Amura by Ángel León in Cape Town
- Ava Lyn
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
Amura
Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel
76 Orange St, Gardens
Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Amura arrives in Cape Town with a weight of expectation that few openings can match. It carries the name of Ángel León, "the chef of the sea", whose three Michelin starred Aponiente in Cádiz redefined how we think about seafood. Chef León's work focuses on elevating the overlooked marine ingredients, from plankton to by-catch and transforming them into something both thoughtful and accessible. His signature marine charcuterie, where fish is cured and presented like chorizo, is part of his philosophy - use what the ocean offers, responsibly and creatively. For those who want to hear more about Chef León's story, his episode on Chef's Table showcases an intimate insight into his life, his story, his vision and his passion.
Cape Town is Chef León's first international outpost, exploring the region's biodiversity in collaboration with local marine experts. It is clear from the get go that Amura is not going to be Spanish cuisine transplanted, but one that adapts with the produce around the region. While Chef León defines the vision, the kitchen is led day to day by Chef Guillermo Salazar. Chef Salazar's resume is equally impressive, having been at EMP, Arzak and Gramercy Tavern.
Located within the Mount Nelson Hotel, Amura had only been open for about 3 months when we visited and it was just the second day of their tasting menu roll out. The timing ended up working in our favour. This became our final meal in Cape Town and ultimately, the most memorable.
The tasting menu is what we thought to be the clear way to experience Amura. It captures the breadth of Chef León's ideas. Our menu of the night:
Oysters with Spring Onion Whey and Green Gazpacho
Hot and Cold Scallop of Scallop Sashimi, Oyster Emulsion, Samphire and Citrus
Plankton Risotto with Squid and Garlic Aioli
Langoustines with Corn, Mole with Dark Chocolate
Kingklip Steamed with Algae Pil Pil
Amura Dessert of Mussel Caramel, Brown Butter and Seaweed
Petit Fours
The signature marine charcuterie, although not featured in the menu was presented to us as a bread dish, and we were pleasantly surprised and was definitely excited to try it. Made in house in Cape Town, the dish retains the spirit of Aponiente without the theatrics of the charcuterie slicing. The textures are convincing, the flavours clean and precise, with a salinity that enhances the overall flavour. It is a curious taste, textures like a charcuterie, flavours of cured fish.
The plankton risotto is an exceptional highlight, delivering exactly what you expect from Chef León's repertoire. It carries an unmistakable depth - briny, slightly vegetal and layered, yet remains controlled. It doesn't tip into novelty but holds its place as an exceptionally composed dish.
The langoustine, presented with the theatrics of exothermic salt gently cooking the shellfish was visually engaging. Yet, it was the grilled corn consommé alongside it that lingered. It was a deeply comforting, slightly sweet counterpoint that showed plenty of character.
In truth, most of the menu hits at this level. The hits are consistent and there are many. That said, not everything lands perfectly. The Scallop and Kingklip courses, while technically sound, suffered from a certain sameness in their sauces. Both leaned into similar flavour profiles, which I thought dulled their individual impact.
Before we knew it, we reached dessert and let's just say that Amura quietly surpassed all expectations. A combination of kombu, cream, mussels and caramel popcorn sounds improbable on paper, but works with surprising cohesion. It is sweet, saline and texturally playful, yet grounded enough to feel intentional rather than experimental. It reflected Chef León's worldview most clearly and showed that the sea is not a limiting factor, but a full spectrum.
Amura currently does not offer a wine pairing, but the wine list is thoughtful and worth exploring. We began with cocktails, a Seaweed Gin and a Siren's Call, which were nice but not particularly memorable. The wines, however, were a different story. A standout was the Fryer's Cove Bamboes Bay Sauvignon Blanc, its bottle still marked by barnacles from sea-floor aging. It is easy to dismiss this as theatrics, but the wine itself delivers. A pronounced salinity, a distinct kelp like minerality and enough structure to carry through the opening courses, and a superb pairing with the seafood dishes. Our second glass was the Honeybunch Chenin Blanc from Remhoogte. This carried a personal resonance. We had visited the vineyard just a week prior and this proved to also be an excellent pairing for the mains.
Booking
Reservations, for now, relatively easy to get. We are able to book a table for 2 for dinner a week out. If you have specific dates in mind, definitely reserve ahead of time.
Accessibility
Located within Mount Nelson makes access straightforward with Uber being the easiest option.
The Damage
Our total damage was 4900 ZAR (~385 SGD) for 2 tasting menus, 2 cocktails and 2 wines. The Chef's Journey Menu is 1750 ZAR per person with cocktails around 150-190 ZAR each. Our wines were between 375 ZAR and 700 ZAR each for the Honeybunch and Bamboes Bay. Overall, it is exceptionally good value for the quality.
Would We Recommend?
Absolutely yes, yes, yes. Amura was our best restaurant experience in Cape Town. The level of execution is extremely high, as is the quality of the food. There is clarity in it's concept and a kitchen and service team competent of executing this in totality. If this is how the restaurant is within the first three months of opening and a tasting menu at day 2, I can only imagine what it can become when they further tighten their execution and refine the menu. Just like it's very apt name "Amura", which in spanish refers to the bow of a boat and signifies forward momentum, direction and purpose. I look forward to our next visit.
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