Pull up a seat for Foxcroft's lunch special | Eat. Play. Drink. Cape Town.

ROLL up your sleeves, loosen your belt, and tuck your hair behind your ears if necessary. It’s time for the La Colombe Group’s famous winter menus, available until August 31. All seven restaurants, from Franschhoek to the Waterfront and Constantia, are participating. Last week, we went to Foxcroft for the four-course – six if you count bread and pre-dessert, seven with the bon bons – lunch.

The bread is declared at the top of the menu, mosbolletjies which go well with a glass of bubbly – always a good way to begin. There are optional oysters for R135 for four. With two options for each course thereafter, and two of us, it was easy to say “one of everything please”.

The first course (described as tapas, as is the second) was yellowfin tuna tataki with roasted sesame, cucumber, seaweed, citrus and dashi; and crispy battered mushrooms with berbere, braised shiitake, cep cream, and a teff crisp, bringing in Ethiopian influences. If we’re going to score each course, then the mushrooms won this round for me.

While the second course of dry-aged beef with sunchoke, smoked garlic, snails and luscious beef fat Bordelaise sauce was most excellent, the risotto not only took top honours at this point but was quite easily the best dish of the day. No frills, chef Glen Williams told us. Well, if that’s the case, give me an unfrilly risotto any time. It had pecorino, black pepper, confit pork cheek, guanciale and little crisps of crackling. Am sad this is not offered in a bigger portion. Shavings of black truffle on both or either of these dishes are available for a supplement.

The main courses weren’t shared because the coal-roasted line fish (silvers) came with anejo (tequila) mussels of which I cannot partake (the mussels not the tequila; one is a choice, the other isn’t). The Mexican-inspired dish included tomatillo, salsa roja, tostada and ancho corn broth. For me, there was lamb braised, confit and pan roasted, with turnip, haricot beans, kale (sorry, still can’t do it) and salsa verde.

Second-best dish of the day was the pre-dessert. Its presentation is pristine, and gives nothing away. Luckily, Glen responded quickly to my WhatsApp so I know exactly what’s in it, from the bottom to the top. Dig down and you’ll find a base of preserved Jerusalem artichokes. You’ll go through a hazelnut and cacao nib dacquoise, and salted egg yolk mascarpone cream to get to it, after breaking through the cocoa powder surface which you will mess on the table.

You almost don’t need the “real” dessert, and I am still dreaming about this take on tiramisu days later. We pushed on, however, and shared a lime cheesecake with miso, yuzu, lime biscuit, litchi and elderflower, which was light and refreshing. Caramelised quince with a steamed oat cake, cinnamon berry, cardamom and rose is the other dessert option.

The reduced lunch menu can be had with a wine pairing which will make it R1085 per person, with some fine combinations you will not regret. To the side of Foxcroft is its little bakery and coffee shop which apparently draws queues from early in the morning. It’s very much a Constantia thing to go for a stroll – Groot Constantia is just there – and follow it with a cappuccino and a croissant. I’m intrigued to try what I am calling “smoosh” buns, which are made from all the different leftover pastries.

PHOTO CREDIT: Candice Bresler