When I first heard about InFusion on Long it was because friends were talking about “that CBD oil” restaurant – a spot where you can spike your food with a spritz. As a result, I assumed it was going to be gimmicky. The kind of place where all the focus would be on the novelty of a cannabinoid burger and less attention given to the food itself. Happily, I was totally wrong. Also, it’s worth noting that InFusion’s bagged an award-winning chef.

But ja. Let’s chat about the CDB: You’ll find several of InFusion’s menu items boast CBD oil in the mix (although I’m sure you could ask the chef to omit it if you preferred) and you have the option of adding it to anything they make. Also, it’s not just a matter of someone coming around with a giant bottle to spray will nilly. They’ve got a whole menu devoted to the different CBD oils they use. Some have a focus on flavour (think strawberry & lime, raspberry and blackcurrant) and others have a profile that’s more geared to having a particular effect.

Anyway, I popped in over lunch with my friend Shawn and we kicked things off with two glasses of freshly pressed juice (R45 a glass). I had the “Middle Ages Influencer” (I’d misread it as “Aged” and thought, My God, how could I not?) – a deliciously zingy mix of orange, strawberry, kale, carrot and apple. Shawn, who’s got a sweeter tooth opted for the strawbalicious Berry Beet and that was fantastic too. We then opted to enhance each drink with two spritzes of the effect-focused oil.

Shawn picked anti-inflammatory “Repair” ‘cos he’s a super-ripped gym freak who tortures his muscles for two hours a day. I opted for “Relax” ‘cos I’m a stressed-out workaholic. Also, I’d arrived feeling suuuuper irritable due to lack of sleep and too many deadlines and was about a heartbeat away from stabbing someone with a fork. (Shawn, who arrived maddeningly late, still doesn’t realise that joining me in a restaurant serving liquid chill pills probably saved his life. Or at least his arm.) While I wanted to try the oils, I was worried they’d somehow make our drinks taste weird. But it didn’t. They were delish and downed in a flash.

Now let’s talk about the food! To start, Shawn picked out and LOVED a spicy vegan chickpea salad bowl that included black rice, lentils, quinoa, guac, red cabbage and mango salsa. Can we get a yum? It tasted as fresh, clean and “bright” as it looks and was actually a biggie portion than the piccie suggest. (All the rice and lentils etc were hiding at the bottom of the bowl) and, at just R65, was a complete steal.

As for me, I ordered a starter portion of West Coast mussels (250g for R75) that completely blew me away. (Like, this was the moment when my brain went “Ding, ding, ding! I’ll be coming back!”) Fabulously fresh and served in a lick-the-plate creamy white wine and garlic sauce, it was legit one of the best mussel dishes I’d had in ages and that’s a big compliment ‘cos I’ve been on a mad mussel spree of late, lapping them up over Cape Town. To date, InFusion on Long has served up the best. Also, for just R75?! What a pleasure!

Moving on, let’s talk mains. I ordered the CBD-infused Infusion Beef Burger (R115) and really liked it. The patty was giant and very juicy. You couldn’t taste any CBD. The chips it was served with were nice and crispy too. (They don’t look especially golden thanks to lighting conditions but they were, I promise.) The whole meal gave me RocoMama’s vibes which is great ‘cos I’m a fan.

Still, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have food envy when Shawn’s Ribeye Tagliata arrived (R145 for 250g). Guuyyyys, this steak was the bomb! Tender like a fillet but tasty like a rump and – the best part – lying on a tangy, slightly spicy sauce I couldn’t stop smearing my chips into! If you’re a carnivore looking for a killer good steak on Long Street, InFusion is where it’s at, okay?

By the time we left, I’d most definitely converted from miserable cow to happy as a clam. It was hard to tell whether it was all the CBD-oil I’d consumed or the fabulous food. But either way, I’ll be coming back for more.

Love, love

Leigh