Chefs Chris Erasmus and Anlou Erasmus have released their new à la carte menu at Terrarium, the Newmark Hotels & Reserves restaurant located at the Queen Victoria Hotel at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. The new menu promises to bring the restaurant’s creative approach to fine dining in a more personal and flexible way. 

Previously, guests could choose between the eight-course Fauna or Flora menus, but this new menu offers diners some variety.  

“The à la carte menu lets guests experience our cooking style on their own terms,” says chef Chris Erasmus. “It makes Terrarium’s food more accessible and gives people a reason to come back, with the freedom to explore a wider range of dishes beyond a full tasting menu.” 

Chefs Chris Erasmus and Anlou Erasmus.

Inspired by the concept of a self-sustaining ecosystem (hence the name Terrarium), the restaurant’s culinary philosophy celebrates regenerative cooking, community-driven sourcing and a commitment to low-waste dining.  

The new menu builds on this and adds a heavy dose of nostalgia by combining the two chefs’ decades of professional experience with cherished childhood memories, giving new life to familiar local flavours.  

Neil Markovitz, CEO of Newmark Hotels & Reserves, says: “Terrarium continues to redefine what contemporary South African fine dining can be. This new à la carte menu celebrates nostalgia and local identity while staying true to the thoughtful cooking and storytelling that has made Terrarium so distinctive. We’re proud to support Chris and Anlou in bringing this vision to life for our guests.”   

Karoo lamb rib from Terrarium’s new à la carte menu.

Priced to remain accessible to guests, the à la carte menu lets diners choose between single-plate dinners and the full eight-course tasting menus – with or without the wine pairings.  

Highlights of the new menu include: Steak and Caesar, a dish inspired by Chris’ childhood love of grilled meat, served with anchovy dressing and spring onions; Mushroom, an inventive, sustainable plate using mushroom offcuts and tiger’s milk to deliver deep, earthy flavours; and West Coast Catch, which is served with caramelised fennel sauce and a fishbone-based potato purée that focuses on big flavours and little waste. For those who like to end their meals on a sweet note, the Ocoa Chocolate Cremeux features rooibos and chai ice cream, dark chocolate, caramel and a cranberry-rose purée.  

To book your spot at Terrarium, visit the website here.