Jake's in the Village - Tokai

Eat Local Fusion Flavours

Deep in Cape Town's picturesque southern suburbs sits a local restaurant famed for its tasty food and good times. Jakes is a local haunt and in recent years, the mother-and-son team behind the original restaurant have opened another branch in Steenburg Lifestyle Village, Tokai, offering a new take on an old favourite.

With glazed face-brick interiors and cosy booths along one wall, it’s a perfect place to hole up with a good bottle of wine when the weather isn’t playing along. And when the weather is good, the restaurant’s outside area offers a cheerful and cool place to enjoy that bottle of wine just as much as in those comfortable booths. The wine list offers a good selection — from the more familiar to wines from lesser known wineries across the Cape.

Set across the road from the Cape's oldest winery — Steenberg estate — and near to Constantia's wine route, it is a restaurant that draws both locals and tourists, but unlike some tourists spots, you'll find that it is reasonably priced.

Our evening at the Steenberg branch of the restaurant began with a lovely bottle of Groote Post Merlot 2007 and after much debate over which dish we’d choose for our starters, our helpful waiter suggested we opt for the Tasting Platter. If you’re not ravenous, this is perfect for two people to get a taste of three of the very appealing starters on offer, namely the lightly battered prawn tempura, the duck spring roll and the crowning glory, the Yunan pork ribs. The combination has a decidedly Asian bias and once you’ve tasted those ribs, there’s just no going back.

Usually, I’m not one for sticky ribs, but as these were slow-cooked and coated in a beautiful vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and chilli marinade, they made me realise what all the fuss is about. Delicate Asian flavours explode in your mouth, perfectly complementing the melt-in-your-mouth pork. This is the type of dish that a restaurant can become famous for and it’s one that must keep the locals coming back. It is so delicious  that the restaurant offers it not only as a starter, but also  as a main dish served with a side of chips.

For those who would prefer something a little less sticky – perhaps a dish that requires utensils – the crispy Duck l 'Orange was recommended by our waiter. This was yet another fusion dish that had my partner and I savouring each bite (never mind that he had ordered it).

A week later, we took friends back to the restaurant and ordered these two dishes again. We were pleased to see that the standard was maintained, though the duck was slightly drier than we'd experienced the first time round.

The restaurant offers a South African take on French, Asian, Moroccan and even Italian dishes, offering flat breads with Italian toppings, spring rolls with biltong and cheese fillings and, of course, a large range of well-prepared meat.

Our first experience at Jakes had me opting for the Blue Cheese Rump which was tasty, but perhaps a little rich. I requested that the meat be done rare, and was pleased to see that Jake’s kitchen knew what rare truly means. That said, I'd suggest having this particular cut done medium rare as I found it slightly tough to get through. No fault on Jakes' part, but rather a characteristic of this particular cut of meat. It was served as a thick and juicy medallion on a plate with roast potatoes and seasonal veg. 

Moving on to dessert, I found that the selection included a lot of chocolate and creamy desserts, but unfortunately very little by way of fruit or something lighter, which seems a pity in a province that produces most of this country's fruit.

Even so, we enjoyed a tasting platter just like our starter, which was delicious, if a little decadent. On it was Jakes' famed deep fried ice cream which is rolled in a ginger biscuit crumb and then quickly deep fried. The result is an interesting flavour and texture combination that I'd urge you to try yourself.

My favourite on the platter was the Triple Chocolate Brownie simply because it was so unbelievably gooey with pure, unadulterated chocolateyness but the Widow's Kiss — a hazelnut meringues glued together with a coffee mousse — and the Crème Brûlée were both beautifully made too.

There's certainly a reason why Jakes in the Village is popular with the locals and if our evening was anything to go by, I'd say it will remain as such for a while yet. That said, it's not a cheap meal, but it's certainly reasonable.

Bryony Whitehead

Jakes in the Village is situated in the Steenberg Lifestyle Center on Steenberg Road. It is a Parisian style cafe, buzzing with atmosphere, where friends, family and colleagues meet. There is plenty of safe parking and the building itself is industrial. There are visible construction pipes and the interior is finished off in raw brick. It's an incredibly warm and welcoming restaurant with a large fireplace, perfect for Winter evenings.

During the Summer months one can dine Al Fresco in the beautiful, enclosed garden courtyard, complete with colorful cushions which transform the space into a vibrant oasis. Outdoor heaters are turned on at sunset and knee blankets are distributed to the diners by the friendly staff. Families and children are welcome at Jakes and meals for younger guests are available.

There is a cozy bar area with comfortable leather seating where cocktails can be enjoyed before dinner or after work. My partner and I perused the splendid menu while enjoying a glass of port and spoke about the foreign influence on some of the unusual menu items. Cafe Food is available as well as Flat Breads and Salads for brunches. To start I ordered the Sweet Pepper Camembert (a decadent round portion with strips of roasted, marinated peppers on the top, crispy bacon bits and a delicious sweet pepper jam) and my partner had the Tasting Platter. Presented beautifully on an elongated platter this starter included Yunan ribs (with an oriental flavor and the meat falling off the bone), crispy duck spring rolls with a dipping sauce and large, juicy Tempura prawns served on a spoon.

Our waitron recommended the Jakes favorite dishes and we were sold. I had the Duck which undoubtedly was the best I've had locally – with a crispy skin on the outside and a succulent, delectable interior. It was obviously prepared with care, time and great attention to detail. It was accompanied by a selection of steamed vegetables and a portion of crispy roast potatoes. My partner's Eisbein (an incredibly generous portion) was presented in a manner that made one's mouth water and served with jus and a portion of fluffy, creamy mash. The crackling on the outside was bursting with flavor and the portions closer to the bone were delicious and somewhat delicate in taste.

It was very difficult to resist the dessert menu which featured incredible choices like Deep-Fried Ice Cream and Triple Choc Fudge Brownie. I selected Creme Brulee which had a delectable vanilla flavor, a sugar cap and smooth, solid and velvety interior. The Dessert Platter which my partner chose included a decadent selection of Chocolate Brownie which was oozing with chocolate, a portion of Creme Brulee, Deep-Fried Ice Cream with a cinnamon coating and Widow's Kiss which was a delicious meringue and coffee combination.