Short on sophistication: Shortmarket Club Johannesburg's disappointing comeback

There was much excitement when renowned chef and restaurateur Luke Dale Roberts brought his much-acclaimed Shortmarket Club in Cape Town to Johannesburg in late 2021.

It quickly became a staple for Joburg foodies seeking a sophisticated dining experience. During my first visit in its opening year, the food was impeccable—I'll never forget the lobster, the modern European flair, the seamless service, and how the restaurant relocated most of its Cape Town team to Johannesburg. It was a place I happily recommended for special occasions.

So, imagine the surprise when news broke that Chef Luke had sold the restaurant. Earlier this year, it was announced that The Shortmarket Club Johannesburg had been sold to Ocaso, under the ownership of seasoned restaurateur Heinz Rynners. Along with the change in ownership came a new vision: a move away from European cuisine to a Mexico-inspired dining concept.

The revamped restaurant reopened on 17 April. Naturally, I was curious. I expected a bold new direction. But things got off to a confusing start when I realised the new Shortmarket Club was operating inside Greenhouse in Sandton. I had assumed this celebrated restaurant would still warrant its own standalone space. That initial surprise foreshadowed the evening ahead.

Upon arrival, I was greeted with this claim:

"...vibrant atmosphere meets the phenomenal cuisine of The Shortmarket Club [to] create a truly unforgettable experience.”

A lofty promise, but the reality fell painfully short.

Now to the food. It was nothing like the Mexican-inspired food as first built up to be. But the menu leaned to the classic and safe than "bold or regional".It was usual, steaks, fish of the day, pastas, sliders, sushi and traditional desserts such as chocolate fondant, crème brûlée.

Sesame crusted, seared tuna.

Rock Shrimp sushi

Chocolate brownies with ice cream.

For starters, I had sesame-crusted seared tuna with a Mexican chill ponzu sauce. The tuna was nicely cooked, however, the sauce lacked the depth of flavours, and there was no spicy kick either.

By then, the cracks were showing. Service was slow. Our waiter, Andrew, did his best, but the bar was incredibly delayed; it took over 30 minutes to receive our drinks. The cocktails, when they arrived, were weak and watery. I had a front-row seat to the kitchen, and it was clear they were overwhelmed. Chaos reigned.

To make things worse, I was informed by our waiter that I couldn't order a main as the kitchen was backed up. When I finally could, I chose rock shrimp sushi over the pan-seared duck (which my friend ordered and found underwhelming with a paltry side of green beans). Unfortunately, the sushi was bland and forgettable.

We shared a few more plates as we were hungry. The chicken wings came in a generous portion but tasted as if the sauce had been poured on straight from a bottle, no marination, no care. It was unpleasant.

The only redeeming dish was the dessert: chocolate brownies. Rich, decadent, tasty and finally something good.

Around us, frustrations were mounting. A nearby table of acquaintances still hadn’t received their meals after more than an hour. Some guests walked out. It was clear the team had underestimated the opening-night turnout, and both the food and service suffered.

To add to the chaos, the volume of the music kept rising throughout the evening. It was more nightclub than fine dining, another clue that this partnership between The Shortmarket Club and Greenhouse simply doesn’t make sense.

The Shortmarket Club is known to be sophisticated, refined and thoughtful about its food. The other is about the party, the DJs and a good vibe. Having been there a few times, I know this all too well. The collaboration feels mismatched and confusing, and unfortunately, the opening night made that all too obvious.

Yes, it's early days, and perhaps things will improve. But on this night, the wheels came off and no amount of loud music could distract from that.