Oxalis Eatery bravely opened to inner-city Cape Town on a rainy Friday at the end of August, on a shoestring budget, a wish and probably a few unspoken prayers.
This witty truth about a name seems apt for a restaurant that grew out of Lockdown: “oxalis is an indigenous plant and a resilient one, which we thought we could all relate to right now”. Edible oxalis is also known as wood sorrel, its leaves used in a number of savoury dishes at the 64A Wale Street pop-up.
I’ve been trying to pinpoint why I smile whenever I think about the team behind Oxalis. Talented, positive and collectively determined to make a go of it, they acted decisively on hearing in August 2020 that they would all be retrenched at Cape Town restaurant Janse & Co. Former colleagues Liezl Odendaal, Jade Konz, Lisa Knipe and Yoraya Nydoo registered a company. Their pop-up eatery opened two weeks later.
Industry friends who heard about the plans, helped them mobilise. So, on buying a fridge and salamander from Jason Bakery, Jason Lilley also lent bar stools, black tables and chairs. Andrea Foulkes of Dish Food & Social had a spare oven, crockery and glasses. Odendaal’s father-in-law quickly created – and gifted – the restaurant’s beautiful dining tables from reclaimed window frames.
It’s tempting to wallow in despair about how severely the hospitality industry and its suppliers have been impacted. So I smile because Oxalis is an uplifting nod towards collective creativity and goodwill, of individuals grabbing opportunities where others see obstacles. As Odendaal told me a few days before opening: “Working together and supporting each other has never been more important.” A spirit of ubuntu still seeps through South Africa. That’s what I came away thinking about after my first Oxalis Eatery weekday lunch.
LOVING LOCAL
“When we all started discussing what kind of restaurant we wanted it to be, we said we want somebody to come in every week and not be bored,” explains Jade Konz, bringing warmth to the front of house. “So it’s a menu where you can bring your vegan and gluten-free friends, and find something for those who like meat – we had a Wagyu beef burger during the first week.”
A space to drink a glass of wine with creative snacks, or pop over from the office for a light lunch. “Instead of focusing on international guests, it’s become important to speak to a local market. It’s what we look for when we go out to places,” she adds.
Chef Knipe describes herself as a kitchen all-rounder. Thriftiness is required in a tiny kitchen with a pared-down menu. “We’re working with small farmers and a community gardening program. Besides benefiting from better pricing, we want to support people making a difference in our city,” she says.
“Our menu has dishes that take a bit of skill, but are simple and delicious, and the ingredients won’t break the bank,” says Knipe. “We want it to be affordable to try four or five things on our menu. We’ll change it often so hopefully you’ll come back and keep trying.”
SNACKS OR PLATES
Two small blackboards offer four or five options apiece of Snacks or Plates. One or two switch regularly. Prices range from R60 to R130. “We feel that in the current economic state, people don’t have as much spending power as before, so we’d like to offer something accessible to everyone,” says Odendaal.
The Snacks are particularly creative and tasty. Sharing means trying more of them. I loved the rooibok tartare in creamy garlic aioli, with oxalis leaves and a crumbled tumble of seeds reminiscent of a savoury granola bar.
The Plates menu includes more protein-based options, such as tempura prawns with lemon and soy dressing. I tried a vegan fried tempeh cake with grilled pickled artichoke. Topped with nasturtium and oxalis leaves, it offered comforting flavours, served with a coconut and lime dressing.
SKIRTING THE SYSTEM
As a business, the women have skirted the system in clever ways. For instance, restaurant liquor licence approval usually involves a protracted wait. “We sub-let our space from The Gin Bar, so we trade in alcohol using their licence. As a pop-up it also helps us reduce our operating costs,” says Odendaal. Oxalis serves one or two cocktails, fruit and floral cordials, beers and a handful of wines. Nydoo, who is 28 and oversees alcoholic drinks, says the wines will grow with their operational budget in time.
Being located upstairs adjacent to The Gin Bar and above Honest Chocolate, means as tenants they are collaborating on opening times, and in other ways. So, on First Thursdays the Oxalis crayfish and aioli rolls went down a treat, while sophisticated cocktails were poured at The Gin Bar. With weekends popular for courtyard visitors seeking hot beverages and brownies at Honest Chocolate, Oxalis is trialling weekend breakfasts and brunches one floor up. Oxalis has no coffee machine, so Honest Chocolate services diners’ orders.
Offering a casual, welcoming atmosphere, they're keeping staff roles and the space flexible. It’s a topic the women touch on repeatedly. “We’re a small team so can all do most things, which is great,” says Odendaal. “This Lockdown has taught us we should all be a bit more multi-functional in our restaurant roles. If you think of people’s habits going out, spending money … Oxalis Eatery is a concept we all think will work. If it doesn’t, we can adjust it.”
So far, Oxalis' take-home products include jars of relishes and sauces. The plan is to increase these income sources. Says 35-year-old Odendaal: “We started a company that can eventually grow into something different – a deli, small superette, a bakery … We want to survive in this space for the next seven months.
“From dealing with change, we’ve come up with amazing ideas. We all love a challenge. We don’t like being stagnant either,” says Nydoo of the collective fit. “So many people have told us they can see a comfortable energy about us. We’re doing something for ourselves.”
- Originally published in Daily Maverick TGIFood.