This past Thursday was a public holiday (National Women’s Day) in South Africa. On Friday, I took a day of leave – hitting that sweet spot of a four-day weekend! On Friday night, I met a friend of mine for a long overdue catch up.
I suggested we meet at Ragamuffin Curry in Kenilworth.
I heard about this little curry shop and was interested to try it out.
Setting: A small and cosy restaurant, that seated about 20 people at capacity. I liked this. It felt cute and warm, and not at all cramped.
Service: Full points! We had an exceptionally friendly waiter, and smiles all around.
Menu: A small curry menu featuring traditional favorites (butter chicken et al.) and some non-traditional delights (pork and mango curry). Meals are reasonably priced (particularly for Cape Town – where prices when dining out can get a little absurd).
I ordered both the butter chicken and the pork/mango curry. (the intention being to take the leftovers home – my significant other was on call on Friday night. I knew he would appreciate the curry treasure when he arrived home).
Each curry comes with a serving of rice, sambals and a taster of a veg curry.
I tried tasters of the butter dhal and red lentil curry.
By the time all these portions had arrived, along with my friend’s meal – we had a veritable feast going at our table.
The pork and mango curry was delicious! I would go back to this restaurant especially for this meal. We grew up with my mum making a delicious mango curry, and I hadn’t ever seen it on a menu before, let alone paired with crispy pork. Obviously, this pork and mango curry was not even in the same league as my mum’s cooking (mere mortals work at the restaurant – it would be unfair to compare them to my mum). Regardless, it was still a damn good curry. Small chunks of crispy pork knuckle were covered in a mango curry sauce.
It was not overly sweet. It did not taste like fruit chutney or jam. It tasted perfect. I thought that the crispy salty pork made very good friends with the sweet fruity flavour of mango…and the combination was by far my favorite of the night.
The butter chicken didn’t quite hit home for me. Something was not quite right about the flavour for me, or perhaps I had the wrong expectations. But I am unlikely to order it again.
Tuesdays are “bunny chow” days at Ragamuffin curry. I will definitely be going back for this. Bunny chows are an exceedingly delicious Durban invention – curry poured into a hollowed-out, half-loaf of white bread. I have tried “bunnies” a few times in Cape Town, and have been met repeatedly with disappointment. Ragamuffin curry – I will be seeing you in Tuesday…lets see what you got!
And anyway, if the bunny fails – I can always order more of the pork and mango curry. 🙂
For the record – a “bunny chow” has absolutely nothing to do with actual bunnies.
Wanderings 