QUICK recap: Foxcroft has moved to Constantia Nek, and new restaurant Little Fox resides alongside in the same location. Both are part of the La Colombe Group. Good, we’re all caught up. Here is my story about Foxcroft, and Little Fox follows, with background in the story I did for Eat Out here.
The first thing that sets Little Fox apart from the other restaurants in the group is that it is à la carte, where all the others offer set menus. However, shortly after opening, it was decided to add the option of a Chef’s Favourites menu for two, eight courses for two people at R800 each. It’s perfectly representative but it doesn’t include the Brussels sprouts. This is important to mention because when I interviewed chef-proprietor of both restaurants, Glen Foxcroft Williams, and Little Fox head chef Keanen Jaftha, we discussed this much maligned vegetable and how it would be served at Little Fox. Steeped in childhood trauma for me, but encouraged by the culinary creativity, I said when I came to eat there, I would order them.
Things have certainly changed since those dinner table stand-offs with my mother. Keanen does them okonomiyaki-style with furikake and those intriguing little moving marvels, bonito flakes, plus crispy leaves on top. Spoiler: they are delicious.
We sat outside under an umbrella on a beautiful day, overlooking the traffic circle and the mountains beyond. After being welcomed with flutes of Steenberg bubbly, we spent some time with the menu before putting in our order. We began with “snacks” – wagyu fat fries with chive crème fraîche dip, done in a golden pavé style, and potato-rosemary bread with roast chicken butter, chicken jus and confit of garlic. We are not afraid of the carbs. Then our waiter appeared and placed little mother of pearl spoons at our table settings. What? For reals? Yes, Keanen insisted on spoiling us with a tin of caviar, which is a separate menu item with fries. Who are we to say no? That would be so rude. Instant fanciness.
The Brussels sprouts of course (the plate sent back wiped clean as a sign of our appreciation). Potato curry roti, almost too pretty to eat…almost. Tamarind chutney zings; I loved this dish. Linefish in the most delectable bath of Thai yellow curry with baby shrimp, sticky rice and pak choi. I loved this dish too. A pattern is emerging. Melt-in-the-mouth pork belly with kimchi jjigae, white cabbage, sesame and daikon. My friend made wordless enjoyment sounds as she ate the coal-fired peri peri prawns with cashew crumbs, charred sala verde and smoked garlic.
There are two desserts: an ice cream sandwich filled with sesame parfait, rolled in blood orange marmalade and dotted with gold leaf (so much easy luxury here), and bergamot posset with poached rhubarb, strawberries and cloaked in granita with teeny tiny elderflowers. There’s one more adorable surprise that comes with the bill but I’ll leave that for you to enjoy in your own time.
The bar has been set for fancy but casual dining at the Nek, but please be aware of a Google scam with regards booking here at Little Fox. The name has been hijacked by criminals who are taking “bookings” and requesting cash deposits. I cannot emphasis enough that you should not do this, and only book via Dineplan on the website or phone (all on the real website, plus the full menu and anything else you need to know). Whether you want to throw down roots for a long lunch or dinner, or slide in for a snack or two and a glass of wine, Little Fox has you covered. I’ve made myself hungry now.
