 01445.info@westin.com | on19restaurant.co.za