Woolworths_Taste__January_2019

TOP SA BARS

TASTE JAN/FEB 2019 93

trendsbutwewanttoevokeCapeTown
andwhatmakesitunique,”saysJustin.
SothedrinksatCauseEffectarebased
on fynbos, which weaves together Cape
Town’s three primary natural domains:
ocean, mountain and vineyard.
It’s from the vineyard that the

cocktails receive their base ingredient:
brandy,strictlypot-stilledandagedfora
minimumofthreeyears.“Capebrandy
isnowrecognisedasaworldleader,and
wehaveanamazingbrandyculture,”
saysJustin,referringtotheSouthAfrican
braai staple, brandy and Coke, “but
thetwoaren’toneandthesame,so
we have to reinterpret the story and
re-educate without sounding preachy.
That’s a challenge.”
It’sanambitiousmissionbutifthe
cocktailshereareanythingtogoby,
perhaps not as quixotic as it sounds.
Theideaistogivepatronsthecocktail
equivalentofathree-coursemeal.Start
your evening with a classic Campari
spritz imbued withumeshu(a Japanese
plum wine) or cold-brewed coffee and
vermouth. It’s a low-alcohol, effervescent

apéritiftodrinkwhileyouperusethe

menu. For mains, it’s all about the

experientialcocktailsthatbringyour

drinktolife.Thesearealluniqueconcept

concoctions, dreamed up from scratch

by Justin and his merry mixologists.

“Theymighthavenamesthatyoucan’t

pronounce but not because we’re hoity-

toity,” says Justin, “but because you

might not have heard of something like

Artemisia before.”

Here’swhereyou’llspottheCape

Sugarbirdcocktail,namedafterthebird

responsible for pollinating South Africa’s

national flower, the Protea, which last

evolvedsolongagothatbeesalonecan’t

do the trick. The brandy used is the Oude

MolenXO–agedfor10years–andit’s

draped with fynbos honey, dusted in

hibiscuspowder,dappledwithapinch

ofpollenandinjectedwithpearpurée

(locally sourced, of course). It’s served

inabespokeblownglasssugarbird

that’splacedonanestofhay.

TheMembranecocktailisserved

topped with a sugared rice disc ‘lid’

andJustinsaysyouneedtwoqualities

to drink it: courage and patience.

“Courage,becauseyoudon’tknow

what’slurkingunderthemembrane,

andpatiencebecauseittakesuptofive

minutesforthemembranetodissolve.”

Feelingadventurous?Trythethree-

tieredcocktails,theBeetrootBrandy,the

GreenCubemadeofmintandcucumber,

thesourmartiniwithahotchutney

foam,theemulsifiedavocado,orthetall

moringa and eucalyptus drink that shoots

outstreamsofChristmasspice.

Andthat’sbeforeyougettothedessert

cocktails, including a hot-and-cold spiced

piñacolada,whichissetalightatthe

tableandpouredovericecream.Not

to mention the strawberry butter-scone

martinimadewithbutter-washedvodka

served with scones on the side.

“When you see someone look at

acocktailorpresentationthatthey’ve

never seen before, and there’s confusion,

delight,ora‘this-is-absurd’moment,

it’slikewatchingakidplay,”says

Awehwolf. “That’s good for us.”

Spokenlikeafigmentofsomeone’s

imagination.–AmiKapilevich

2A Park Road, MLT House, Gardens; facebook.com/

CauseEffect.Bar

“The Membrane
cocktail is served
withasugaredrice
disc‘lid’andyou
need two qualities
to drink it: courage
and patience”

Clockwise from above left: Jars of dried rarities and tinctures give the mixologists something to play with

when concocting new creations; Justin Shaw with the Cross of Lorraine cocktail, made with Dusse cognac,

moringa, eucalyptus cordial and Caperitif.