SALON continues to cement its reputation as one of the most innovative fine-dining destinations in Cape Town with an ever-evolving multi-course menu fusing global inspiration with dishes rooted in the seasons and a sense of place.

SALON’s globe-trotting fine dining experience has been crafted by award-winning restaurateur Luke Dale Roberts and Executive Chef Carla Schulze, who collaborate on an inventive menu that takes inspiration from both the bountiful produce of the Cape and Dale Roberts’ international culinary career.

“As we move the menu forward into our third year, we are increasingly spotlighting seasonal ingredients,” says Schulze. “We’re closely focused on using produce when it’s truly at its peak in terms of flavour and texture, and pairing that with the global-inspired flavours and creativity that have always been the hallmark of SALON.”

The SALON experience begins with a selection of Snacks, complemented by Seasonal Cocktails,  in a tantalising introduction to the culinary creativity to come. During the Cape winter, a delicate prawn taco blends Thai flavours with vibrant Cape citrus. Morels are filled with a truffle chicken mousse and bathed in a rich celeriac tea, while – in another tribute to hearty root vegetables – Jerusalem artichokes are the hero of a savoury Japanese chawanmushi. And, of course, since no journey is complete without biltong and nuts for the road, Schulze and Dale Roberts serve a delicate bowl of richly marbled wagyu biltong atop chestnut and quince.

That may sound like a meal in itself, but these delicate snacks are simply there to whet the appetite. For this is only the beginning of the menu, with diners given the option to choose between the eight-course Global Tasting Menu, or the compact six-course Explorer Menu.

While each plate is a masterclass in the alchemy of local produce and global inspiration, SALON has evolved to place the ingredients front and centre in the dining experience.

Snacks arrive in a bowl filled with the seasonal produce that inspired them. Local cheeses are shaved tableside on a girolle, the delicate rosettes taking pride of place in the imaginative ‘Bread’ course. The duck suzette – of breast dry-aged for seven days – is flambéed tableside and plated with a citrus emulsion and silky duck jus.

At SALON the addition of tableside service is about adding layers to the experience, says Dale Roberts: “I avoid any theatrics that don’t make the dish taste better. If we’re going to make things a little more entertaining with service at the table, it has to be to enhance the dish, whether that’s how it looks on the plate or how it tastes. But I really love some of the service elements that make fine dining a bit more playful. I mean, how can you not love a flambée at the table, you know?”

A prime example of this considered service comes in the savoury twist on a classic Sicilian cannoli; at SALON, made with Canadian snow crab and served atop a splash of beetroot elixir. “It looks a bit like a Jackson Pollock!” says Schulze. But the final flourish is the bowl of nitro-frozen wood sorrel pesto, which scatters across the plate in an ephemeral cloud to infuse a hit of zesty acidity in each bite. It’s the perfect fusion of form and function.

Working in harmony with each plate are the wine and non-alcoholic pairings offered across both the Global Tasting and Explorer Menus. Each pairing has been carefully selected by SALON’S award-winning sommelier Tadiswa Chikwanha, who has transformed the beverage experience at SALON, introducing Seasonal Cocktails and refining the wine list of boutique Cape estates.

Chikwanha has also helped to shape the final act in the SALON experience.

After the dessert course has been cleared, and with the gentle ring of a brass bell, the Nightcap Trolley arrives tableside. Stocked with a curated selection of local spirits and liqueurs, diners end the evening with a preferred nightcap. Whether it’s an aged brandy from a celebrated local distillery, fiery ‘mampoer’ or a classic Amarula cream, it’s the perfect accompaniment to one last surprise from the kitchen.

“We end the evening with a tribute to our location,” says Schulze. “The first biscuit made here in the Old Biscuit Mill was a Romany Cream, and so we wanted to celebrate where we are with our own take on the classic.”

And so, the final taste at Salon is, fittingly, a Romany Cream macaron, and it perfectly encapsulates what Dale Roberts, Schulze, and their brigade of chefs have created. A dining experience that is both playful and creative, entertaining yet delicious, and all while remaining deeply rooted in the seasons and a sense of place.

The Global Tasting menu is priced at R1690 per person and available for dinner service whilst the Winter Explorer menu is priced at R875 per person.  These menus are also available with an optional beverage pairing menu with dishes matched to one of the small-batch wines or cocktails.

SALON is situated at the Old Biscuit Mill, 375 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town and is open for dinner from Tuesdays through to Saturdays.  For bookings and more information visit www.salonct.co.za or call 087 093 5890 during normal business hours.