Professional Documents
Culture Documents
welcome
Our story begins back in the seventeenth century, when the Cape of Good Hope was born –
a stopover at the tip of Africa for ships of the Dutch East India Company on their way to and
from the East. Immigrants from Europe, slaves from Mozambique, prisoners from Java – the
population of the seaside village soon included a multitude of nations, each bringing with them
their unique cooking styles.
A multi-ethnic cuisine emerged, leaving us today with a legacy of highly spiced dishes with
C AT E R I N G
Dutch, Italian, Portuguese and Oriental roots. The Malay influence comes through in our curries
and chillies, and the extensive use of spices such as ginger, cinnamon and turmeric. More Malay
magic emerges in the use of fruit cooked with meat, the marriage of sweet and savoury flavours,
with hints of spice, curry and other seasonings.
Drawing inspiration from our African roots, the melting pot of cultures in South Africa and global
food trends, we bring you Cognito Restaurant’s food: not boring, everyday, run of the mill – not
even close. Cognito’s food is unique: a rainbow of spices, fresh local ingredients and the best
meat around. No wonder we were voted one of the “Best T O ULocal
R S Kos” restaurants in the country
(EatOut People’s Choice 2010)!
We trust you will feel right at home and enjoy our African hospitality and truly African-
fusion food.
Your hosts,
Diani & Anien
Chakalaka R50
Spicy peppers, aubergine, onion, tomato and garlic pan
fried and stuffed into a flour tortilla wrap with local smoked
mozzarella, basil pesto and rocket
salads
panini
sauces
snacks
Boerewors chipolatas with spicy tomato mayo R30
Crunchy basil pesto and feta pastry wheels with sweet R20
chilli dip
* Serves 2
sides
sauces
Boeber R32
Cape Malay sago-based dessert flavoured with
cardamom, cinnamon, sultanas and almonds, served
hot with freshly baked cinnamon biscuits
Frikkadelle R30
Deliciously fragrant meatballs on top of mashed potatoes
chenin blanc
Stellenbosch DE WAAL YOUNG VINES R75
A refreshing, mouth-watering wine. Ideal for summer
lunches. Slight hint of light wood on the palate adds a
wonderful dimension to this wine.
other cultivars
Franschhoek LEOPARD’S LEAP Chardonnay/Viognier R75
This refined blend is produced to be an elegant,
medium-bodied wine with an abundance of tropical fruit.
The combination is enhanced with tones of apricot and
melon from the Viognier.
shiraz
Stellenbosch MAN VINTNERS R85
Aromas of ripe plum and spices, mouth-filling sweet
red-berry flavours and gentle tannins characterise
this wine. A touch of Viognier was co-fermented with
the Shiraz for the aromatic lift it gives to the wine,
which emphasises the berry fruit and spice aromas
on the nose.
merlot
Stellenbosch DE WAAL YOUNG VINES R90
This easy-drinking Merlot is a velvet-soft wine with
flavours of creamy black berries. The wine opens up with
a beautiful fruity nose and slides down with a smooth
finish. The well-balanced tannins enhance the dark red
fruit on the palate.
Dawa R38
Swahili for magic potion
A double measure of vodka and fresh lime wedges
served with creamed honey to muddle as you like – a
Cognito favourite.
Mojito R32
Muddled mint and Bacardi Carta Blanca stirred cold with
crushed ice, topped with a dash of Angostura Bitters
and fresh mint.
Cosmopolitan R35
Vodka and Triple Sec shaken cold with cranberry juice
and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, finished with an
orange flame.
catering
Cognito Catering was honoured to cater and coordinate Henk & Annelize
Kotze’s (regulars at Cognito) beautiful autumn wedding at Molenvliet.
The evening was centred around music, entertainment and, of course,
food. With a French-inspired theme, the bespoke menu included smoked
snoek cupcakes with preserved watermelon frosting, wild mushroom
soup, salmon tournedos with warm lentil salad and mini crème brûlées. It
was an absolutely dazzling affair!
From the end of June we will be hosting food and wine evenings in
conjunction with famous wine farms in and around Stellenbosch.
Please leave your details with your waiter so that we can inform you of
upcoming events, or send us an email at info@cognitorestaurant.co.za
We are offering our fabulous Prawn and Chicken curry, a normal chicken
curry and a beef curry at the ridiculous price of R50. Please book a table
to avoid disappointment.