Low Carb High Tea, Cellars-Hohenort, Constantia {a Zesty Review}

On my recent visit to Cape Town, I was lucky enough to be treated* at The Cellars-Hohenort for an afternoon of treats & eats which included their Low Carb High Tea.

If Low Carb (aka Banting) High Tea makes you think of proteien-only options with loads of fat, then think again. In fact, if you did not know that you were about to embark on a low-carb munching spree, you would probably never have guessed.

As you get closer to the hotel, the green leafy, winding road slows you down & sets the tone for appreciating the magic of the area. Then you arrive at The Cellars-Hohenort – ‘Hohenort, meaning ‘high place’ in old German – a classy but understated five-star hotel.

It is unpretentious & as elegant as you’d expect from a property dating back to 1693. I just love how the entire hotel is filled with vases of fresh flowers. The magnificent gardens are also worth a stroll. As for the patrons; expect to encounter silver haired tourists (with serious sun tans) & ladies of leisure. You are less likely to spot your average Mother city hipster or cool kid around here.

Once again my partner in dining was my dear friend, Christelle. So with huge excitement, we met at around 4pm for our High Tea date. You have a choice between the lovely inside (possibly even next to the fire place on cold or rainy days) or the outside terrace overlooking the gardens.

We were tempted to skip the tea & rather have a G&T with the snacks, but decided that high tea is not called so for nothing. Christelle went with a delicious, refreshing ginger tea & I opted for my Early Grey – no surprises here.

Although we had a reservation, we still waited for about an hour for our tea time eats. Dear Patience (ironic) was trying her best to keep us happy while we waited.

Luckily it was totally worth the wait. The umms & ahhhs from the tables around us said it all. It tastes as yummy as it looks. The elderly trio next to us were uncertain about whether or not we would finish the spread, but we proved that we were absolutely & totally capable of handling a generous-sized high-tea menu.

According to the official press release, the “low carb can be every bit as indulgent and satisfactory as a regular high tea, if not more” & it is spot on.

My favourite savoury item on the menu was the prawn Vietnamese rice paper roll with a dipping sauce. Wow! A taste explosion.

The rest of the savoury plates included succulent Grass-fed beef & peppadew sosaties; a selection of hummus, lavash & crudités; broccoli, roasted red peppers & goats cheese tarts.

My sweet tooth enjoyed the creamiest yoghurt honey panna cotta. It is really hard to believe that you are still eating low carb when sinking your teeth into the mini dark chocolate & beetroot cupcakes & sugar-free fresh fruit pavlovas.

For those that are not counting the carbs: a trio of open tea sandwiches (with chicken; roast beef, red onion, horseradish & smoked salmon with chives on squid ink ciabatta). The clever chefs at The Cellars-Hohenort knows that a high tea is incomplete without scone, so they’re added a scone with sugar-free strawberry jam & whipped cream cheese to keep those calories at a minimum.

The verdict? All thumbs up.

Some bits of advice:

• Make sure you book a table on +27 21 794 2137 to avoid disappointed.
• On the day of your tea, keep the afternoon & early evening free. You will need time to savour the delicious treats & you will not want to go anywhere else or head to a dinner after this amazing spread.
• The cost of the Low Carb High Tea is R195 per person including tea or coffee & is offered daily from 15h00 – 17h00.
• If you are a very strict carb conscious eater, rather clarify with the waiter which items are permitted (you wouldn’t want to mess up all your hard work now).

There you have it fellow tea lovers, carb conscious eaters & those in need of some chillaxing in a classy environment; make your booking right now!

Yolandi ♥

*Thank you to the Cellars-Hohenort & Marina Smithers-Carlaw for hosting us.