Bootlegger Coffee's teamed up with a top chef - & the result is delicious

Bootlegger Cafe Grill (BCG), Constantia’s newest food sensation, replacing Greens at High Constantia, isn’t another fine dining spot. It’s an everyday cafe and grill where you can bring the kids for pizza; pop in for breakfast, a salad or a sandwich; or splash out on a steak and a bottle of Constantia Glen.

BCG is Bootlegger all grown up and, with the collaboration of renowned chef Eric Bulpitt, the food is spot-on.

“I fell in love with Eric’s cooking, first at the Roundhouse and then at Newton Johnson, and Faber,” says Pieter Bloem, co-founder and director, Bootlegger. “I was hesitant about asking him to collaborate on this, but he absolutely loved the idea. I love his sense of perfection but also his sense of adventure. He’s an incredible creative.”

Eric is having a lot of fun. “People keep asking me, ‘Why are you collaborating with an everyday eatery?’” he says. “Well, because I’m an everyday person, a normal human being. When I go out, I’m looking for the best burger, the best pizza, the best steak.”

And this is what he delivers in the short but varied menu at BCG, his talent for bringing out the essence of great ingredients at the fore.

We started with a simple Caprese salad, with excellent bocconcini mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and basil, and a generous drizzle of Morgenster olive oil.

Next was a Margherita pizza with a sprinkling of Parmesan for a touch of umami. The fierce 450˚C blast of the restaurant's wood-fired oven, together with slow-fermented dough recreates the classic Neapolitan approach to pizza: a thin crust that’s crisp but a bit chewy. 

Our lamb rump was juicy and full of flavour. The Pira charcoal grill oven, especially imported from Spain, does a fabulous job of imparting a smoky rosemary-infused sear while retaining all the juices. Eric’s red wine jus is to die for, and simple but perfectly cooked wilted spinach and baked sweet potato with crème fraiche are complementary sides.

Orange and lavender nuances in the crème caramel, lemongrass ice cream topping a decadent brûlée cheesecake, combine creativity with a sense of fun, as do the moreish apple fritters with salted caramel dipping sauce.

It’s everyday eating, but each dish is foodie heaven.

This article was originally published in the Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Property and Lifestyle guides. Visit Yourneighbourhood.co.za