Jarphotographyct

Three awesome prizes up for grabs simply follow steps 1-6.

1^st Prize

A one-night stay for two people in a Superior or Luxury rooms at Cape Dutch Quarters in Tulbagh.

2^nd Prize

Swedish or aromatherapy full body massages for two people at Cape Royale Luxury Hotel & Spa.

3^rd Prize

A Gourmet Picnic with Wine and an Exclusive Wine Tasting Experience for 2 People at Mellasat Vineyards.

Follow the 6 Easy Steps Below:

1. Purchase at least 2 tickets to the JAR Annual Fundraiser.

 

2. 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.

 

3. Comment with #jarphotoct & #giveback section below.

4. Tagyour partner you are taking to the event.

5. Sharethis post.

6. Like JAR Photography

7. 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.
• Please note T’s & C’s apply. See JAR Photography Page

NITTY FOR PRIZES

1^st Prize

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.

2^nd 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.

3^rd 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):

• Mellasat White Pinotage
• Mellasat Chardonnay
• Dekker’s Valley Seraphic
• Dekker’s Valley Shiraz Rose
• Dekker’s Valley Revelation
• Dekker’s Valley Shiraz

Please ensure you are familiar with all T&C’s

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…

For the full album click HERE

Restaurant Info:               Square Restaurant,The Vineyard Hotel ,Colinton Rd,  

                                              Newlands                

Tel No:                                 021 657 4500

Email:                                 eat@vineyard.co.za

Opening Hours:

Breakfast

Monday to Friday from 06h30 to 10h30. Weekends & public holidays from 07h00 to 11h00.

Lunch

Monday to Saturday from 12h00 to 15h00. Sundays & public holidays from 12h30 to 15h00.

Afternoon tea

Served daily from 15h30 to 17h30.

Dinner

Served daily from 18h00 to 22h00

Written for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Anthony Adams

Photography for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Jason “Dubbz” Petersen

 

 

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.

Overnight Dinner and a Movie Package Includes:

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.

 

For the full album click HERE

Restaurant Info:

Azure Restaurant

Twelve Apostles Hotel

Victoria Road,

Camps Bay

Tel No: +27 21 4379000

Email: reservations1@12apostles.co.za.

Written for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Mario Arendse

Photography for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Jason “Dubbz” Petersen

 

 

In the past I’ve made no bones about the fact that there are so few quality eateries in the southern suburbs. I mean the kind of place you can slip in on your way home, or maybe on a lazy Saturday afternoon to catch the football with the boys and grab a bite.

Now, let me start by saying that any restaurant that offers complimentary Tequila on arrival is off to a good start in my books. The menu is Mexican inspired tapas-style dining with something for everyone. Escapè had only been open a few months when we arrived for dinner, and it was encouraging to see a steady flow of patrons into the establishment. It’s literally just off the M5 freeway, before you get to Muizenberg and I can already see it becoming a local favourite during the summer months.

The ladies enjoyed the good cocktail range and I was quite pleased to find that they offered Stella Artois on tap…a good start. Our starters consisted of Nacho’s, chicken wings and chilli poppers that were delicious. Mains were the Chicken Burrito, which was absolutely yummy; there were the beef burgers, deep fried calamari, steak and tacos to name a few of the choices on offer. The food was good, unpretentious, and honest while the service was friendly, attentive and efficient.

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I managed to have a brief chat with the manager Mia, and there are big plans ahead for this little restaurant and brand so watch this space closely and follow them on social media for updates on events etc.

It’s important that we support our local neighbourhood eateries and entrepreneurs and to provide them with honest feedback to ensure continued improvement and sustainability. For me personally this is not just about lip service, so I will definitely be back.

For the full album click HERE

At the time of this article Escapé was busy finalizing their liquor license but currently charges corkage,please contact them directly to confirm.

Restaurant Info:

Escapé Tapas Bar & Restaurant

Eastlake Drive,

Eastlake Shopping Centre

Cape Town

Tel No: 021 788 2568

Email: info@escape-tbr.co.za

Written for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Mario Arendse

Photography for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Jason “Dubbz” Petersen

I’m a typical Capetonian in that I can happily hibernate during winter trying to get by with doing as little possible, in the form of entertainment, as I wait for the arrival of the summer months.

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The opportunity to go to Majeka House and their Makaron Restaurant was my opportunity to snap out of this winter funk. The venue is neatly nestled in a residential area on the outskirts of Stellenbosch. There are so many lovely Boutique hotels popping up everywhere, but I have to say this is definitely one of my favourites.

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The vibe is laid back but sophisticated, the venue is beautifully decorated, as are all the rooms. It’s the perfect place to celebrate an Anniversary or romantic breakaway. There is an undercover heated pool at the spa facility that includes a Jacuzzi and sauna for guests to use at their own leisure. There’s a quaint library/bar facility where guests are free to lounge at the cosy fireplace.

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There are lots of options for diners, as you can choose between 3-5 plate meals with or without wine pairing.

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The amuse-bouche consisted of Caesar taco/ crispy chicken skin, truffle/beetroot, trout cracker, roosterkoek, bokkom butter, mosbolletjie and korrelkonfyt. The crispy chicken skin was fantastic, nothing like I expected…it was a bit like a potato crisp. Absolutely loved the roosterkoek and bokkom butter, which was not at all very fishy strangely enough.

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The first course consisted of the following options:

Baby marrow risotto, raw mushroom, cured egg yolk shavings.

Kale, broccoli, miso, seaweed.

Slow roasted carrot, cumin, pork crackling and a carrot jus

The next course consisted of:

Sweet breads, leeks and mushroom tea

Prawn confit, curry, smoked snail shavings and coconut.

Raw scallops, oyster cream, ginger, vermouth and green radish…I loved this dish, and I prefer the scallops raw as you can taste freshness.

Smoked hake, slat baked celeriac, soured onion and dill.

 

Then was the…

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Warm trout, bone marrow, cauliflower and basil

Mushroom ravioli, house made malt vinegar, parmesan…this course was one of my favourites, beautifully presented.

Leipoldtd’s springbok “rafeltjievleis”, stewed fruit, pickle onion.

Guinea fowl, spiced parsnip and fermented berry sauce.

Suckling pig, turnips, brown butter and golden delicious apple.

 

Desserts consisted of:

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Chocolate, potato

Roasted pear, burnt onion, Parmigiano-Reggiano

Banana, toasted yeast caramel and sourdough ice- cream…. a strange concept maybe but it was yummy.

Fire roasted pineapple, lemon, shiso, pineapple beer sorbet.

All the courses were hard to fault and I loved the attention to detail and intimate ambience. This venue is maybe one of the best kept secrets in Stellenbosch and I’m sure to be back. I miss their “Godfather” cocktail already.

CURRENT SPECIALS

WINTER NIGHT OUT

R1325 pp sharing

1-night accommodation in a Premier room

4-course small plate dinner at Makaron for 2 (excl. Beverages)

Breakfast for 2

Upgrade to a Garden for R600, Mountain View for R920 and Poolside for R1510. Single supplement of R520

Valid from 1 May to 30 September except for Wednesdays

T: +27 21 880 1549 | E: reservations@majekahouse.co.za

WINTER ESCAPE

R1845 pp sharing

1-night accommodation in a Premier room

Choice of a 60-minute treatment each and a 4-course small plate dinner (excl. Beverages) at Makaron for 2

Breakfast for 2

Upgrade to a Garden for R600, Mountain View for R920 and Poolside for R1510. Single supplement of R520

Valid from 1 June to 30 September except for Wednesdays

T: +27 21 880 1549 | E: reservations@majekahouse.co.za

SPRING DELIGHT

R1815 pp sharing

4-course small plate dinner (excl. Beverages) at Makaron for 2

1-night accommodation for 2 in a Premier room

Breakfast for 2

Upgrade to a Garden for R215pp, Mountain View for R665pp and Poolside for R965pp. Single supplement of R700

Full non-refundable deposit requested on reservation

Valid from 1 to 30 October 2018

T: +27 21 880 1549 | E: reservations@majekahouse.co.za

For the full album click HERE

Restaurant Info:

Majeka House * Hotel * Restaurant * Spa

26-32 Houtkapper Street,

Paradyskloof,

Stellenbosch

7600

Tel No: +27 21 880 1549.

Email: reservations@majekahouse.co.za.

Written for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Mario Arendse

Photography for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Jason “Dubbz” Petersen

This venue has to be on any self-respecting foodies to-do-list. It’s is truly a remarkable experience, and it did not land at 7th on Trip Advisors top Fine Dining Restaurants in the world by accident.

 Now, some might look at the menu and say that it is quite pricey (R1390pp for the Gourmand menu and R2290 with wine pairing), but when you consider that you’re in the presence of sheer culinary wizardry and about to embark on arguably ten of the most delicious courses you are likely to experience…all it seems is forgiven. The attention to detail is astonishing, and you feel that if you about to blink you will be missing out.

I was lucky to get to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon there, before they closed for winter renovations. I live maybe 10 min away and I can’t even recall how many times I’ve driven past the venue. It’s unassuming quite frankly. The road is narrow and winding as you make your way to the parking, with magnificent views on Constantia and surrounds.

 

Gourmand Sample Menu

R1390

with wine pairing R2290

***

Sourdough, Spiced Pork Lard, Salsa Verde

***

Tuna ‘La Colombe’

Vondeling Babiana “White Blend” 2016 (Voor-Paardeberg)

***

Scarlet Prawn, Kerala Style Sweetbreads, Snoek Dressing, Coriander And Sweet Potato

Oldenburg Viognier 2016 (Stellenbosch)

***

Korean Style Wagyu Tataki, Dukkah, Romesco, Hoisin

Rijk’s Pinotage Reserve 2014 (Tulbagh)

***

Seared Scallop, Glazed Sous Vide Pork Belly, Sweetcorn, Spiced Coconut

Kaapzicht “Bush Vine” Cinsault 2017 (Stellenbosch)

***

Lemongrass, Ginger, Watermelon, Kalamansi

***

Linefish, Chicken, Mussel, Black Forest Ham, Tarragon Velouté

Paserene Chardonnay 2016 (Elgin)

***

Lamb Loin, Braised Neck, Tenderstem Broccoli, Turnip, Pickled Red Onion,Smoked Garlic

Nicolas Van Der Merwe ‘Mas Nicolas’ Red Blend 2009 (Stellenbosch)

***

Boerenkaas, Peach, Foie Gras And Bourbon, Pecan Nut

Blaauwklippen Zinfandel Noble Late Harvest 2013 (Stellenbosch)

***

Roasted Ivoire Namelaka, Pineapple, Chamomile, Sesame, Honeycomb

Klein Constantia “Vin De Constance” 2014 (Constantia)

***

Petit Fours

***

 

Needless to say it was a lot of food and we were well and truly stuffed at the end, this was a thoroughly memorable experience. A once in a lifetime experience…

For the full album click HERE

Restaurant Info:

La Colombe Restaurant

Silvermist Wine Estate,

Main Road,

Constantia Nek,

Cape Town,

7806

Tel No: 021 794 2390

Email: reservations@lacolombe.co.za

 Written for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Mario Arendse

Photography for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Jason “Dubbz” Petersen

 

 

Quentin’s in Hout Bay is a hidden restaurant with many secrets. In saying this I am referring to the many pictures and items on display. The paintings and ornaments tell stories of Quentin the chef and owners travel throughout the world.

This was our first restaurant visit for Restaurant Week and our taste buds were dancing around already.

And now for the part that makes the evening special other than good company.

 The detail description of the dishes on the menu intrigued me. I was so looking forward to the presentation.

Starters comprised of:

Cream of Wild Cape forest mushroom soup with grated Kalahari truffle.

“90 seconds” Saldana Bay mussels. Tempested in white wine, parsley, cream and garlic.

Warm sweet potato, avocado, mango and peppadew salad with charred corn. Dressed with a spiked lime, crispy ginger, coconut and toasted macadamia nut vinaigrette.

Now you can see why I couldn’t wait to taste one of all of these dishes.

 Mains:

Roast loin of kingklip with a lemon thyme and hazelnut crust. Served with citrus infused pan juices sautéed spinach & roasted fennel seeded plum tomatoes.

Roast rack of “Calvinia” Lamb with a charred scrub-herb and whole grain mustard crust. Served with young beetroot, broken butter beans, caramelized pear wedges and red wine sauce.

Baby corn and butternut stew with coconut, lime and spinach. Served with fragrant basmati rice.

 Desert:

Soft hearted chocolate pudding with a warm blueberry compote and homemade full cream vanilla bean ice cream.

Frozen rose, pistachio, date, apricot and fig nougat served with pomegranate berries.

 

Sometimes a menu sets an expectation and the chef doesn’t deliver.

I must admit this was not the case I was presented with tantalizing dishes that wowed my taste buds.

 

Definitely a “must visit “. Quentin’s is a restaurant with a difference.

For the full album click HERE

Restaurant Info:

Quentin at Oakhurst

Dorman Way,

Hout Bay,

Cape Town,

7806

 Tel No: 021 790 4888

Email: bookings@oakhurstbarn.com

Opening Hours:  

Written for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Sharon Moodley

Photography for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Jason “Dubbz” Petersen

 

 

The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa.  Undoubtedly one of the most spectacularly situated hotels in the Mother City, the mere mention of this venue conjures up images of magnificence and luxury. This sentiment is amplified by the stunning drive there, with awesome views of the ocean adding to the excitement of having lunch at the Azure Restaurant housed at the Twelve Apostles.

Thus on a cool Freedom Day we entered the Azure Restaurant and were directed to a window table with a stunning view of the ocean.  Our waiter, who was to take good care of us in a friendly yet unobtrusive way throughout our meal, introduce the Restaurant Week 2 Course Lunch Menu which was set at R300. A 3 Course Dinner Menu would be available later for R400.

Once seated we were presented with a lovely selection of breads and a delicious salmon pate. Very enjoyable indeed.

As the lunch menu limited diners to two courses, two of our party chose starters and mains, while the other two opted for mains and dessert.  For starters we had a choice of Baby Calamari, Garden Pea Risotto or Marinated Chicken Liver Terrine. The baby calamari and garden pea risotto both proved good choices, with both presentation and taste being very pleasing.  

 

The mains option consisted of a choice of Sustainable Fish of the Day (Sea Bass), Roast Chicken and Cape Malay Vegetable Curry.  Again, the presentation of all three options was outstanding, a real visual feast. 

The fish, enjoyed by two of our party, was pronounced outstanding.  The curry, served with a variety of condiments, with basmati rice, roti and poppadum, was delicious, if a bit on the hot side.  

The roast chicken (sous vide breast, confit thigh, chicken consommé), was a bit dry, but was complemented by the pickled egg yolk, tender stem broccoli, roast shitake mushrooms and wild rice puffs.

 

Dessert was a work of art. Both the Strawberry Matcha (matcha namelaka, marshmallow, vanilla bean crème, strawberry mouse, strawberry jelly) and the Granny Smith Apple Custard (burnt apple puree, mini doughnuts, poached apples, apple jelly, smoked custard gel, crispy meringue) were very enjoyable, a real treat.

 

Lunch at the Azure, with a wonderful view and outstanding service was a delight and lived up to expectation. Executive chef Christo Pretorius and his Kitchen Brigade have created a very enjoyable menu. Perhaps, though, a display of patriotism on Freedom Day would have been appropriate?

 

For the full album click HERE

Restaurant Info:

Azure Restaurant

Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa

Victoria Road,

Camps Bay,

Cape Town,

8005

Tel No: 021 437 9029

Email: reservations1@12apostles.co.za

 Written for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Anthony Adams

Photography for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Jason “Dubbz” Petersen

 

 

This was my second visit to this venue, and it was storming on both occasions with rain bucketing down. They were votes as one of the finalists for restaurant week, so I was happy to go an experience the fare on offer.

Personally, I find the venue a little stiff and conservative…but that’s just me, I prefer a more laidback and relaxed kind of vibe, I’ll put that down purely to personal preference. The menu was quite varied this time around, and was as follows.

 

Starters:

• Aged Boland cheese soufflé, shaved parmesan and gin cheese sauce. What’s not to love, cheesy and delicate.
• Crispy calamari, tomato lime, lardon, sauce romesco. I don’t know, I found this course uninspired. The deep fried calamari was a little pedestrian for me.
• Oak valley Beef Carpaccio, rocket and basil pesto, crushed olives, parmesan shavings and a pine nut vinaigrette.

Mains:

• Pan roast line fish (which turned out to be sole), braised fennel risotto, orange chicory, buerre blanc, fennel shavings and grapefruit. The risotto was amazing, I would have preferred the entire fennel roasted as some was and some was not. The fish was ok, a little under seasoned and I would have preferred it filleted.
• Free range chicken breast, wrapped in pancetta, kale and hazelnut pesto, baby spinach, sherry cream jus. The chicken was quite dry, and maybe required a sauce.
• Asian pork belly, shitake mushrooms, bok choi and rainbow radish
• Mushroom and lentil bobotie, fruit chutney, roti and garden salad.

Dessert:

• Yoghurt panna cotta, grilled seasonal fruit, elder flower sherbet and yoghurt crispy. I didn’t enjoy this dessert; the yoghurt panna cotta didn’t work for me.
• Totally loved the Classic crème brulee with hazelnut biscotti, it’s one of my favourites.
• Finally, local handcrafted cheese board with lavash and homemade preserves, which was followed by Petit fours.

 

I was disappointed to be honest, I really enjoyed my last outing to this venue and it just seemed that every course had something missing or elements that seemed like it didn’t belong.

For the full album click HERE

Restaurant Info:

The Conservatory at The Cellars-Hohenort

93 Brommersvlei Rd,

Constantia Heights,

Cape Town,

7806

Tel No: 021 794 2137

Email: restaurantres@cellars-hohenort.co.za

Opening Hours: Daily 07:00 – 22:00

Written for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Mario Arendse

Photography for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Jason “Dubbz” Petersen

 

 

First off, this was my first Come wine with me and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the evening.  Where can I even start with this amazing restaurant “The Wild Fig”, everything was perfect. The venue (definitely an amazing venue for a date night, very romantic) the ambiance, the food and of course the wine.

The champagne was my favourite drink of the evening, maybe because I love a good champagne and it’s a bit of a weakness for me. Something I can’t say no too. The Boschendal Brut Method Cap Classique, well, what a way to start off the evening. Perfect bubbles, perfect taste.

The starter was well presented, the taste was amazing and paired well with the Boschendal Chardonnay / Pinot Noir. The portion was just enough for a starter.

 

Now we come to the main course, well to start off, I didn’t know it was Warthog that we had. I must admit, it was tasty. Was done just how I like it, medium rare. Again, presentation was stunning, and everything served with it just went amazing together. The Boschendal 1685 Shiraz just topped of the main course, paired extremely well with the warthog. Now I can tick that off my list of things I have tasted 😊

 

Dessert, to be honest I’m not a pear lover, BUT, this dessert was top class. Poached Red wine pear, WOW. That changes my view of pears 😊 Passionfruit is one of my favourite fruits, and that sorbet was a perfect match for that pear.

 

And then finally, the bubbles, Boschendal Brut Rose Method Cap Classique, Speechless!! Lol actually not, I can’t fault that anything, it was pretty amazing.

So, all in all, let’s go back to the beginning where I started writing, I said everything was perfect, do you agree?? I honestly couldn’t fault anything.  Thank you for having us.

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Come Wine With Us

Restaurant Info:

The Wild Fig Restaurant

Liesbeek Avenue,

Valkenberg Estate,

Mowbray

Tel No: 021 448 0507

Email: info@thewildfig.co.za

Opening Hours:  

Written for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Robin & Natasha Malagas

Photography for JAR PHOTOGRAPHY by Jason “Dubbz” Petersen