Ever since I was a child, I’ve been an indecisive diner. I want to taste everything on the menu. I’m curious about the Springbok Carpaccio and the dehydrated blueberries; I have to try a mouthful of the blue cheese samoosas and the parmesan cappuccino, just so that I know what they’re like. Fortunately for me – and my fellow dining partners whose meals are often the victims of my curiosity – there is a solution.

Tasting menus have been on the rise internationally since the early noughties, offering diners a line-up of anywhere from four or five bit-size courses, to twenty-three. Instead of plowing one’s way through a slab of tuna or mound of tagliatelle, one is faced with a dizzying array of nibbles. It’s almost impossible to get bored.

In recent years, this style of eating is has been spreading in fine dining restaurants locally.

In Johannesburg, when chef Dario D’Angeli opened Cube four months ago, he began serving a mammoth 23-course tasting menu. “I think we were being a little bit ambitious, attention spans are not there for 23 courses. So we’ve brought it down,” Dario explains. Currently Cube serves up a 12 course, conceptual tasting menu – which seems to be plenty for even the most adventurous diner.

In Cape Town, Luke Dale Roberts (formally of La Colombe), has set up the Test Kitchen, a veritable playhouse for foodies, now serving and eight-course tasting menu. The restaurant is only open half the week so that Roberts can spend the rest of his time experimenting, dreaming up tantalising titbits like trout tartare, green apple, lime, crème fraiche, Quail and langoustine, with liquorices jus, miso, corn and ginger emulsion, lime gremolata.

Vegetarians can get their fix of the tasting menu at Signal restaurant at the Cape Grace which offers a Vegan tasting menu, including dishes such as lemongrass consommé, soy roasted mushrooms on tempura butternut, and chocolate caramel tart with cranberry compote and cranberry ginger snow.

For the kid in you, we’ve rounded up a list of top restaurants that serve tasting menus.

Cape Town
Aubergine
How many courses? 3, 4 or 5
How much? R345 for 3, R420 for 4, R525 for 5
With wine pairing: R485 for 3, R600 for 4, R745 for 5

Gold Restaurant (now closed)
How many courses? 6
How much? R585, with wine pairing, R880

La Colombe
How many courses? Normal tasting menu: 6, winter special lunch and dinner: 5
How much? Normal tasting menu: R625, with wine pairing, R825 Winter special dinner: R310
With wine pairing: R390 Winter special lunch: R240, with wine pairing, R280

La Mouette
How many courses? 6
How much? R240, with wine pairing R300. (2 for 1 until end April)

Myoga
How many courses? 6
How much? R195, R360 with wine pairing

Rust en Vrede
How many courses? 4 or 6
How much? R440 for 4, or R585 for 6. R880 for 6 with wine pairing

Signal
How many courses? 5
How much? Ordinary tasting menu: R395, with wine pairing, R595. Vegan tasting menu: R350, with wine pairing, R550

The Test Kitchen by Luke Dale-Roberts
How many courses? 8
How much? R550, with wine pairing R750

The Roundhouse
How many courses? 7
How much? R550, with wine pairing, R995

Greater Cape Town

96 Winery Road
How many courses? 7
How much? R290, with wine pairing, R410

Bosman’s Restaurant
How many courses? 6
How much? R620 or R660 with cheese selection

Clos Malverne
How many courses? 4
How much? R148

Haute Cabriere
How many courses? 4
How much? R250, with wine pairing, R320

Jessica’s Restaurant
How many courses? 5/6
How much? Menu changes weekly, average R295

Jordan Restaurant
How many courses? 6
How much? R300, with wine pairing, R500

Majeka House
How many courses? 5
How much? R395, R595 with wine pairing

Overture
How many courses? 4, 5 or 8
How much? R350 for 4, R410 for 5, or R600 for 8
With wine pairing: R470 for 4, R520 for 5, or R750 for 8

The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais
How many courses? 5 or 9
How much? R620 for 5, or R770 for 9
With wine pairing: R870 for 5, or R1150 for 9

Knysna

Zachary’s
How many courses? 4
How much? R425, R700 with wine pairing

Plett

Plettenberg Bay Sand at the Plettenberg
How many courses? 5
How much? R355, with wine pairing, R535

Johannesburg

Cube Tasting Kitchen
How many courses? 12
How much? R450, BYO no corkage

Roots
How many courses? 6 or 4
How much? Lunch 4 courses: R295, R370 with wine pairing. 6 course dinner: R320, R415 with wine pairing

Pretoria

Mosaic at Orient
How many courses? 5, 6 or 10
How much? R465 for 5, R565 for 6 or R745 for 10
With wine pairing: R535, R635, or R835

Mooi River

Hartford House
How many courses? 5
How much? R350

By Katharine Jacobs, research by Angelique Smith