It had been rumoured that Chefs Richard Carstens and Reuben Riffel were starting a joint venture after Chef Richard left Tokara Restaurant, after eight years in its kitchen, at the end of September. Despite requesting both chefs for information about the new partnership since then, the collaboration of the two chefs in the restaurant consultancy RiffelCarstens was only formally announced this week. Continue reading →
Tag Archives: Aurelie Jullien
Restaurant Review: Stargarden Boutique Café in Fish Hoek is a star!
Last Saturday I had to be in the ‘Deep South’ of Cape Town, attending a media breakfast at the new Tintswalo at Boulders in Simonstown, so decided to have lunch at Stargarden Boutique Café in Fish Hoek whilst I was in that part of our city. The ‘Boutique Café’ descriptor in the name gives it away, a creative Eatery serving creative dishes. Continue reading →
Gåte Restaurant at Quoin Rock takes SA restauranting to a new level, experiential and interactive dining and wining at its finest!
The new words on serious diners lips are ‘Gåte’ and ‘Quoin Rock’, both not having been heard of by most, but already associated with superlative dining, on a wine estate tucked away outside Stellenbosch where no expense had been spared to create eating and drinking experiences to take one’s breath away! This is what we experienced when invited to eat at Chef Rikku O’Donnchü’s Gåte restaurant on Friday evening. I was still pinching myself over the weekend as to whether this was real, or just a dream. I invited my friend Stuart Bailey to share this experience with me. Continue reading →
Restaurant Review: Salsify at The Roundhouse brings Fine-Dining to Camps Bay, a crazy contrast of colonial and contemporary experiences!
My Parisian friend Aurélie Jullien is nearing the end of her holiday in Cape Town, and being a restaurant lover too, she is anxious to fit in her last eating experiences in our city. Just as I was about to head off for a morning walk, she messaged me, suggesting lunch at the newly opened Chef Luke Dale-Roberts restaurant Salsify at the Roundhouse in Camps Bay. It was an amazing experience, a marriage between classical heritage, crazy wall art, and classic cuisine with modern twists. Continue reading →
Restaurant Review: Tintswalo Atlantic dinner with a view!
In Cape Town Tintswalo is a magical word. An exclusive destination with a password, or a special connection to be able to dine there. My Parisian friend Aurélie Jullien and I had the pleasure of enjoying our dinner there on Saturday evening, the crowning glory of a fantastic False Bay sightseeing trip. Continue reading →
Get your autograph of SA’s youngest gin distiller Matt Beech, his Autograph winning the Michelangelo Award for Best Craft Gin 2018!
About three weeks ago I visited Franschhoek for the day, and saw an amazing collection of brand new SA gin brands at Siegies on Huguenot, all being striking in being unknown to me, and each having very distinctive packaging. Autograph Gin was one of these, and it was one of the brands which I photographed and posted on Instagram and Facebook. On Monday I ‘met’ the brand and its Master Distiller Matt Beech, at the Autograph Distillery in Stellenbosch, a goosebump experience, the second of my day! Continue reading →
Preview: New Gåte restaurant to become a rock star at Quoin Rock Winery, Fine Dining at its finest!
Yesterday I had the goosebump experience of being introduced to the new-in-the-making Gåte at Quoin Rock restaurant at the Quoin Rock winery outside Stellenbosch, which is destined to become a superlative Fine Dining dinner experience, probably the best this country has ever seen! Continue reading →
Restaurant Review: Delicious Delaire Graff lunch, wines wonderful!
Earlier this week my friend Aurélie Jullien and I had lunch at Delaire Graff restaurant, as part of a two-day road trip to show her Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. For me the lunch was the highlight of our trip, not just its excellent food and wines, but also interacting with the estate GM and hearing about their new expansion plans. Continue reading →
Restaurant Review: Upper Bloem brings Bo-Kaap and Cape Malay cuisine to Green Point!
Just over a month ago I met Parisian Instagram follower Aurélie Jullien by chance at a Woolies in Sea Point, she recognizing me, revisiting Cape Town in loving its restaurants and the beauty of the city. On her invitation we ate at Upper Bloem restaurant on Saturday, a new restaurant with a Cape Malay-inspired Tapas Tasting Menu focus. Continue reading →
CapeWine 2018 largest wine trade exhibition in Southern Hemisphere, showcases diversity and quality of SA wines!
Despite a hugely challenging year for the wine industry due to the drought, CapeWine 2018 is an impressive showcase of optimism, friendliness, and proudly South Africaness, running at the Cape Town International Convention Centre until tomorrow. I attended yesterday, with my Parisian friend Aurelié Jullien, and we were both impressed with the magnitude and professionalism of the exhibition, held every three years, and attended by the local and international wine trade. Continue reading →