Tag Archives: Wang Thai

Autumn and Winter 2013 Cape Town and Winelands Restaurant Specials!

The Autumn and Winter 2013 specials for Cape Town and Winelands restaurants follow below, and are updated continuously. We welcome information about new specials, and feedback about your meals at these restaurants:

*   Pepenero in Mouille Point : Sirloin and chips R89, Lamb shank lasagne R99, Seafood platter R149, Sushi platter R129, Crayfish tails R169, Chicken schnitzel R85, Minestrone R65, Chicken liver pasta R80, Prawn platter R119. Half price sushi all day. Daily. Tel (021) 439-9027 (updated 2/9)

*   Theo’s on Beach Road, Mouille Point: Oysters R8 each, Seafood soup R55, Prawn special R110, Linefish and prawn combo R99, Linefish and calamari R99, Sole and Calamari R99, Rump or sirloin R99, Spare Ribs R99, Rump Espetada R99, 250g Lobster and prawn platter R139; Seafood platter R125. Tel (021) 439-3494 (updated 12/6)

*   Sevruga in the V&A Waterfront: 2 course lunch R125, 3 courses R165, 4 courses R195;  half price sushi and dim sum Monday – Saturday 12h00 – 18h00; 25 % off sushi and Continue reading →

Authentic Thai restaurants to be honoured in South Africa!

The Thai Embassy invited a number of wine and food writers to attend an evening of celebrating Thai Gourmet food on Friday evening, and we were spoilt with an authentic Thai dinner using authentic Thai ingredients. The Embassy’s Department of International Trade Promotion announced that local restaurants that serve authentic Thai food will be identified with ‘Thai Select’ and ‘Thai Premium’ signs, to confirm their Thai authenticity.

The function was held at Bree Street Studios, in a building which has its numbering on Bree Street, but its front entrance is on a parallel street, causing some confusion on arrival.  The view from the top floor onto Table Mountain and the city, on a perfect summer day, was magnificent, and this is where we met for a chilli cocktail.  I had a long chat to Master of Ceremonies Pete Goffe-Wood about season 2 of MasterChef SA, for which the first auditions have commenced. The hot auditions are likely to take place in Johannesburg in December already, he said, and all the sponsors and judges are the same as for season 1.  The use of the Nederburg kitchen built for the reality TV series has not yet been confirmed.  An Indaba between the producers and judges was held recently, and improvements discussed.  As the number of episodes will be doubling, the cooking challenges and Pressure Tests following will be split over two episodes per week, to allow more time per dish prepared.  Pete was surprisingly not wearing his chef’s uniform, but looked smart and trim in black, with a quirky hat.  There were some lost in translation moments during the evening, and Chef Pete did his diplomatic best to contain his reaction to the numerous Thai dances.  The building had an impressive retractable roof, so we sat under the stars for a while, until the weather changed and the mist rolled in.  There do not appear to be dedicated kitchen facilities in the venue, so it appeared challenging for the chefs to prepare the food for the guests, and to bring them all out at the same time per table, even though our orders were taken by e-mail prior to the function, and on the evening too.

Chef Pete explained that the Thai food we see in South Africa in the main is ‘street food’, and is not authentic fine-dining food, which is more hidden, also in Thailand. Thai food is complex, with up to 20 ingredients, compared to South African food, with three to four ingredients, said Chef Pete.   Despite its complexity, Thai food has balance, always having sour, sweet, salt, and bitter elements.   Dr Chakarin Komolsiri, the Commercial Minister of the Thai Embassy, said that Thai food is historical cuisine, unaffected by that of other countries, as Thailand has never been occupied by another country.  Thailand is proud of its abundance, being the largest exporter of rice, frozen shrimps, chicken, pineapples, and more.

The Ambassador to Thailand, Mr Nonsiri Buranasiri, said that Thailand receives 20 million tourists per year, coming for three reasons in the main – the friendly Thai people, the beautiful beaches, and the Thai food.  Thai hospitality is expressed though food, visitors to one’s home being asked if they have eaten, with an offer of food.  There are hundreds of Thai restaurants in South Africa, he said, but the embassy hand-picked the best in Cape Town to prepare the meal, being Kitima at the Kronendal, Wang Thai, Yindee’s Restaurant, Tom Yum Restaurant, and Sawadee.  Chef Kent Arnon of Kitima was described as one of the best chefs in Thailand, having recently received the ‘Iron Chef’ award.  Chef Pete explained that Thai people used to eat their food with their hands, but that they now use cutlery, one eating with a spoon in the main, the knife being used to push the food onto the spoon.  Each dish on the menu, catering for vegetarians too per course, was paired with a different Nitida or Creation wine.  Chef Pete said that the complexity of the Thai food makes pairing more complex.  Carolyn Martin of Creation disagreed via Twitter, writing that the pairing ‘is not so complicated it’s very different concept to western pairing’. Jacus Marais from Nitida said that the South African gesture of hospitality is to offer one’s guests a glass of wine.

The wine pouring and pairing to the ordered dishes did not work well at all, the hired waitron staff seeming very willing to pour, but not getting to each guest, and having no knowledge of the wines they were pouring.  The starter I had chosen was Khanom Buang, being chopped seasoned shrimp and grated coconut wrapped in a traditional Thai crepe, served with bean sprouts and a Thai cucumber atchar, which was paired with Nitida Semillon 2011. It was prepared by Wang Thai.   The Tom Yum Goong soup with prawns, mushrooms, lemon grass, and coconut milk was very strongly spiced, and had been prepared by Chef Pon of Sawadee.  It was paired with Creation Chardonnay 2011.

Chef Kent from Kitima did a demonstration of a chicken soup, made in two colours, and this was served around the room, for each guest to taste a teaspoonful.  Chef Kent had an enviable collection of titanium blade Kai Shun knives, Chef Pete saying that they are so excellent that they cost the price of a small car.  Chef Kent is a gracious person, and came over to say hello at the end of the evening, remembering my visit to Kitima when I had been invited there by his regular guests Katie and Jonny Friedman of Orphanage.  The owner Kitima also was present at the dinner.   Kitima was named the Eat Out Best Asian Restaurant in South Africa last year.

The lemon sorbet palate cleanser was a refreshing break from the tasting.  My main course choice of Gaeng Ka Ree Nong Ped, duck leg slow cooked in coconut milk with yellow curry paste, and served with potato, tomato and spring onion, was beautifully decorated but a disappointment, being tough and definitely needed the sole knife to cut it with. The restricted kitchen facilities must have been the reason.  The dish was prepared by Chef Kent of Kitima, and it was paired with Creation Pinot Noir 2011. For dessert we were served two cheesecakes, one being made with mango, and the other with dates and mascarpone, as well as a refreshing Tropical yoghurt ice cream, which was paired with Nitida’s Madjodji Semillon Noble Late Harvest 2011.

A most interesting evening came to an end with Thai dancing.  We all learnt about Thai culture, their extreme eagerness to please and friendliness, and their love for food and its preparation.  The lighting was unfortunately not conducive to good photography.  The promised cook-off between South African and Thai chefs and the demonstration of vegetable art, included in the program received, did not take place.

Disclosure: We each received a goodie bag with a bottle of Nitida Sauvignon Blanc 2011 and some Thai ingredients.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage

‘Master of the Trade Routes’ Culinary Challenge spices up V&A Waterfront restaurants!

The V&A Waterfront is running a spicy winter restaurant promotion to encourage locals and tourists to try out 27 of its restaurants, and to vote for the restaurant with the best ‘fusion, winter-style dish’ that is affordable too.  The promotion runs until 22 August, and reflects the Cape’s culinary roots over the past 360 years, including Indian, Malay, Chinese, French, British, Dutch, Portuguese, and French, the port of Cape Town being the melting pot of the flavours of the Cape.

The promotion was designed by the V&A Waterfront’s advertising agency Jupiter Drawing Room, and its communication quality reflects the V&A’s leadership as the best shopping mall in the Cape.  The Culinary Challenge is communicated via a Sunday Times insert, the electronic boards and posters in the V&A, and a ‘Master of the Trade Routes’ display emblem resembling a plate at participating restaurants.  Dash at the Queen Victoria hotel, Signal at the Cape Grace, The Atlantic at the Table Bay hotel, Nobu and Reuben’s at the One&Only Cape Town, Willoughby’s, Wang Thai, Harbour House, San Marco, La Playa,  Quay 4, Balducci’s, Meloncino, OYO at the V&A Hotel, The Quarterdeck (Portswood Hotel), Primi Wharf, Clipper at the Commodore Hotel, Den Anker, City Grill Steakhouse, Krugmann’s Grill, Karibu, Jewel of India, Greek Fisherman, Hildebrand Ristorante, Sevruga, Tasca De Belem, and, interestingly, The Grand on the Beach, are the participating restaurants.  In addition, but not participating in the Culinary Challenge as such, are Emporio Leone, offering a trio of South African dessert classics (malva pudding, a milk tart macaroon, and peppermint crisp tart truffle) at R35, and Gelato Mania, offering a gelato flavoured with vanilla pods from Mauritius.

Each restaurant will offer a ‘signature dish‘, and other dishes may form part of a winter special for the Culinary Challenge.  Nobu’s Winter Bento Box costs R275, with a cold and a hot section of three dishes each and a dessert; Reuben’s at the One&Only Cape Town is offering a Steak & Guinness Pie at R125; Willoughby’s signature dish is ‘The Bomb’, a tempura prawn roll with spicy seared Tuna and Avocado wrapping, at R129; Harbour House is offering a free-range short rib at R120; The Atlantic has a 2 course offer, being Lamb Parpardelle, preceded by a cauliflower puree with smoked Franschhoek trout and poached quail egg for a good value price of R120; Hildebrand Ristorante charges R90 for its signature Chocolate and Ginger Venison; Quay 4 has Malay Kreef Curry as its signature dish for R90; and Dash is serving pan-seared magret duck breast on spiced pear purée with sage and quinoa, at R95.

Not having been to Signal restaurant since it changed from Bruce Robertson’s One.Waterfront, I chose the Cape Grace restaurant, which has painted wall murals reflecting the Cape’s historic origins, done when the restaurant changed its name, and these make Signal a forerunner for the V&A Culinary Challenge on its decor and interior design alone! There is no shortage of staff at Signal, and each one of them greets one as if one is there on daily basis.  The tables have tablecloths, with a mix of traditional wooden chairs, ghost chairs, and leather upholstered chairs. Each table has a vase with a protea, and throughout the hotel the national flower is used, suiting the ‘Proudly Cape’ promotion theme too. Cutlery is posh Hepp Exclusiv.  Three chandeliers have small copper pots with the crystals.  Seating sections in the restaurant are divided by what look like sash window frames, giving the room a Cape Dutch feel.  Its A la Carte menu states that it offers ‘Cape Cosmopolitan Cuisine’, being ‘global contemporary dishes with a unique Cape twist’. The menu introduction echoes the theme, stating that sailing boats braved the high seas to introduce the ‘world to the wonders of fragrant herbs and spices’. Using marine-inspired terminology, it continues about its approach to food: ‘Signal encourages the global traveller to plot a course over the Cape’s ancestral landscape. With ingredients encompassing responsible and sustainable food practices and dishes crossing worldwide borders, we welcome you and hope you enjoy your journey’. The black leather covered winelist contains an extensive collection of 40 wines by the glass, and 150 wines by the bottle, complementing the cuisine served. The wines are not inexpensive, but there is a wide price range offered.  For example, in the Shiraz category, the thirteen wines offered range from R72/R195 (Glenwood 2008) to R925 for Haskell Pillars 2008.

As the V&A had booked the table on my behalf, the staff handed me the beautifully designed Culinary Challenge menu automatically, but I did ask to see the A la Carte menu too.  The restaurant offers as its Culinary Challenge signature dish a ‘De-constructed Bobotie‘, being a very rare prepared bobotie-spiced Springbok loin, roasted parsnip, pickled mango purée, almond crumble, and a curried lentil jus, costing a mere R95.  One can also order 3 courses, at R195, very good value. As I am allergic to mussels, the Assistant Restaurant Manager Sean O’Brien kindly allowed me to substitute a starter from the A la Carte menu for the Aromatic coconut and ginger broth with steamed mussels and coriander foam.  The dessert was a typically South African Peppermint Crisp Tart, served with fresh peppermint ice cream, and Pastry Chef Lorraine Meaney had made gold-dusted Valrhona chocolate discs to place on top of each individual tart.  With the cappuccino friandises, being an apricot jelly slice, a beetroot chocolate blondie, and a caramel macaroon, were served.

Voting for the ‘Master of the Trade Routes’ is done by food bloggers, writers, and critics, as well as by the public, for the People’s Choice Award, in selecting the winning restaurant(s).  Food writers were spoilt with a most beautiful spice box, to encourage them to review a restaurant of their choice. A beautifully designed locked box collects the evaluation sheets diners have to complete for the voting.  Various aspects have to be rated, including presentation, taste, interpretation of the fusion theme, service, ambience, and value for money.  Clients eating at a participating restaurant stand a chance to win meal vouchers and attendance at the gala event aboard the SA Agulhas II, at which the winners out of the Top 8 restaurants will be announced.

The quality and value for money offer experienced at Signal restaurant for the ‘Master of the Trade Routes Culinary Challenge’ will make me try other restaurants that I have not been to in the V&A Waterfront in the next two months, not only for their good value, but also for the creative and spicy interpretation of the winter promotion theme.

POSTSCRIPT 3/8: The Top 8 restaurants in the V&A Waterfront’s Master of the Trade Routes Culinary Challenge have been announced in the Cape Times today: Signal at the Cape Grace hotel, Dash at the Queen Victoria hotel, Reuben’s at the One&Only Cape Town, Den Anker, The Grand on the Beach, Sevruga, Harbour House, and Willoughby’s.

POSTSCRIPT 31/8: Signal restaurant at Cape Grace won the Master of the Trade Routes Culinary Challenge, with Dash at the Queen Victoria Hotel coming second.  Sevruga won the People’s Choice Award, with its Miso-marinated kingklip dish.

V&A Waterfront ‘Master of the Trade Routes Culinary Challenge‘, see www.waterfront.co.za for the list and menus, and operating hours and days of the 27 participating restaurants. 1 June – 22 August.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage

‘Taste of Cape Town’ offers a taste of Cape Town and Winelands restaurants

I have enjoyed attending the Taste of Cape Town, run in our city for the past four years, and the first one in Camps Bay, as well the one in Mowbray last year, were particularly enjoyable in respect of the large number of diverse participating restaurants and wine estates, as well as easy and ample parking.

Every year the venue has changed, and this year the Restaurant showcase will be held at the Green Point Cricket Club.  Inexplicably, the dates for the event were moved from April, which would have meant better weather, to today until 8 May, and no wine estates are on show, compared to their presence in the past years.  The ‘Taste of…’ showcases are held in major cities around the world, and the one in Cape Town has been organised by Justine Drake since its inception. 

The 14 participating restaurants are Bistro Sixteen82 (Chef Brad Ball serving sticky five-spiced free-range pork belly); Il Leone Mastrantonio (its chef Daniel Toledo serving a selection of Italian specialities);   Jordan Restaurant with George Jardine from Stellenbosch (Eat Out Top 10 George Jardine will offer barrel-smoked kingklip fettucine, Chalmar sirloin, foie gras bourguignon, as well as a buffalo milk yoghurt mousse with Valrhona chocolate); Nobu from the One&Only Cape Town (serving yellowtail sashimi, pork belly with spicy miso, and Japanese halibut with den miso); Pierneef à La Motte’s chef Chris Erasmus will offer Cape Bokkom salad, smoked lamb’s rib with pickled tongue, dried pear dumplings and verjuice poached pear, and milk tart;  Simply Asia;  Wang Thai;  Societi Bistro; Planet Restaurant at the Mount Nelson with Chef Rudi Liebenberg; GOLD; Taj Cape Town; Fyndraai Restaurant from Solms Delta, with chef Shaun Schoeman; and Savour Restaurant at 15 on Orange. 

One can try three dishes at each stand, and one uses crowns to the value of R5 to pay for the dishes, each dish having a different crown value.  Additional attractions are the Eat In Small Produce Market, which will have Buffalo Ridge mozzarella, preserves from Oded’s Kitchen, Tasha’s fudge, La Petite France camembert, and Willow Creek olive oil to taste, amongst others.   Pick ‘n Pay’s Fresh Living Theatre Chef’s Theatre will offer chef’s demonstrations, including Pete Goffe-Wood talking about SASSI, and one can learn how to make canapés at the Pick ‘n Pay Wine & Canapé Experience.  The Grolsch Beer Academy and the Johnnie Walker Whisky Theatre will offer liquid refreshments.

POSTSCRIPT 8/5:  After struggling to find parking anywhere reasonably close by on Friday evening, we went to the Taste of Cape Town yesterday at 13h00, a good time as far as parking went, but a day-time visit with relatively fewer people did not have the same magic as all my previous evening attendances, mainly because one enjoys bumping into other foodlovers.  I was impressed to see so many top chefs hands-on in their food preparation, in what must feel like a production line for them, being George Jardine of Jordan Restaurant, Stefan Marais of Societi Bistro, Chris Erasmus of Pierneef à La Motte, and Brad Ball of Bistro Sixteen82. 

I spent my R100 on 20 crowns on Jordan Restaurant’s Aged Chalmar sirloin and foie gras bourguignon (left), on Bistro Sixteen82’s Sticky five-spiced free-range pork belly with salted caramel and apple celeriac espuma (right), as well as on Societi Bistro’s chicken liver parfait on toast with pineapple chutney.  I was surprised to see a number of wine estates exhibiting as well, not having seen any information about them on the website:  Arumdale, De Wetshof, Hermanuspietersfontein, Idiom Wines, Neil Joubert, Noble Hill, Peter Falke Wines, Quion Rock, Rickety Bridge, Steenberg, Thelema, Van Loveren, Wedderwill, and even Jorgensen Distillery, which is on the list but which I did not see. There was a stand for Whale Tale Ale, which I had never heard of before, but which I must connect with.

The Eat In Small Producers’ Market was spread over two tents, and they are a little lost, not being in the flow of the restaurants and wineries.  I enjoyed meeting Wayne Rademeyer of Wellington’s mozzarella producer Buffalo Ridge, Tina Bester of the Queen of Tarts, tasted excellent frozen yoghurt from an aptly named Scoop, and was impressed with the fresh organic vegetables from The Drift, owned by father and son team David and Bruce Jack of Flagstone Wines.

Taste of Cape Town, Green Point Cricket Club, 5 and 6 May 18h30 – 22h30, Saturday 7 May 13h00 – 17h00 and 18h30 – 22h30, and 8 May 12h00 – 17h00.  Entrance costs R70 with a wine glass, or R160 for a wine glass and crowns to the value fo R100.  Book at www.tasteofcapetown.com or www.computicket.com.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio:  www.whalecottage.com  Twitter: @WhaleCottage