Against the Grain

6 March 2020

AGAINST THE GRAIN

142 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town

Despite the monicker, it's not gluten free, but it is halaal yet not vegan. Having said that, if almond milk is your desire, it is available.

This new-ish, lovely, modern retro, stylish and elegant establishment is on the upper section of Buitengracht Street (not the main thoroughfare), close   to the intersection with Wale Street and a few minutes’ walk from Atlas Trading, and the other touristy attractions of the lower Bo-Kaap.

The building it’s housed in, or perhaps it’s a separate building next door with the same look, houses other small, funky businesses such as a tattoo parlour and the entrance  to the rather wonderful Urban-Hub building is around the corner in Dorp Street. Looks like a whole new hip neighbourhood  is rising there.

One skips up a few steps up to the attractive, old-fashioned glass fronted façade, with counter seating on the left of the entrance and a small lounge area on the right. The seating consists mainly of a luxurious, upholstered banquette seating against the left hand wall, with one two seater table in front of the service counter on the other side of the room. The table tops are of light coloured wood and the metal chairs are black.

The interior has been upskilled from its original style, with exposed, white ceiling beams, and the walls are a mixture of paint, exposed brick and wallpaper. It’s too open to be cosy but it’s chick sleekness is warm and welcoming, nonetheless.

The breakfast menu is interesting and doesn’t offer much of anything in the mainstream.  “The special one” is a brioche bun with poached egg and Hollandaise sauce; you have your granola and there’s the “deconstructed Koesister” of oats with koesister flavours, berry compote and whipped coconut cream (amongst other elements); there’s eggs Constantinople, Florentine or Benedict, and a variety of sandwiches.

I chose the Constantinople eggs (Turkish eggs elsewhere) (R80), with garlic spiced yoghurt, spinach, chilli and butter, and served with two slice of toasted sourdough bread. The other bread options are rye or brioche.

The two poached eggs were overcooked though not completely fossilised and still went quite well with the rich, creamy yoghurt and crisp toast.

Seeing as how it’s Friday I ordered two koesisters (R5 each.)

Many years ago, I worked in a building across the street from Constitution House, where Mariam’s Halaal Kitchen was, and may still be. Every Friday they cooked up a batch of koesisters. If you didn’t get there by 10h00 the entire batch would be sold out and not renewed. The deal was five for the price of four (or was it six for five? My mind’s gone.) and I was there for my fix, impatiently salivating, every Friday.

The other fix was the peri peri chip roll but that’s another desperate tale of addictive craving.

Mariam’s koesisters are still the best I’ve ever had and the ones Against the Grain serve fall some ways short of perfection, mostly because the crust is thicker and tougher than it should be.

The friendly service was on point and house roasted coffee (R22 for espresso; R30 for latte) was good.

Against the Grain is a brave new venture in the murky waters of Cape  Town coffee shop culture and is definitely worth checking out. You have wi-fi, you have good coffee and elegant surroundings and, if they get the poaching right and improve on the koesisters, you have delicious, simple food.

Two things to note:

·         The joint isn’t open on Thursdays;

·         If you need to use a loo, you must go around the corner to the Urban-Hub building in Dorp Street.