Greenhouse Pork XO dish, Winter Special Edited MennuGreenhouse interior, Cellars-Hohenort
Winter dinner special at the Greenhouse offers a carefully edited menu!
Greenhouse is offering a compelling winter special to keep you warm in the cold months ahead. The award-winning, fine-dining restaurant has launched a new three-course set menu available for dinner only, from 01 June to 31 August 2019. The full tasting journey is still available during this period.
The Winter Special is a carefully edited dining experience that starts off with the Greenhouseâs famed amuse-bouche that set the tone for the meal to follow. These complimentary, bite-sized snacks are followed by two starter options: gamefish with lime, dill, liquorice and kohlrabi; or XO pork with erynjii mushroom, spring onion, ponzu and dashi.
The main meal presents a choice between the âshisa nyama bokkieâ with sweetbreads, carrot, cashew, pap and morogo; or, sustainably sourced scallops, with wild rice risotto, pea puree and garlic sake sauce.
Figuring out what to have for dessert is a challenge, when you have riveting options such as âthe beetâ encompassing beetroot, hazelnut, coffee, chocolate and cherry; or, the pineapple passion, with yoghurt, coriander and lime. The meal is concluded with petite fours.
The three-course meal including amuse-bouche and petite fours is R650 per person.
There will be an additional wine pairing option for R350 per person.
Chairman of SteetSmartSA, Melanie Burke, on the Camino
StreetSmart celebrates its 14th birthday in June and founding director Melanie Burke’s Camino walk to raise funds is a great way to get people to support the cause financially. To date the organisation and its partners have raised more than R17 million in support of education, skills development and family reunification programmes for street children and children at risk of becoming street children.
âIn order to keep StreetSmart SA running, we need to raise funds for administration,â adds Melanie, a founding director of StreetSmart SA and a social entrepreneur who has been leading cross-sector change in several areas such as community safety, education, leadership, equality, diversity and inclusion.
There are currently around 105 establishments that have embraced StreetSmartâs vision to make a real difference to the lives of street children or children at risk of living on the streets. Funds are raised by adding a R5 donation to each patronâs bill. This donation is voluntary and donors are able to contribute more if they wish to. With this generous gesture, StreetSmart establishments and their guests are making a real difference to the lives of vulnerable and street children in their local communities.
Melanie has lived between South Africa and Spain for the past 5 years. It was also 5 years ago that Fuad Peters of Cape Tourism Connect introduced her to Gabrielle Andrews who founded Cape Camino with her daughter, Peggy.
âHaving only ever walked two days at a time before, a week-long hike sounds like a scary challenge, but an achievable one too. Being away from home and work commitments will give me the time to decompress and follow my thoughts wherever they want to go, something I have not made time to do recently. I expect the physical and mental requirements may be difficult for me so I hope that the simple rhythm of putting one foot in front of the other will focus me,â says Melanie.
This fundraising walk is unsponsored and all costs are borne by Melanie. Donations towards this fundraiser can be made via EFT, PayFast and SnapScan on the StreetSmart website: www.streetsmartsa.org.za. Look out for this StreetSmart fundraiser on media campaigns.
StreetSmart SA was set up in 2005 by a group of concerned Capetonians under the patronage of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and comprises resourceful board members representing business, and the hospitality and tourism industries. Similar StreetSmart organisations also run independently in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and The Netherlands.
StreetSmart SA is registered as a Public Benefit Organisation as well as a Non-profit Organisation and ensures that every cent donated by guests goes towards social and educational upliftment projects for street children. StreetSmart’s goal is to be part of the process of social normalisation and to encourage the public not to give money into the hands of a child as this keeps them on the streets. In essence, donating to StreetSmart where you eat, drink and sleep is the responsible way to help a street child.
Eat, drink and be merry: Three ways to spoil Dad at Spier this Fatherâs Day
Your old man deserves more than a cheesy card and a pair of socks so this Fatherâs Day â Sunday 16th June â itâs time to do something a little different. Show him your appreciation by treating him to a day at Spier. Kick off with sampling our accoladed wines in the cosy Tasting Room. Then for lunch, feast on farm-to-table dishes at Eight, or tuck into a tasty spit-braai at Spier Hotel. Memories will be made â thatâs a guarantee.
A treat at the Tasting Room
As a tribute to awesome dads everywhere, this Fatherâs Day our Tasting Room is offering those who choose the Winemaker Selection Tasting the opportunity to taste the Frans K. Smit Red Blend too. Named after our acclaimed Cellar Master â himself a dad â this is Spierâs flagship: a wine handcrafted in limited quantities which few people ever get the chance to taste. In addition to Frans K. Smit, the Winemaker Selection also features its normal line-up: a sampling of Spierâs two award-winning premium ranges (Creative Block and 21 Gables) as well as our premium organic red wine, First Stone. Feeling peckish while you taste? The Tasting Room offers delicious cheese and charcuterie platters to snack on while you sip.
When: Sunday 16 June, 09.00 â 16.30 (no need to book)
Where: Spier Tasting Room
Cost: R90 per person
Family time, Spier Father’s Day celebrations
A spit-braai fit for a king
Tell Dad to hang up the tongs â on this day of all days, he deserves the afternoon off! â and treat him to our Hotel Restaurantâs spit-braai instead. A slowly spit-roasted, incredibly tender Karoo lamb will be taking centre stage â but plenty of other delicious dishes from the braai deserve the limelight too: Farmer Angus pork spare ribs, fire-roasted corn cobs, mushroom risotto, chicken lollipops and more. These will be accompanied by a bounty of seasonal, just-picked salad. Be sure to save space for the decadent desserts.
When: Sunday 16 June, 12:30
Where: Spier Hotel Restaurant
Booking: Dineplan
Cost: R350 per person; R160 per child under 12
Father’s Day at Eight Restaurant, Spier Wine Estate
By choosing Spier, you are supporting Spierâs Growing for Good learning initiatives that empower communities to create positive social and environmental change.
Treat your Dad at Bay Harbour Market this Father’s Day!
Letâs just put two dad facts out there â firstly, no matter how old dads get (and you get), Fatherâs Day is one of the few days of the year that they want a bit of lovinâ. Secondly, dads come in a personality range so diverse, no two dads can be put in the same box⊠from grumpy deep thinkers to playful mavericks, and everything in between. To this end, Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay has got you covered with gifts for every type of dad.
Show him you appreciate his years of love and support with a nice pair of sheep skin slippers or ugg boots from In-Step. Or if you feel like spoiling him with unique clothing pieces, Africa Made Only, Toy Boy Apparel and Billy Now has got you covered with a range of menâs fashion.
If your dad loves accessories, why not look at what NAVA Apparel and Rowdy has to offer? They specialise in high-quality leather products. And if heâs more of an old music soul (which most dads are), treat him to a classic vinyl record from Brian Vinyl.
If quality time is on top of your list, bring your dad down to the market for a delicious lunch and a drink. The Boom Bar and market food stands offer a range of wines, gins, frosty craft beers and cuisines from around the globe
From gifts to experiences, youâll find them all available under one roof at Bay Harbour Market.
Letâs face it, itâs a big world out there… Isnât wearing local uber cool right now? Even more so if youâre trying to update your street-style looks. Whether youâre going for an ethnic fashion style or a rocker chic style, Nava Apparel at Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay has got you covered!
Nava Apparel is known for their leather range: from boots, caps and tees to backpacks and laptop bags. They craft and customise products to suit your personal taste with their interchangeable patterns, selection of leathers, fabrics and materials. Inspired by individual beauty, meticulous attention to detail and ecological sustainability.
In true essence of the brand, when buying from Nava Apparel, youâll not only support economically fair and environmentally sustainable products, but also local charities and environmental projects in and around South Africa.
Bay Harbour Market has got the streets talking. Fresh, stylish and modern.
Stand to win a Steenberg experience with your next wine purchase!
Steenberg Vineyards is rewarding wine lovers with the chance to win one of three luxurious Steenberg experiences to the total value of over R50 000 when purchasing a bottle of any Steenberg wine in selected stores from June to August 2019.
The signature experience for three lucky winners at this beloved Constantia wine, restaurant and luxury boutique hotel destination includes a one night stay for two in the 5-star Steenberg Hotel & Spa, tapas at the popular Bistro Sixteen82, a spa treatment and a round of golf at Steenberg Golf Club. Airfares from major centres are included for upcountry winners.
Standard room at Steenberg HotelDining Room, Steenberg Bistro 1682
Steenberg Farm is a haven of tranquillity and understated luxury steeped in heritage dating back to 1682. The 5-star hotel and rejuvenating spa, top notch cuisine, remarkable wines and an 18-hole championship golf course, make Steenberg a complete leisure destination just 30 minutes from the bustling Cape Town City Centre.
Watch out for the competition details on neck tags on Steenberg wines and bubblies in selected stores such as Pick n Pay, Makro, Checkers and Spar. The competition will also run in selected restaurants. To enter, purchase any bottle of Steenberg wine, SMS âSteenbergâ and your name to 33096 and remember to retain your till slip as proof of purchase.
The great thing about a seafood curry is that it cooks in much less time than a meaty curry. This simple, fragrant prawn dish is slightly sweet and deliciously mild (add a dash of chilli powder if you like yours hotter).
It also works very well with fresh black mussels or cubed, firm white fish. Enjoy with a glass of Spier 21 Gables Chenin blanc or two!
Note: This recipe is made with trimmed, shelled prawn tails. Although these are easy to eat, whole prawns (de-veined, head on) will add even more flavour. If you donât mind the shells or eating with your hands, choose those instead (about 1kg).
CAPE MALAY-STYLE PRAWN CURRY
Ingredients: (serves 4)
30ml (2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 small knob fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped (about a teaspoonful)
500g prawn tails, shelled and de-veined (see note above)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh coriander leaves to serve
Cooked basmati or jasmine rice to serve
Method:
In a wide, deep pan or pot, add the oil and fry the onions until soft and lightly browned.
Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 30 seconds, then add the masala, cumin and turmeric and stir for a minute until the bottom of the pan goes dry.
Add the coconut milk, sugar and prawns, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until the prawns are just cooked.
Remove from the heat, season generously with salt and pepper. Serve hot in bowls over rice, topped with fresh coriander. Serve with nicely chilled Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc.
Black Truffle lunch with Cape of Good Hope Wines at Antjonij Rupert Wine Estate every Friday and Saturday until 30 July
Unearth ‘Black Gold’ at Anthonij Rupert Wine Estate with a series of intimate lunches to celebrate and enjoy black truffles at only R950pp, wine included!
‘Lunch’ is one of my favourite words, with ‘truffles’ coming a close second. Combine the two as an activity, and I’m in heaven! Anthonij Rupert Wyne hosts a series of Friday and Saturday lunches with black truffles and wines, from 24 May until 30 July. Only ten guests per lunch makes booking essential.
Renowned internationally as âblack goldâ, the culinary delicacy of fresh truffles is often a hot topic for conversation – not only for their fetching price and scarcity, but mostly for the captivating way in which they enhance the flavours of so many dishes.Â
Cape of Good Hope wine with black truffles, lunch at Anthonij Rupert Wine EstateBlack truffle lunch with wine at Anthonij Rupert Wine EstateBlack truffles with Cape of Good Wines at ARW, every Friday and Saturday lunch until 30 July
Anthonij Rupert Wyne in Franschhoek is proudly the first wine estate in South Africa to both cultivate and produce black Perigord truffles. These exceptional quality truffles are grown at their Altima Estate near Villiersdorp, where the cool climate conditions are perfectly suited for the cultivation of these rare delicacies. Oak tree roots were inoculated with truffle spores and planted in September 2010. Truffle hunter (also known as a Trufelau) Hanene van Dyk, who learnt her craft in Piedmont, Italy, works closely with her specially-trained Lagotto Romagnolo dogs to hunt for the truffles.
Culinary enthusiasts will be thrilled to learn that soon they can enjoy these earthy treasures at Anthonij Rupert Estate with the launch of their exclusive Truffle Lunches. These four-course, truffle inspired lunches will be available every Friday and Saturday throughout the truffle season from 24 May until 20 July. To ensure an exclusive dining experience, each luncheon will be kept to a maximum of 10 people.Â
Whilst truffles are, of course, the centre of attention with each course, a sampling of estate-raised Black Angus beef will also be included as part of this gourmet affair. Each course will be paired with carefully-selected Cape of Good Hope Wines, produced from the vineyards which frame the oak forests at Altima. Each Truffle Lunch is priced R950 per person, inclusive of paired wines.
Estate-reared Black Angus beef with black truffles and Cape of good Hope Wines, Anthonij Rupert Wines
For the true truffle connoisseur in search of the ultimate black gold adventure, the estate can be contacted directly to arrange an exclusive tour and truffle hunting experience at Altima. A select range of estate-produced truffle products – including infused butter and truffle salt – will also be available for sale at the Terra del Capo Tasting Room from June 2019, subject to availability.
For enquiries and reservations, kindly email tasting@rupertwines.com or contact 021 874 9041.
Journey & Discovery – Greenhouseâs April to August winter menu
The Greenhouse heads into Winter 2019 retaining its evergreen appeal with a menu comprising tempting seasonal additions courtesy of new head chef Farrel Hirsch. From April 2019 onwards, patrons can embark on either a full tasting Journey or a less extensive Discovery experience. Both menus are as inventive as ever, and enhanced by exemplary service, stimulating presentation, plating akin to artistry, and an incredible array of flavours.
Earlier in his career, Hirsch served as Sous Chef at Greenhouse before moving on to roles as Head Chef on North Island in the Seychelles and at the Four Seasons in Johannesburg. He returns to his former kitchen with fervour, his consummate skill borne out in the newly conceived seasonal offering.
âWith our winter experience, the aim is to continue the Greenhouseâs sterling reputation for sourcing unusual, meaningful ingredients and lending them an extraordinary treatment,â Hirsch comments.
The nine-course tasting Journey comprises a duet of conceptual canapes, a trio of intriguing starters, a single main followed by a traditional palate cleanser, and two desserts. Both vegetarian and vegan options are available. You can elect to pair either tasting menu with specially selected wines.
Almost every course has a willfully South African element that pays homage to its culinary context. Guests will delight in the gourmet mielie pap that is served with Springbok. Thereâs minutely grated boerenkaas from a local cheesery in the delicate cheese-and-tomato âsandwichâ that is really an airy, wafer-thin canape. The dark chocolate truffles are crafted from Klippies & Coke. A local MCC Brut dazzles in the granita – a traditional palate cleanser made in a decidedly avant garde manner right at your table, by whipping liquid nitrogen into a syrup of lavender blossoms and bubbly. Sour fig accompanies the Cape octopus. And so onâŠ
Then thereâs a dish particularly associated with the Greenhouse, titled âthe butcher birdâs pantryâ, which continues the amplification of the local. A unique presentation device hammered out of copper and made to resemble an Acacia thorn bush upon which a âbutcher birdâ or Fiscal Shrike would stock its insect kills, is used to âspearâ a selection of morsels. Greenhouse has retained this unconventional plating on the Winter menu, peppering the âthornsâ with quail tacos and truffle-stuffed quail eggs dusted with pastry.
The reinvented Greenhouse staples continue the restaurantâs sublime marriage of the delicious and the extraordinary, while the new additions do not fail to delight. Highlights of the new Winter offering include an inspired pork Confit that melds French cooking techniques with Asian tasting notes. The tender XO pork belly has an aromatic walnut and ginger glaze and is served alongside a silkily textured, slow-poached egg cooked carefully at 62 degrees, and slivers of braised shittake mushrooms. Theatricality enters the arena in the form of the ponzu sauce, which is gently warmed over a burner at table. A gold-leafed, translucent disk of tomato gel dissolves into the sauce before it is poured over the pork to finish the dish.
To soak up the remaining flavourful sauce, bao buns are steamed and served in a bamboo basket and left till last. These bread bites imaginatively function as a type of hand-held ramen and boast a superbly dense texture that harks after ujeke (African steamed pot bread), in a typically Greenhouse nod to all that is local.
Joining the XO pork as a newcomer, is the winsomely irreverent PB & J (Peanut Butter and Jelly) dessert. Tiny elder flowers dot the surface of a peanut brittle round that encases a frozen peanut butter mousse resting on a tart berry compote. It comes with a âglass of milkâ – a shot of milky ice topped with foam. This sweet surrender is a master of irony while simultaneously elevating its mundane origins. Like everything else on the Winter menu, it provides both visual delight and stimulation to the palate, making it easy to understand why Greenhouse is the recipient of so much praise in the fine dining category.
This modern South African dining experience is currently ranked 6th in the country and boasts a decadeâs worth of Eat Out Top 10 placements and a plethora of other acknowledgements. Booking ahead is essential, via https://www.greenhouserestaurant.co.za/reservations/.
Dinner is served Tuesday to Saturday from 18h00 to 21h00, and lunch is served on Fridays and Saturdays only, from 12h00 â 14h00. The full Journey is R1300 per person, with Greenhouse wine pairing at an additional R700 per person. The reduced Discovery menu is R900 per person, with wine pairing at additional R500 per person.
View across the pond of Pierneef Ă La Motte verandah
The Autumn menu at Pierneef Ă La Motte seduces with its simplicity and seasonal inspiration. Executive Chef Eric Bulpitt at the helm of the kitchen has taken the food in a new direction, and it’s all good. Better than, in fact – it’s brilliant.
Chef Eric Bulpitt, Pierneef Ă L a Motte restaurant
I’ve eaten there a few times since Chef Eric joined the team as Executive Chef, and it just keeps on getting better. This is world-class cooking, set in the lush location of La Motte Wine Estate just outside Franschhoek. Deft, assured, pared down and almost minimalist, Chef Eric’s cooking somehow manages to make his carefully sourced ingredients taste even more of themselves than nature intended. Not one unnecessary element on the plates. De-cluttered. And delicious. (Scroll to the bottom of this post for 5 Q&A with Chef Eric – he’s inspirational!)
If you’re fed up to the gills with drips, drags, smears, blobs and gels, Chef Eric’s your guy. Plain and simple food, unusual ingredients along with the familiar, all presented so exquisitely it seems almost a shame to disturb the perfect composition on the plate. But needs must, and your tastebuds are in for a WOW experience.
The new approach at Pierneef Ă La Motte is lighter, simpler, easier and more laidback. The Ă la carte menu comprises a selection of ‘plates’, from starters – Small Plates – to Big Plates, Side Plates and finally Sweet Plates with choice of a cheese course. Outside in the Garden, a light Garden Menu is served in summer, and during winter, a simple Farm Bowl or Farm Platter.
The glorious gardens at La Motte are a drawcard on their own. The perfect spot for light lunch of a Farm bowl – hearty winter soup with accompaniments – or a Farm Platter – cheese and charcuterie.
From the website:
With a focus on seasonal and sustainable, locally-sourced artisan ingredients, Chef Eric Bulpitt presents a selection of starters, mains and desserts, reflecting his modern interpretation of heritage cuisine. Wine recommendations from an award-winning wine list accompany the refined menu.
During winter, also enjoy a lighter lunch in the form of a Farm Bowl, a hearty winter soup with accompaniments or a Farm Platter, a beautiful selection of local cheese and charcuterie. This option is available from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 â 16:00 and cost R150 per person.
Chef Eric Bulpitt, La Motte
CHEF ERIC BULPITT Q&A
I was so inspired by my experience of Chef Eric’s cooking, I wanted to know more about the man behind the food. I’m sure you want to, as well! Read on for the Q&A: (I’m EDCT, Chef Eric is EB.)
EDCT: Eric, you’ve recently entered the matrix of La Motte. What does this mean to you as a chef, and what are the unique touches that you are bringing to the food and wine experience at La Motte?
E: La Motte offers me the opportunity to connect with our heritage. I trained using French techniques and cooking internationally-inspired food but have always felt a disconnect with my own country, the further I delve into South African cuisine, the more I feel like I am finding myself.
EDCT: Chefs today are using techniques old and new that makes the whole dining out experience that more exciting. Which techniques are your favourites, eg smoking, curing, fermenting, salting, drying, etc and what is one of your favourite dishes using any of them?
EB: We have been very busy with fermentation and are on a quest to find umami. All the above-mentioned techniques are part of our repertoire but none more than the search for umami.
EDCT: What are your earliest taste memories, be they pleasant or not? (I remember, for example, discovering chillies at the age of 6 and just couldn’t get enough, and since my mom loved fresh herbs and taught me a lot about how to use them, I have a particular fondness for using lots of fresh herbs in my own cooking. I also remember recoiling physically at the ‘hairiness’ of dates in date loaf, and to this day I cannot stand them!)
EB: My first food memory is of my Dad and me going to the fish shop in Walvisbaai to buy freshly smoked snoek. I must have been 4/5. The smell of smoked snoek haunts my memories forever.
EDCT: Describe your perfect meal, anytime, anywhere, real or imagined.
EB: The perfect meal doesnât exist, there are too many delicious experiences out there, it depends on the mood and time of the day. Sometimes a simple bacon and avo butty seems absolutely perfect. What makes a meal very special is the company you share it with and the loving knowledgeable hands that prepared it. Most of the time the best meals are the most simplistic and made with the freshest ingredients.
EDCT: The calibre of chefs has increased tremendously in the past 20 years in South Africa. What do you ascribe this to, and what aspects of the job do you wish you could emphasise for young chefs starting out on their careers?
EB: Travelling to international culinary destinations and working in globally recognized restaurants is a huge factor. Chefs who travel realise that we have a fantastic country with great produce and a rich albeit diverse food culture of our own. It is great to see so many return home to settle and build our own food revolution.
My advice to young chefs: If you are absolutely sure that you want to dedicate your life to this industry, think about it some more. This is one of the most rewarding and consuming careers you could follow, but only a few will make it. Are you sure?
Chef Eric’s parting words:
âMy dear, find what you love and let it kill you. Let it drain from you your all. Let it cling onto your back and weigh you down into eventual nothingness. Let it kill you, and let it devour your remains.
For all things will kill you, both slowly and fastly, but it’s much better to be killed by a loverâ
(ie. travel, don’t expect quick results in terms of promotion and earnings, eat widely and adventurously, build relationships within the industry, etc.)
Hours
The Ă la carte lunch is from Tuesday to Sunday,
12:00 â 15:00.
The seasonal winter offer available is from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 â 16:00.
Closed on Christian Religious public holidays.
Reservations are recommended.
The award-winning La Motte Food and Wine Experience is presented every Friday at 10 am. Bookings are essential for this expertly guided tasting with food and wine pairing. Read more on the highlighted link to see dates and details. La Motte Food and Wine Tasting Experience
