Of foraging, fine art and flavours

I first met chef Chris Erasmus two years ago in the Waterberg while on an early morning game drive. Seated on a game viewer, we rounded a kink in a dusty road and crossed a dry riverbed, only to reveal Erasmus standing at a skottle braai preparing our breakfast. Then, in early autumn of this year, I met the legendary chef on the back slopes of Table Mountain as we went foraging for, among other treasures, slippery jacks and pine ring mushrooms. Last week, as this strange journey called life would have it, Erasmus popped up in the heart of the V&A Waterfront at the five-star Queen Victoria Hotel, at his latest culinary venture, Terrarium.

If his name rings a bell, it’s most probably due to Foliage, once to be found in Franschhoek, vying for attention from your list of incredible places to eat. “We were almost in the forest there, up at the end of the street near the monument. It was a place where I could go foraging for ingredients,” shares Erasmus with me as we catch up at the bar in the Queen Victoria Hotel. Foraging and naturally sourced ingredients are his passions.

The restaurant space just beyond, now Terrarium, has been revitalised, not an easy feat bearing in mind its former role as Dash, the hotel restaurant. But here Erasmus has partnered with Ilse Schermers, curator and owner of IS Art Gallery, to interpret his culinary approach in the visual dimension. Together, the two creatives have birthed something fresh and organic — a space to be savoured in the moment.

The first hint of the journey that awaited was to be found at my table, gloriously cutlery and accoutrement-free. Nudging me towards the slower pace celebrated at Terrarium, I sat down and was greeted by a wonderfully textured Kobus La Grange carving from his Ask Not a Traveller How To Build a House series, placed on the table. To my left, works by Klara-Marié den Heijer, created using handmade earthen pigments, adorned the walls. The Ploeter work spoke to my soul through the artist's practice of viewing each painting as an archive of materialised thoughts.

As the art brought Cape Town’s landscape indoors, it paved the way for a culinary experience as thoughtfully curated as the surroundings.

The transition from viewing to tasting felt organic in its flow, as hyper-local ingredients and creative expression performed an intricate series of dance movements on the plates that came my way.

And what a journey the eight-course fauna menu was, complete with nuanced wine pairings by sommelier Marlvin Gwese, his selection peppered with nods to small, bespoke winemakers and producers of natural wines. Erasmus has transformed his foraging passion from the lands around Franschhoek to the heart of Cape Town. Terrarium is built around the concept of regeneration and a commitment to remain close to nature. A space where community is central to all things, from ingredient sourcing to wine pairings.

Erasmus’ multi-layered approach is evident in each course and the tasting menu makes for a wonderful journey of flavours and textures. The tomato tartar dish was a fine example of this. The presence of pine nuts offered a deep texture to the dish while the flavour profile of the chilli oil paired well with the Delaire Graff Rosé. The wine, more in the juicer style than fruity, did well to stand up to the high acidity of the fresh tomatoes, making this a standout course for me.

The ceviche, in turn, was expertly paired with a Mullineux Old Vine White, the tuna flavours accented by this predominantly chenin blend. Being a 2018 vintage, the wine’s secondary flavours of vanilla and coconut came through in a battle for recognition in the presence of the gamey tuna. Such are the joys of a somewhat older vintage white blend.

Each course was deeply layered and presented an immersive tapestry of experiences, revealing the artistry of Erasmus at work. I could tell you about the non-conformist cut used in the sweetbreads, paired with weeds foraged from between the vegetables from urban farms and balanced by the lactic blueberry glaze. Or the near-perfect balance of flavours in the rich and creamy beef brisket course, complimented by the elegant yet silky tannin structure of the Bordeaux style Seriously Old Dirt red blend by Vilafonte. Don’t even get me started on the oak-smoked cheesecake and sunflower salad.

And Erasmus was true to form, right to the last course, serving rose geranium and honey iced nougatine paired with salted mushroom and cocoa custard honeycomb. I was entranced by the smoky mushroom essence as it took hold of the iced nougatine in a tango-inspired frenzy, surprisingly offset by mint and paired with the sugary, fortified Dak Wijn.

Erasmus leads the restaurant as chef patron, together with Terrarium’s newly appointed head chef, Anlou Erasmus. The Fauna menu with hyperlocal seafood and meat dishes is priced at R1,795 including wine pairing (R1,095 excluding wine pairing). A plant-based Flora menu is also available at R1,490 including wine pairing (R795 excluding wine pairing). For a lighter option, Terrarium also serves a small plates à la carte menu in the bar area in the evenings and as the standard menu during lunch service.

Spent from this remarkable journey, I gazed out over Table Mountain, wondering where the next chapter with chef Chris Erasmus would lead me.