An Invigorating Winter Spice Journey at Upper Union

Upper Union’s winter menu takes you on a spice journey across North Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Cape Malay. With two tempting packages, The Pasture Menu and The Garden Menu, priced at R750 per person, and the opportunity to compile your own meal from a list of 17 mouth-watering small plates, the winter menu offers a distinctive experience. The beverage list includes unique and unconventional options, ensuring an invigorating winter experience.

What is Upper Union’s Winter Menu?

Upper Union’s winter menu offers a flavorful spice journey spanning North Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Cape Malay. The Seasonal Chef’s Menu comprises two tempting packages, The Pasture Menu and The Garden Menu, both priced at R750 per person. Additionally, a third alternative offers the opportunity to compile your own meal from a list of 17 mouth-watering small plates. The beverage list includes unique and unconventional options, ensuring a distinctive experience.

As frosty winter winds begin to howl, our hearts silently yearn for a comforting warmth. The vision of cosying up to a sputtering fireplace and relishing piping hot, soulful fare is a quintessential winter dream. A dream mirrored by Upper Union, a delightful culinary hub nestled in Cape Town’s Gardens district, with a unique winter menu designed to soothe the winter blues.

The Mastermind Chef and Her Winter Menu

Chef Amori Burger, the passionate force behind Upper Union, has carefully curated a winter menu that promises a flavorful spice journey. The culinary voyage spans from North Africa, traverses the Middle East, pauses at the Indian subcontinent, and finally anchors at Cape Malay. This gastronomic escapade reflects Chef Amori’s firm belief that dining should be an immersive experience, a feast to be savored and not merely a routine chore.

Conceived in January 2023, when Upper Union made its grand opening, this guiding principle has informed their culinary strategy. So, how does it translate to their 2024 winter menu? Expertly, the Seasonal Chef’s Menu comprises two tempting packages, each designed for two to relish, embodying Chef Amori’s advocacy for shared meals as a collective experience.

Savour the Bounty of the Pasture and Garden Menus

The first, known as The Pasture Menu, priced at R750 per person, presents an assortment of tantalizing dishes, including the luxury of oysters. The second, The Garden Menu, set at the same price, showcases an array of vegetarian delights. Both these menus feature a variety of appetizers, a hearty main course paired with a collection of shareable side dishes, and a range of desserts. To round off the meal, a dainty friandise, or small sweet treat, is served.

Regardless of which menu you opt for, each table receives a bread course featuring individual kubaneh – a traditional bread from Yemen, and a selection of three unique butters. From mebos and Klein River Gruberg to Mont du Toit EVOO and Cream of the Crop makhani, each selection adds a special twist to your dining experience.

Set Your Own Course with Delectable Small Plates

If you prefer a more personalized dining experience, a third alternative offers the opportunity to compile your own meal from a list of 17 mouth-watering small plates. The wide range of options includes delectable aloo tikki served with date piccalilli and 96-hour sourdough slangetjies to the irresistible shuwa lamb shoulder, paired with parsnip, pimento zhug – a spicy Yemeni sauce, Brussels sprouts, and kapokbos chermoula.

Unusual But Extraordinary Beverages

What’s a meal without its matching drinks? The beverage list, albeit concise, is far from conventional. By aiming to curate a list that’s “not too costly but unique,” the Cape to Casablanca and Corpse Reviver No2 cocktails, along with the signature blend of Merlot, traditional Bordeaux varietals, Shiraz, and Sangiovese from the Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch, ensure a distinctive experience.

Among the offerings, the aloo tikki and paneer lababdar, served with poppadum, coriander and apple slaw, and tamarind chutney, were the undisputed favorites. The king oyster mushroom with whipped tofu (an inventive butter beans mix), chilli crack, Union HP sauce, and almond, came in a close second.

In conclusion, the winter menu at Upper Union successfully encapsulates Chef Amori’s culinary vision. It represents a worthwhile indulgence, not only for its exceptional taste and pleasure, but also for the excellent value it provides.

Situated at 3 Upper Union Street, Gardens, Cape Town, Upper Union operates from 12pm to 4pm and 6pm to 10pm, seven days a week. For public holiday timings, reach out to Upper Union at 021 891 0360, or visit their website at upperunion.co.za. Stay updated on their latest culinary innovations by following them on Instagram @upperunion_restaurant and Facebook at Upper Union Restaurant.

A meal at Upper Union transcends beyond an ordinary dining experience. It’s a gastronomic adventure that delivers satisfaction and warmth, leaving patrons longing for more, one chilly winter night at a time.

1. What is Upper Union’s Winter Menu?

Upper Union’s winter menu offers a flavorful spice journey spanning North Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Cape Malay. The Seasonal Chef’s Menu comprises two tempting packages, The Pasture Menu and The Garden Menu, both priced at R750 per person. Additionally, a third alternative offers the opportunity to compile your own meal from a list of 17 mouth-watering small plates. The beverage list includes unique and unconventional options, ensuring a distinctive experience.

2. Who is the mastermind chef behind Upper Union’s winter menu?

The mastermind chef behind Upper Union’s winter menu is Chef Amori Burger, a passionate force and advocate for shared meals as a collective experience.

3. What are the two packages included in Upper Union’s Seasonal Chef’s Menu?

The Seasonal Chef’s Menu comprises two tempting packages, The Pasture Menu and The Garden Menu, both priced at R750 per person. The Pasture Menu presents an assortment of tantalizing dishes, including the luxury of oysters. The Garden Menu showcases an array of vegetarian delights. Both these menus feature a variety of appetizers, a hearty main course paired with a collection of shareable side dishes, and a range of desserts.

4. What is the third alternative in Upper Union’s winter menu?

The third alternative in Upper Union’s winter menu offers the opportunity to compile your own meal from a list of 17 mouth-watering small plates.

5. What can you expect on Upper Union’s beverage list?

Upper Union’s beverage list includes unique and unconventional options, such as the Cape to Casablanca and Corpse Reviver No2 cocktails, along with the signature blend of Merlot, traditional Bordeaux varietals, Shiraz, and Sangiovese from the Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch.

6. Where is Upper Union located and what are their hours of operation?

Upper Union is located at 3 Upper Union Street, Gardens, Cape Town, and operates from 12pm to 4pm and 6pm to 10pm, seven days a week. For public holiday timings, reach out to Upper Union at 021 891 0360, or visit their website at upperunion.co.za.