Chef Scot Kirton does
it yet again, this time he has teamed up with Stephen Raaff and Protégé
Restaurant was born.
Loved the casual feel and we absolutely loved the open feel of the restaurant. Having dined at LA COLOMBE , LA PETITE COLOMBE and FOXCROFT and could not wait to see what PROTéGé had to offer.
The hostess, waiters were
all very attentive and the food was good.
They offer two
options of menu, The Chef’s Menu and the Small Plates Menu.
THE CHEFS MENU
A selection of seven of the chef’s favourite dishes to share, available for the entire table only – R495 p.p.
*-*
SMALL PLATES MENU
They do recommend ordering 3-4
savoury dishes and a dessert per person.
BEEF FILLET – Bone
marrow, black pepper, carrot – R250
DESSERTS
VANILLA PANNA COTTA –
Macadamia, strawberry – R98
TERRINE – Chocolate
& Peanut Butter – R98
LOCAL CHEESE’S – Preserves
– R130
CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES – Protégé
selection – R75
We really loved most of the dishes, the only one which
really wasn’t a hit was the Korean Fried Chicken perhaps instead of the drumsticks,
strips would be better.
Hands down best dish was the Edamame Beans, loved that!!!
What pleasure this was…certainly a good place to visit after work on a lazy Thursday evening. We arrived a little early and was shown to the upstairs bar area to enjoy a refreshing drink before we commence with dinner.
For an establishment which only opened its doors at the end of November, they certainly were busy. An eclectic mix of Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern Cuisine, there is something for everyone, and I personally loved the large selection of vegetarian options.
The idea is to
order a few options from the too share menu and then select your protein, but
we just did our own thing and they didn’t frown upon it.
Its very hard
to decide on a clear favourite, everything was amazing, even the Sardines which
is not my favourite but one of Jason’s and according to him one of the best…
We were not surprised to find out who the chef was part of the Springbok Team, they have some serious skills with the open flames. The portions are large, very good value for money. Presentation of each dish was impeccable.
The bar has a very large selection of whiskey and of course no whiskey bar would be complete without a cigar selection and they have that box ticked too. I must add they have some yummy cocktails and I already have a favourite “The Diamond Ring”, because after all, “diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”
Waitstaff,
Managers and Hostess were all very attentive and you felt looked after even
though the restaurant was filled.
We already
planning our next visit, hope you will too…Let us know what your thoughts are.
Chef Ash Heeger, has done an amazing job with this new venture of her’s. Having visited Ash Restaurant previously, we were excited to see what had been tossed and what had stayed.
Everything is new, the
space is fresher and more open, loved the furniture!!!! The food, oh my word, I
have no words…superb, amazing, tasty, appetizing, scrumptious, yummy, luscious,
delectable, mouth-watering all of that and a whole lot more.
You literally didn’t want to finish any dish, everything was delicious. Watching Chef Ash and her team meticulously produce plate after plate of excellence was again like watching a orchestra perform and as the audience the ‘music’ was 5 star.
We would highly
recommend a visit to Riverine Rabbit, you WILL NOT be disappointed.
They have three menu option to choose from
3 Course Menu
Full Tasting Menu
Reduced Tasting Menu
They also offer
Vegetarian & Pescatarian options as well.
As we get ready to ring in 2019, lets reflect on the year that was 2018.
For us a JAR Photography we are truly blessed to be able to turn a hobby into a business and then spread the blessings to those less fortunate.
This year we had our second Fundraiser and successfully raised funds for all three beneficiaries. Its both an honour and privilege to be able to touch the lives of both young and old by way of this page.
There were so many new places we visited, some exceeded our expectations like Le Petit Manoir in Franschhoek and The Last Word – Long Beach ; definite top class in the full experience, lots personal touches which they do well, makes one feel valued.
Then of course our favourites, year in year out,
they just do it “right” which is why we will continue to support them:
6. Greenhouse at Cellars-Hohenort (Constantia, Cape Town) ✔
7. Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient (Elandsfontein, Pretoria)
8. Camphor’s at Vergelegen (Somerset West)
9. Jardine Restaurant (Stellenbosch) ✔
10. Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia (Constantia, Cape Town) ✔
11. Fermier Restaurant (Die Wilgers, Pretoria)
12. Jordan Restaurant (Stellenbosch)
13. Foliage (Franschhoek)
14. Le Coin Français (Franschhoek)
15. The Chefs’ Table (Umhlanga, Durban)
16. Chefs Warehouse at Maison (Franschhoek)
17. La Tête (City Bowl, Cape Town) ✔
18. Overture (Stellenbosch)
19. The Shortmarket Club (City Bowl, Cape Town) ✔
20. The Pot Luck Club (Woodstock, Cape Town) ✔
The highlight being that we secured a booking at The Restaurant at Waterkloof weeks before the awards and when they won, we were so excited, and they certainly didn’t disappoint. What an experience! Worthy of the No 1 spot!
The year we also got to enjoy a few nights at the One and Only Hotel Cape Town and can I just say, I always knew they we great, I mean they are the choice of many a famous person. We visited all the restaurants and spent a day at the spa, total bliss, for 48 hours we felt like someone famous 😉
Deciding on our TOP 10 for 2018, wasn’t easy, so we have a bit more than 10….
• Tinstwalo Atlantic
• La Tete
• Reubens at the One & Only
• Nobu at the One & Only
• Janse & Co
• La Colombe
• Upper Bloem
• The Granary – Silo Hotel
• Makaron Restaurant at Majeka House
• Greenhouse – RW
• Le Petite Manoir Restaurant
• Chef’s Table at the Mont Nelson Hotel – RW
• Buitenverwachting – RW
• Waterkloof Restaurant
• Idiom
Tasting Room
Below is a list and some links to all the Restaurants visited in 2018
Norwegian salmon served with prawn and crab wonton
ENTRÉE
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 2017
Chicken roulade, blanched walnuts, cranberries, carrot and peach purée
SPECIAL TASTING
Ashbourne Pinotage/Cinsault 2018
MAIN COURSE
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 2017
Lamb rack with a spring onion and pistachio nut crust
served with a roast onion scallion pesto and mushroom crème
DESSERT
Braemar Muscadel
Bread and butter pudding, roast banana and peanut brittle
served with vanilla ice cream
I’ve done a view of these events, and it’s always an opportunity to maybe try out some new wines and to get into the head of some of these winemakers. I’ve always enjoyed Hamilton Russel wines, so I was quite looking forward to this event.
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The evening started with canapés consisting of seared tuna with sesame seeds, sticky rice, wasabi, dried shitake mushrooms, pickled daikon and coriander pesto which was paired with Ashboure Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay 2017. Would have loved another bite of this tasty morsel, but I only managed to secure a single portion, which was disappointing. The wine was a little green for my palate, but then again it is a 2017 release.
Starter:
For our starter we had the Ashbourne Cinsault Rose 2018 which was served with Norwegian salmon served with a prawn and crab wonton, which was very tasty.
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Entrée:
The entrée consisted of chicken roulade, blanched walnuts, cranberries and a carrot and peach puree. This course was served with the Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2017 which I really did enjoy.
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Main Course:
This course was very well prepared; it was the Lamb Rack with spring onion and pistachio nut crust served with roast onion and scallion pesto and mushroom crème. This course was served with the Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2017, which was outstanding. This wine was the highlight of the evening for me and theirs little wonder why this wine is world-renowned.
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Dessert:
This course consisted of Bread and butter pudding, roast banana and peanut brittle with vanilla ice cream which was served with the Braemar Muscadel. Often, I found that desserts are sometimes a real let down especially if the other courses were excellent, not so in this care. It was a well thought out dessert and a nice variation on a cape classic. The Muscadel was not my favourite, but then I’m not a fan of most things sweet.
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It being the anniversary of the founders of JAR Photography our group was quite large but the One & Only staff made sure each and every patron was treated as special as the next. Is we have become accustomed too from the One and Only Team.
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A fun night out with good food and outstanding wine.
We recently got to go back and experience some good tapas at Mink & Trout and true to form they didn’t disappoint.
Wait staff and food was superb as usual. They were finalising their restaurant revamp and we eager awaiting the release of the new menu and to make our return.
We have no doubt its going to be awesome.
Below is the latest Dinner Menu and you’ll be happy to see they have kept some of the favourites from the old menu.
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MENU
TAPAS:
PRAWN TOAST 48
WITH HOMEMADE PONZU
RISOTTO ARANCINI 62
WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS AND ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
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CEVICHE 65
WITH PICKLED VEGETABLE , MANGO AND A MISO DRESSING
LAND & SEA 89
CRUMBED PORK AND GRILLED CALAMARI SERVED WITH A TONKATSU SAUCE
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WEST COAST MUSSELS 79
STEAMED IN A FRAGRANT CAPE MALAY BROTH
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WATERMELON SALAD 69
WITH SHEEPS FETA ,ROCKET, TOMATO AND BASIL
CHICKEN LIVER PARFAIT 69
WITH STONE FRUIT RELISH SERVED WITH BRIOCHE WAFERS
LOCAL CHEESE PLATE 120
WITH RYE WAFERS AND PRESERVES
CHOOSE ANY THREE TAPAS, EXCLUDING CHEESE PLATE FOR 179
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MAIN:
GRILLED MARKET FISH 169
SERVED WITH A BUTTERNUT, ARTICHOKE, CHICKPEA, MUSSEL RAGOUT LEMON PRESERVE PURRE
GNOCCHI 110
WITH MUSHROOMS, BABY SPINACH AND A POACHED EGG
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BEEF PICANHA 189
WITH CAULIFLOWER , MUSHROOM AND A BONE MARROW AND PORCINI CRUST
FREE RANGE CHICKEN PIE WITH TRUFFLE SAUCE 115
ELGIN PORK 170
WITH CELERIAC PURRE, BROCCOLI, FIG AND HOMEMADE BACON
DUKKAH SPICED OSTRICH FILLET 195
WITH CUMIN ROASTED CARROTS,PICKELD BEETS AND RED GRAPE FRUIT MARMALDE
Three awesome prizes up for grabs simply follow steps 1-6.
1st Prize
A one-night stay for two people in a Superior or Luxury rooms at Cape Dutch Quarters in Tulbagh.
2nd Prize
Swedish or aromatherapy full body massages for two people at Cape Royale Luxury Hotel & Spa.
3rd Prize
A Gourmet Picnic with Wine and an Exclusive Wine Tasting Experience for 2 People at Mellasat Vineyards.
Follow the 6 Easy Steps Below:
Purchase at least 2 tickets to the JAR Annual Fundraiser.
Question: Name the fourth course enjoyed by our contributor Anthony Adams at the Wine Dinner at Square Restaurant with Migliarina Wines. Inbox us your answer. Check out the Blog Post Link for some help.
Comment with #jarphotoct & #giveback section below.
Tagyour partner you are taking to the event.
Sharethis post.
Like JAR Photography
For an additional entry: Comment #jarphotoct & #giveback on the Blog Post.
Simply copy and paste below once you have followed all the steps.
1.
2.
3.#jarphotoct #giveback
4.Tagging….
5.Shared
6.Liked
RULES
One entry per person per day.
Competition closes at Midnight 16/11/2018. No late entries will be accepted.
Winner will be announced 20/11/2018 via Random.Org.
Winners must claim prize within 24 hours of the video being posted, if prize is not claimed, a redraw will take place 22/11/2018.
Competition is open to all subscribers & followers.
Competition is across Facebook & Instagram.
Competition is not sponsored by Facebook or Instagram.
You will receive a voucher from JAR Photography and you will need to make all arrangements as stated in the voucher.
Cape Dutch Quarters are not Sponsors of this prize and therefore you need to follow the directions on the voucher to redeem your prize.
What this voucher will get you:
A one-night stay for two people in a Superior or Luxury rooms only (Deal excludes Classic Lodge and Farm Stay Accommodation)
A complimentary bottle of house wine when ordering two main meals at Paddagang Restaurant
Complimentary tickets to the four Oudekerk Museum properties.
50% off a GPS Audio Tour for two people
A R100 Vindoux Spa voucher (valid for any treatment over 60 minutes and valued at R400 or more)
R25 per person towards breakfast
Expires: 31 March 2019.
Deal is valid for 2 people.
Valid: Sunday to Friday.
Excludes Saturdays.
Blockout: 13 December 2018 to 7 January 2019.
Child policy: children under 2 stay free, children 2 to 8 pay R200 per day. Children over 8 are charged as adults.
Rooms applicable: Superior and Luxury rooms only (Deal excludes Classic Lodge and Farm Stay Accommodation)
Vindoux spa is closed on a Tuesday.
Paddagang Restaurant is closed on a Monday.
Bookings are essential and subject to availability.
Present your printed deal to redeem.
Images may be a representation.
2nd Prize
You will receive a voucher from JAR Photography and you will need to make all arrangements as stated in the voucher.
Cape Royal Hotel and Spa are not Sponsors of this prize and therefore you need to follow the directions on the voucher to redeem your prize.
What this voucher will get you:
Coupon expires on 13 February 2019.
Coupon entitles holder to 2 x Swedish or aromatherapy full body massages.
Coupon valid from Monday to Sunday during operating hours.
Booking essential and subject to availability. For bookings, contact Casuarina Wellness Centre on
021 430 0500 (ext 143).
Cancellations must be made 24 hours prior to appointment or coupon will be forfeited.
No shows forfeit their coupon.
Late arrivals have an impact on your treatment duration. Treatments will be shortened accordingly.
Coupon not valid for pregnant women.
Please note: coupon does not include use of the spa facilities.
Coupon may not be used in conjunction with any other offer.
The image displayed is merely a representation.
3rd Prize
You will receive a voucher from JAR Photography and you will need to make all arrangements as stated in the voucher.
Mellasat Vineyards are not Sponsors of this prize and therefore you need to follow the directions on the voucher to redeem your prize.
What this voucher will get you:
Gourmet Picnic includes:
Seasonal fruit salad
Selection of cured meats
Selection of cheeses
Coleslaw salad
Vegetarian chick pea salad
Freshly baked bread
Crackers
Homemade chutney
Olive tapenade
Chocolate brownies
Glass of wine each (choice of any wine from your wine tasting session)
Wine tasting (5 wines each): your wine tasting session will be tailored according to your tastes, but typically includes a tasting of 5 wines from the following (subject to availability):
Cape Town is blessed to have many outstanding restaurants. The Vineyard at the Vineyard Hotel in Claremont must rank as one of the very best.
Parking was a breeze, with a very friendly guard directing us. The hotel itself has a very welcoming ambiance, and the buzz generated by patrons enjoying a welcoming drink served by friendly and knowledgeable staff on a Friday evening, was awesome. The sense of excitement intensified as we were introduced to winemaker Carsten Migliarina, who wines would be enjoying later.
The evening would see us feasting on four set courses, each paired with a specially selected wine.
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1st Course
First course consisted of chevin-parsley wontons, mango puree, roast onion and cashew. Paired with Migliarina Pinot Gris 2017, this was very well received and set the scene for a feast!
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2nd Course
The second course was a serving of butter pork curry, coconut jasmine rice, coriander poppadum and sambals. The butter pork was a variation on the more common butter chicken, but proved delicious, especially paired with Migliarina Chardonnay 2013.
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3rd Course
The third course was an absolute highlight. Braised lamb shank, butter bean cauliflower mash, beets and thyme jus was awesome. Tasty, tender, beautifully presented, it was close to perfection. Perfection was achieved when paired with the Migliarina Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon 2015.
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Up to this point the evening was fantastic – wonderful setting, fantastic food, great company, and the bubbly ambiance enhanced by the wonderful tunes emanating from the well-placed piano.
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4th Course
Then came the fourth course – dessert. What a treat! Black forest dark chocolate creme, vanilla-kirsch bavarois, cherry gel, devil’s food cake and caramelia sorbet – all placed artistically on a plate. Again, what a treat!
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A beautiful evening was had by all. Great ambiance, great setting, wonderful food, wonderful wine, wonderful company. What more could one ask for on a Friday evening. I suppose one could ask – Looking forward to the release of the 2019 dates…
Arguably one of the most beautiful and picturesque venues on the Atlantic seaboard, must be the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa. This was my second time at this venue, this time taking advantage of their Winter breakaway package that included dinner, a movie (at their private movie theater), overnight accommodation and breakfast.
One night’s luxury accommodation in the room of your choice
Full South African breakfast daily
A three-course dinner from our set menu in the hotel’s Azure Restaurant or The Café Grill
Complimentary use of the In-house cinema
Popcorn, candies, ice-creams and rich drinking chocolate or a milkshake of the day served to you without missing a frame
One-hour session in the temperature-controlled plunge pools and salt water flotation pool at The Spa at The Twelve Apostles
I was looking forward to some good food and a night of relaxation and respite from the inclement weather. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the views from either the Leopard Bar or the Azure Restaurant area are amazing. My previous visit was during restaurant week, so I was keen to see what fare would be on offer this time around.
DINNER
The amuse- bouche was smoked aubergine, which was delicious. I’m not a big fan of aubergines, but I love when it’s been smoked as it adds a whole new dimension to it.
Starters:
There was the chopped salad with beetroot, bacon, carrots, baby gem and avocado, which was lovely and fresh. I expected more to honest
Baby calamari risotto, with roast tomato puree, tomato water jelly dehydrated tomato and tomato consommé, seaweed butter and pickled onion rings.
Slow cooked Hen’s egg with compressed ham hock, pea puree, mushy pea salad and cured egg yolk
12A Fresh vegetable salad, with mixed greens, raw vegetables and avocado. This portion is massive and could easily be shared amongst our table.
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Mains:
Prawn Stroganoff with basmati…strange texture to this dish, I thought it was undercooked with the prawns seemingly a bit translucent.
Cape Malay style chicken curry, served with sambals, roti, poppadum and aniseed basmati. Again, it seemed adequate, but didn’t really inspire. The waiter couldn’t really explain all the condiments or how they should best be enjoyed.
Azure steak was well prepared but the Café de Paris butter was a solid lump and didn’t really melt at all which is possibly an indication that it was placed as the steak cooled.
Green Herb Gnocchi with celeriac purée, grilled baby leeks, salsa verde, onion jam, pickled onion shells and gin pearls. The gnocchi turned out to be polenta and not potato, which wasn’t clarified in the menu or by the waiter.
Pasta Primavera with sautéed vegetables in tomato sauce with linguine. There were hardly vegetables to talk about in this dish, and it was very bland.
Grilled Fish of the day, which was Dorado took the honours as the best dish on the night. It was served with creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, roasted baby carrots and sautéed baby vegetables.
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Desserts:
Chocolate and Karoo Honey consisting of honey ice cream, cocoa custard manjari aero, honeycomb and a chocolate torte
Crème brulèe with shortbread.
Seasonal fruit platter with a berry gel and yoghurt
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MOVIE:
We should’ve known that this wasn’t going to be a smooth transition from Dinner to the Movie when we were given different times to be ready and the movie choice wasn’t clear all very confusing…We had booked our movie for 22h30 but had to wait 30 min as the previous movie had started late. When the usher came to collect us, she took our milkshake order and lead us to the cinema, seats were comfy, and the sweet snacks were set… Sadly one bowl of popcorn for a movie really isn’t enough, but our group made the best of it.
Part of our party enjoyed the Spa facilities and rated it one of the best spas they have visited, and they have visited a few, so at least that was one plus!
The accommodation was amazing and view stunning so a solid 3/5 ticked the right boxes, pity bout the dinner and the movie, though.
I was so looking forward to this little getaway, and I really wanted it to be great, but the food was a disappointment (on both of my visits to be honest) and really did not live up to expectation. It is an amazing venue and setting but I’m afraid my expectations are beyond average at the given price point. Overall, this was not a five-star experience.
