Urchin Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency in Cape Town has recently entered a new chapter under the leadership of head chef Marcus Gericke (a well-known young chef with a host of awards to his name and plenty of experience both locally and abroad). At the start of November, Chef Gericke introduced Journey, a culinary experience that honours the flavours, heritage and people of the Western Cape.
To shape this one-of-a-kind experience, Marcus and his team travelled 1627km across the province, starting at the fishing docks in Kalk Bay, all the way through to the vast Karoo, along the Garden Route and back to Bo-Kaap.
On this journey, they met and interacted with farmers, butchers and food lovers to uncover the traditions that define the various regions of the Western Cape.
They drew on this experience to capture and honour Western Cape food culture in a way no one else has before: a nine-course culinary journey that tells stories through flavour, memory and connection.
We were lucky enough to visit Urchin Restaurant to experience Journey for ourselves:
“This was my first time visiting Urchin Restaurant at Hyatt Regency, so you can imagine my excitement at the prospect of experiencing Chef Marcus Gericke’s unique culinary creation, Journey.
I knew that Urchin took a thoughtful approach to local ingredients, showcasing the very best in what Cape Town has to offer; however, I was utterly blown away by the exquisite experience the team put together.
Upon arrival, we received a welcome drink and were taken through the journey that Marcus and his team took to shape this offering. I was thrilled to learn that they began their travels in Kalk Bay (the town I call home), at the famous fishing harbour, before heading out to the Karoo, the Garden Route, and the Bo-Kaap.
We were shown to our table, where the Journey experience was explained in more detail. We decided to do the wine pairing with the meal, as the sommelier explained the careful thought and consideration that went into selecting each wine to accompany the various courses.
While we waited for our first course to arrive, we marvelled at the beauty of the restaurant. The décor is refined and elegant, and the ambience is peaceful and welcoming.
Journey starts with a ‘voorhappie’, which is a small snoek dish with the most incredible smoky flavour. The snoek is fresh from Kalk Bay harbour, and the flavours incorporated in this course are inspired by the local way of preparing fish in the region.
One of the loveliest things about this experience is that Chef Marcus brought our food out to the table each time and gave us a little background on the dish and its inspiration. He also shared so many interesting titbits about his upbringing and the reasons for some of his choices in the restaurant. His work is renowned, but what struck me most was how kind, friendly and personable he was. His presence elevated the evening for me.
Next up was the bread course, but this wasn’t just any bread. This beautiful bread was developed from Marcus’s sourdough starter, which is already 20 years old. The butter and jam served with it were heavenly – I could have easily overindulged!
What lay ahead was an incredible journey of moreish foods, each one thoughtfully curated with the most remarkable flavour combinations and interesting stories. Our third course was crayfish from Paternoster – easily my favourite dish of the night, and this was followed by a cold starter of pickled fish, radish, edible flowers and a beautiful Cape Malay sauce. This is not the way you know and love pickled fish, though – it is a treat from start to finish.
Next up was our warm starter, braised oxtail, followed by the main, which is lamb chops served with onion and coriander in a tomato bredie sauce. Every savoury course exceeded my expectations. These are foods I know, but I have never experienced them like this before. Often in fine dining, I find that the sauce or seasoning overpowers the food. This is not the case at Urchin. While the sauces, jams and seasonings are delicious, the incredible natural flavour of the meat and vegetables always comes through.
There was not one, but three dessert courses. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth; however, I do enjoy a little sweet treat after a meal now and again. My favourite of the three was the first, the milk tart. Again, this is not milk tart as you may know and love it, but the lovely cinnamon flavour transported me straight back to my childhood. Next up was a modern take on traditional malva pudding, served with sago and custard. At this point in the meal, I was completely satiated. Oftentimes, with small plates, you leave the restaurant hungry. This is not the case with Journey; in fact, I couldn’t even finish my dessert. I got halfway through my malva pudding, then had to call it a night.
The last course is what they lovingly refer to as ‘padkos.’ A trio of peppermint crisp, hertzoggie and klapperys bites to round off the evening. Ours were very generously packed into a takeaway box so that they could be enjoyed the next day.
The entire evening, from start to finish, was a delight. The staff are observant and kind, and you can see their passion for their work in the way they conduct themselves. The restaurant is beautiful and intimate, and the thought that went into this curated menu is exceptional.
What I loved most about this menu is how Chef Marcus has taken seemingly ‘simple’ local foods and elevated them by combining traditional flavours with new, innovative flavour pairings. It’s food we know and love, but better.
All the ingredients are fresh, the meats are free range, and the flavour profiles are simply incredible. The wine pairing is a must – we discovered wines we have never tried before, and each wine perfectly complements its accompanying dish. It was like drinking perfume!
I would recommend the Journey experience regardless of whether you are new to Cape Town and interested in local flavours, or if you’ve lived here all your life and know the types of foods being served. For visitors, it’ll give you real insight into local flavours, and for locals, it’s an inspiring take on traditional favourites.
I want to extend a big thank you to the team at Urchin Restaurant and a special thank you to Chef Marcus for hosting us, for their hospitality, and for the incredible warmth we experienced. We will certainly be back.” Anien – Editor
Urchin Restaurant is located inside Hyatt Regency at 126 Buitengracht St, Cape Town. To book your very own Journey experience, make a reservation at https://urchinrestaurant.co.za/.
