{"id":13410,"date":"2010-10-23T10:59:22","date_gmt":"2010-10-23T08:59:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=13410"},"modified":"2010-10-24T12:42:54","modified_gmt":"2010-10-24T10:42:54","slug":"restaurant-review-oyo-crayfish-special-a-special-summer-catch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/restaurant-review-oyo-crayfish-special-a-special-summer-catch\/","title":{"rendered":"Restaurant Review: OYO Crayfish Special a special summer catch!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>One of the specials on the Whale Cottage Spring\/Summer specials list<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 is OYO’s Crayfish special.\u00a0 Yesterday a group of food and wine bloggers and journalists was invited by Manley Communications, on behalf of their client Newmark Hotels, to enjoy a taste of the Crayfish Special at OYO Restaurant and Cocktail Bar\u00a0at the V&A Hotel, which costs R185 for 500 gram.\u00a0 The lunch was perfect for the lovely summer’s day.<\/p>\n

OYO means ‘whoa’ in Chinese, a reaction to the food and lovely view from the restaurant onto Table Mountain from the inside tables,\u00a0and those outside\u00a0along the quay.\u00a0\u00a0 It is also a visual representation of two plates and a glass of wine.\u00a0 The chef at OYO is Sanel Esterhuizen, relatively unknown, but who has been with the hotel for\u00a0almost 2\u00a0years, and has a wonderful way with the presentation of food.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Newmark Hotels was previously known as the Ambassador Group, and owns the V&A Hotel,\u00a0the Ambassador Hotel, the Salt Restaurant, Salt Deli, Salt Vodka Bar, Dock House and the Villa Collection.\u00a0 The Group is on an expansion trail, having bought the old Splendida Hotel on Beach Road in Mouille Point, and is busy renovating the accommodation and restaurant.\u00a0 The restaurant will be run by Caveau.\u00a0 In addition, the Queen Victoria hotel, in a building which\u00a0has housed the management of the V&A Waterfront,\u00a0is being renovated and will open for business next year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

For the second year running OYO has obtained a “7 ton pre-allocation of crayfish”, translating into 14 000 crayfish tails, which will be served throughout summer.\u00a0\u00a0 It is unclear how the allocation works, and whether the crayfish served is fresh or has been frozen before preparation.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The wines for the lunch were sponsored by Hartenberg, a wine estate in Stellenbosch that is over 300 years old, and is a founder signatory of the South African Biodiversity in Wine Initiative, expressing its care for the environment.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Its product\u00a0portfolio includes The Gravel Hill, The MacKenzie Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, The Stork Shiraz, Weisser Riesling, ‘The Eleanor’ Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz,\u00a0Pinotage, Shiraz\u00a0and Merlot.\u00a0\u00a0 The Shiraz\u00a0has voted the third best in the world at Syrah du Monde, while its Merlot was judged the world’s best in\u00a0the International Wine & Spirit Competiton\u00a0in London.\u00a0\u00a0 Earlier this year the Shiraz was named the Best New World wine at the Z\u00c3\u00bcrich International Wine Competition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The winelist on the website contains some typing errors, the only flaw\u00a0about this good restaurant.\u00a0 What is most impressive is that almost each of the wines offered is available by the glass and by the bottle, 70 wines-by-the-glass in total, which is most commendable.\u00a0\u00a0 More champagnes than local sparkling wines are available, the imported ones costing between R 425 for Moet et Chandon Brut\u00a0to R 2595 for Dom Perignon. Local bubblies range from R37\/R190 for Villiera to R 52\/R275 for Pierre Jourdan Belle Rose.\u00a0 Four Shiraz wines are\u00a0offered – De Meye costs R35\/R125 – Bon Courage Inkara costs R79\/R295.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The starter was the highlight for me, in its beautiful presentation, being a Shellfish Cocktail, consisting of langoustines,\u00a0prawns, crab, shrimps, mussels and clams, with a brandy cr\u00c3\u00a8me fraiche served on the side, an\u00a0unexpected but interesting combination.\u00a0 \u00a0It was served with “The Eleanor” Hartenberg Chardonnay 2007.\u00a0\"\"<\/a>Other starters range widely in price, from R40 for a vegetable soup to R175 for a delicious-sounding abalone risotto.<\/p>\n

The OYO special allows one to\u00a0order the West Coast crayfish in one of two ways.\u00a0 The grilled crayfish is served with Malay pilaf rice, roasted vine tomatoes and a\u00a0selection of three sauces – lemon butter, garlic and peri-peri.\u00a0\u00a0 The steamed and then cooled down crayfish is served with a summer melon and herb salad and avocado mayonnaise, which was the option I chose.\u00a0\u00a0 The crayfish was perfect, and the avocado mayonnaise a most unusual but lovely combination.\u00a0 The salad was served in a glass,\u00a0with tiny balls of orange and green melon, slivers of cucumber, radish slices and herbs, making a lovely accompaniment to the crayfish.\u00a0\u00a0 It was served with Hartenberg Sauvignon Blanc 2009.\u00a0 The menu on the website lists the warm crayfish dish at the usual price of R 275, and a seafood platter for two costs R495.\u00a0\u00a0 Other main courses are well-priced between R 100 – R120, for steak, duck, springbok, pork belly, lamb and kingklip.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I did not have the dessert, but it looked beautiful too, being a slice of chocolate tart with mulberry (what a unique ingredient!)\u00a0sorbet and almond rocks, which was paired with the Hartenberg Merlot 2008.\u00a0 Desserts range from R45 for bread and butter pudding to R75 for Chocolate nemesis.<\/p>\n

The service of the staff was attentive, efficient and professional, constantly topping up the water and the wines.\u00a0 I was impressed when I was greeted by name on arrival outside the hotel at the drop-off zone, by Manager Mark Gers, a most friendly welcome.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Crayfish special is excellent value for money for crayfish lovers, and also for tourists who would like to try\u00a0this South African delicacy.<\/p>\n

Disclosure: Guests attending the lunch\u00a0received a hamper of Hartenberg wines, as well as a voucher to stay in the new Queen Victoria Hotel,\u00a0opening next year.<\/p>\n

OYO Restaurant and Cocktail Bar<\/strong>, V&A Hotel, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.\u00a0 Tel (021)\u00a0\u00a0419-6677. www.vahotel.co.za<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 Hartenberg Wine Estate : www.hartenbergestate.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com<\/a>\u00a0 Twitter: @WhaleCottage<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the specials on the Whale Cottage Spring\/Summer specials list\u00a0 is OYO’s Crayfish special.\u00a0 Yesterday a group of food and wine bloggers and journalists was invited by Manley Communications, on behalf of their client Newmark Hotels, to enjoy a taste of the Crayfish Special at OYO Restaurant and Cocktail Bar\u00a0at the V&A Hotel, which […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[3,124,20,21,19],"tags":[8157,115,8167,223,2376,184,2881,32378,1484,8160,8170,5217,4796,410,8166,3711,8154,8208,4735,3626,2430,8155,228,8159,3625,3062,3063,4444,8156,8161,8158,32376,8165,8162,8163,8164,116,32393,2837,8169,32373,2127,3404,8168],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t