A Candice Philip renaissance

The resurgence of award-winning chef Candice Philip is an exciting feat for Joburg fine dining. Philip went off the radar after her extended residency at the now closed Basalt at The Peech Hotel. She has returned in autonomous style helming the fairly new (opened in October 2024) fine dining restaurant, Cyra at the Houghton Hotel.

Taking over the space where Sejour was, overlooking the Houghton golf course, it’s a warm ambience of tranquil elegance. Golden hues are offset with touches of natural greenery and the hand-crafted metal work of Sarah Cronin designs. A restrained gold petal decorative theme nestles you in while the set up allows enough distance between tables and guests.

The setting is reflective of the restaurant name, which can be of Persian origin, meaning the sun or throne. It gives the space its warmth and sophistication and the extended metaphors may be open to interpretation.

They could speak of the power Philip wields through her culinary work — known for the ingenious precision of her techniques and explorative flavours and textures of her European inspired cuisine. In this position she bares her soul.

A birthday dinner occasion was an opportunity to savour the last of her summer seven-course tasting menu with wine pairing. The bread course led with a soft lemon bread with miso butter, accompanied by a smaller ball of savoury doughnut — not without its whispering sweetness — dotted with toppings of parmesan and parsley. But it was the rounding off beef and mushroom tartare atop a crusty base that got me animated in delight. This was washed down with the Silverthorn River Dragon Brut MCC.

The tomato dish was a revelation. A reminder of Philip’s ingenuity in turning a simple ingredient into a wonderous thing. Philip’s roasted tomatoes were pickled and marinaded, sprinkled with smoked tomato jelly, fennel aioli mayo and completed by ginger and cucumber to balance the acidity. It’s a flavour party paired perfectly with a Zevenwacht Chardonnay. Almost symphonic, just like the attentive service which was collaborative, slick and cohesive, with the sommelier often joining in the jovial mood of our intimate table.

The tomato towered over the chic ostrich carpaccio course with beetroot (including the lovely beetroot paper), duck liver and cherry; and the textured seabass with spirulina, leek and lemon. Both these dishes showcase the self-assured character of Philip’s food. Edible confidence.

It’s the beef course that almost threw the tomato off its throne. Or maybe not. Both dishes stand out for different reasons. The tomato is light. The sous vide beef with truffle jus, shitake and walnut, served with a bed of thinly sliced potatoes (which impressed my mechanical engineer husband) is deliciously rich. And the jus was a clever exercise in restraint for the often-overpowering truffle. This course was well complemented by the Le Chant Red Blend.  

The cheese course and the beautiful nectarine dessert with lemon verbena, coconut and cardamom completed the service. A special touch to the dessert was the hibiscus as the base to the Silverthorn MCC as a pairing. It’s an innovative take, though I still longed for a dessert wine. A gift was Philip's version of a petit four which was a delectable treat. 

The new menu that welcomes the autumn season is already up at Cyra, just in time for Valentine's Day. It’s exciting to have Philip bring a beam of sunshine back to Jozi’s fine dining.

Cyra Restaurant, The Houghton Hotel, Lloys Ellis Ave, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg

Operating hours: Wednesday to Saturday evenings from 6:30pm and Sunday lunch from 12:30pm