First look: Time Out Market launches new summer menu!

Trust chef Anwar Abdullatief to bring the palate-pleasers when it comes to summer dining. Famous for his fresh take on Cape Malay cuisine at Barakat, here the pan-fried prawns come swimming in a fragrant chilli, turmeric and coriander sauce, served with basmati rice and home-made sambals that are something of a state secret. It’s not a dish for first dates or white-shirts though, OK? Instead, rather opt for the aromatic Pienang Chicken Curry. Here grilled chicken – done on the coals, of course – is covered in aromatic tamarind-based curry sauce. You’ll want the basmati rice to soak up all that tasty.

As famous for their irreverent style of service as their collection of inspired pizzas, chef Eugen Smith at YARD brings the goods for lighter summer flavours with The Garden. Here mozzarella is the support act for a riot of fresh seasonal toppings on what must be the most delicious vegetarian pizza in Cape Town. Think marinated aubergine and green peppers, charred broccolini and cherry tomatoes. Sweet potato brings a dollop of earthy sweetness, while a garnish of rocket and edible flowers delivers this one firmly into summer.

Chef Bertus Basson takes a sho’t left into new territory by creating a flavour-bomb burger to remember! From De Vrije Burger this Limited Edition nachos burger comes with double cheese, Santa Anna’s tortilla chips and smokey chipotle salsa. Throw in pickled jalapenos and cheese sauce and you’ve got a Mexican-inspired favourite in the making!

Chef Vusi Ndlovu has built a loyal following of locals and tourists with his inspiring plates of modern African food at MLILO, celebrating the central role of fire and flame in African cuisine. So, no surprise that the Charred Corn Salad delivers a hit of smoky flavour, plated with fire-roasted peppers and greens served with Amasi dressing. It’s the perfect side-order for the classic mixed platter or the brand-new Beef Short Ribs: spiced and slow-cooked, served with roasted peppers and blistered tomatoes. It’s a taste of Nairobi in the heart of Cape Town!

Always pushing the boundaries when it comes to a novel take on Japanese cuisine, chefs Peter Tempelhoff and Ryan Reyes bring a duo of delicious at Sushiya this summer. For lighter bites try the White Fish Ceviche open hand rolls with onion and cucumber… they’re fried, taco-style, for an extra dose of tasty crunch. The vegetarian Eggplant & Miso open hand rolls are freshened up by spring onion and sesame. Arigato, chefs!

Chef John van Zyl is a dab hand at dishing up a modern take on Asian street food, with many plates informed by his own travels across the Far East. And that certainly applies to the pair of new summery plates coming to The Melting Pot.

And is there a more delicious three words on a menu than Korean Fried Chicken? I doubt it. Here crispy double-fried chicken comes glazed in spicy gochujang sauce, with a squeeze of lime for freshness. Superb. As are the skewers of Vietnamese Chargrilled Pork, served over aromatic herb and rice noodle salad with tangy tamarind nuoc cham and sesame peanut brittle.

OK, now this is a dish for flavour-hunters. A ‘Hamburger’ from a ramen bar?  Trust us, it’s not as crazy as it sounds. We’ll keep the surprise for you to discover in person, but let’s just say from Ramenhead this summer you can expect a flavour bomb of mustard mayo, shoyu tare, BBQ brisket, dill pickle and onion with a dose of Kitakata style noodles. Don’t miss out on this one!

I won’t lie, How Bao Now is one of my favourite kitchens at Time Out Market Cape Town. They have light and pillowy bao down to a fine art, and I’m a huge fan of their pork and fiery chicken options. But hey, here comes a Tonkatsu Beef Bao to moo-ve things along! It’s pulled short rib done in an Asian dressing, with sesame emulsion and kimchi. You won’t want to share this. The same goes for the Smash Wonton, where kewpie mayo, spiced lamb mince and furikake play very nicely together.

Staying in Asia, the bold Indian flavours of Kapoochka are on full display with a local twist in the Lamb Bunny Chow; a traditional curry served in 'Ouma' bread for a Market taste of a South African classic. Be sure to start with their mixed tasting platter of the contemporary puris that made them famous! You’ll get two each of the prawn pops, fish pops and dahi puris!

All good things must come to an end, but happily, at the Time Out Market Cape Town they deliver you to the doorstep of Unframed. Thanks to the innovative flavour creations dreamt up by founder Yann Rey, it’s here you’ll find the most creative ice cream in the Mother City. For summer they’ve loaded up a Cookie Bomb dessert, served warm with ice cream and toppings. A sweet ending to remember!