Today the key to tapas (and the ever-popular Asian version, dim sum) is about flavour and sharing, where fun-loving foodies are willing to stash away their dinner plates and divide supper between side plates and little bowls. "Which also explains why we called the restaurant Fork," JD adds. "We serve mouthfuls of food you don’t have to cut, but can pick up and pop in your mouth."

Situated in a restored double-storey Victorian building on buzzing Long Street, the restaurant is stylish and unpretentious, making it the kind of place you could adopt as your friendly neighbourhood regular.

Downstairs you’ll find a bar and five tables set against an original exposed brick wall with a long pew for seating and antique lamps on a pulley system for moody glow. Upstairs, there are more tables and if you’re early, you could grab the outside balcony which has two white leather day beds overlooking Long Street, perfect for pre-dinner drinks.
On the menu is a selection of vegetarian, seafood, meat, and salad tapas. "We’ve introduced local, Indian, Moroccan and Asian flavours as we’re not strictly serving traditional Spanish or Italian tapas," explains JD. "We’ve gone for a contemporary twist using interesting global flavours."

Once you’ve settled in, enjoy a plate of complimentary bruschetta topped with vitello tonnato or a spicy tomato salsa. Then let the fun begin. For starters, cured meats including coppa, Serrano ham, salami and Grana Padano Parmesan with a sweet balsamic glaze dipping sauce and ciabatta are a local favourite. Another highlight is the grilled tiger prawns wrapped in pancetta, but the pasta roll (a good vegetarian option) with Emmental, aubergine, mushrooms, rocket and béchamel sauce is a knockout. Next up try the classic Italian pizzaiola with tender slices of beef fillet, capers, homemade tomato sauce and grilled Mozzarella. The well-seasoned grilled lamb cutlets with a cumin and coriander sauce are also sublime as is the cheese fondue served with chorizo.

" The menu works in two ways," explains Ed. "Either choose to make an evening out of it by ordering at least eight different dishes during the course of a night, or simply order one dish, like the mini kudu fillets served with an orange potato purée and chilli spinach. Throw in a side order of homemade deep-fried zucchini chips and you have a satisfying main course."

If you’re feeling indulgent, the flourless chocolate cake is a must-try on the small dessert menu. The winelist is comprehensive and reasonably priced, its focus to introduce smaller producers and wine regions. "We have tried to source the best grape varietals from wine regions around the country, from the Klein Karoo to the southern Cape."

So if you’re looking for a fun dining experience, get together a group of friends, order at least three dishes each and indulge in some serious sharing and plate swapping.

Most dishes cost between R30 and R50; desserts are about R25 each.