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Quarterdeck at GrandWest and Karibu at V&A Waterfront. (27-Nov-09)

BUFFETS bring out the worst combination of competitiveness and greed in me – as if the vast table of plenty is a finishing line that must be, well, finished.

Having dining options is essential for those of us who are forced into a limit diet. As a diabetic, I like being able to select my own combination of things. The increasing numbers of celiac sufferers, lactose intolerant, vegetarian and vegans even will be able to work their way through a buffet easier than ordering a la carte.
For variety and value for money The Quarterdeck at GrandWest cannot be beat. I found the food quality and flavour hit and miss, but equally found gems such as the tripe curry and spicy beef curry on their Cape Malay section that are worthy of a visit.

Like a vulture that floats on the heat currents waiting for the cats to finish their kill, I scan the entire buffet offering before settling where to begin the slow tango past the laden sections of the supermarket-sized selection. Best is to start with cold dishes that offer a sour note to prepare the mouth for warmer, heartier dishes to follow.
I recommend the simple salad station where you can create and dress your own green and vegetable salad. The sour note will come in the form of herrings prepared in mustard, with apples and tomatoes, dill or creamed.

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Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa & Premiere Restaurant (20-Nov-09)

CAPE COASTAL cuisine is the focus of the fine-dining Premiere restaurant at the Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa near Kleinmond.
The Premiere is an elegant room with floor-to-ceiling windows and calming blue hues. We sat down to dinner as the last rays of the sun peeked over the mountains and through the trees around the golf course. I thought immediately of those heavily framed pictures of Abraham receiving the Law from on high.

There’s a large tropical fish tank which reflects into the windows at night giving the illusion of eating inside an aquarium. Service from largely local folk is elegantly formal and I found all the staff knew the menu and wine selection well.

Local wines are flagged with a whale icon on the menu that extensively covers the Walker Bay and nearby Elgin wine areas. Food emphasis is also on local produce like Villiersdorp Smokehouse Cheddar soufflé (R75) served with Willowcreek olive chutney, prune puree and but perhaps the South American Chimmi Churri herb sauce is a little too far West, me thinks. The soufflé may be small, but it packs a palate-punching Cheddar hit.

Although plated with style and flair, the tuna done three ways doesn’t deliver the mouth feel of freshly-caught yellow-fin tuna. Expect an elegant, rectangular plate with the tuna tempura (deep-fried in a crispy batter), tartare (finely chopped raw) and tataki, grilled with black and white sesame seeds. The wasabi and cucumber gels that accompany this dish are a good idea, but don’t work in practice, keeping neither the nose-bleed horseradish intensity nor silky coolness it promises.

Order the saddle of Karoo lamb for two (R175). Roasted whole, the saddle comes to the table on a carving board and is dissected with surgical precision into two portions, sliced and served tableside. JP managed not to eat the lamb crackling, but I was seduced by the smell and glistening, burnished brown.

An excellent fava bean and mint soufflé accompanies the dish together with slow-roasted vine tomatoes and roasted garlic. We also asked for a portion of their divine mushroom risotto, perfectly cooked.

Top marks too for the dessert, a dense orange and earl-grey tea tarte with lemon curd and hazelnut brittle that evokes a drive through Citrusdal, when the orange trees are in bloom.

The local selection of artisan cheeses, served with home-made cumin oatcakes and apricot chutney, didn’t disappoint either. Both R55. 

Despite the great architectural appeal of this luxury resort property, and its location overlooking the Botriver lagoon, food in the past has been the low point. F&B manager Wayne Siepman and chef Christian Rose have now raised the bar by serving cuisine in line with the hotel’s five-star status.

Breakfast at Jamani Restaurant (family-style dining) was also an improvement on previous stays. I focused on the freshly-baked bagels with salmon, capers and cream cheese and ethereal croissants. A few glasses of their carrot and ginger juice and beetroot and apple concoction felt like ample punishment for the previous night’s excess.

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Secret Hour a Westin Grand & Lover's Picnic. First published in 48 Hours. (02-Nov-09)

COUPLES therapy may be just the thing to resolve conflict and reintroduce intimacy, but for around the same money, I venture a Secret Hour spa and lunch experience at the Westin Grand or a romantic picnic along Chapman’s Peak will do the trick quite as well.
There is something in the collaborative naughtiness of stealing away from work during the day for a pamper session that already ratchets up desire.

The Westin Grand has made it easy, offering a 90-minute slot for a 45-minute spa treatment such as a back, neck and shoulders massage, a mini cleansing and moisturizing facial or manicure/pedicure. If you both choose the back treatment, ask for a couple’s treatment room with two beds.

Hugely appealing is that unlike many spas where the sauna and steam facilities are gender specific, here you and your partner can enjoy the experience together. I think just sitting in the spa pool with bustling Cape Town 19-floors beneath gives a new perspective - sometimes just what we all need. The Parisian Anne Semonin and Island Ligne St Barth ranges are exclusively available to the Arabella Spas and are top notch botanical-rich products.

Now it’s off to lunch at the intimate Westin Executive Club restaurant, also on the 19th floor adjacent to the Arabella spa. Two-courses are included in the Secret Hour package and I was blown away by the food with a Thai curry better than at local Thai restaurants. I’ve eaten there a few times over the years but this visit was the best – perhaps I was feeling so relaxed after my massage I was viewing everything through rose-tinted glasses.We had a marvelous time!
It costs R950 for you and your partner and valet parking is included. The offer is valid Monday to Fridays and pre-booking is essential. To book your secret lunch hour, contact Arabella Spa at The Westin Grand Cape Town 021 412 8200 or visit www.arabellaspa@westincapetown.co.za

Even when Chapman’s Peak is closed, the scenic portion reached from Hout Bay is open.
Because access is controlled (its free for day trippers) the picnic areas are pristine and the view of Hout Bay’s crescent bay and towering Sentinel mountain, not to mention the azure ocean beneath, is achingly beautiful.
You could, of course, pack your own, but considering this is about romance, get the Picnic Company to rustle up their Lover’s Picnic for two for R520 (ex delivery). You’ll love the artichoke and lime pate and red pepper hummus before spicing things up with spicy Thai beef salad. Your package also includes cous cous salad, kitka rolls filled with smoked salmon, crème fraiche and caper berries, cheeses with homemade grape preserve, biscuits, fruit salad, pecan nut pies and baby Champs. They pack everything you’ll need to picnic including cheeseboards, cutlery, plastic Champagne flutes and wet wipes, even a scented plastic bag to toss debris into the bin. Ask Tammy Clucus to email you their menu.

They’ve thought of themed picnics for every occasion – from a day at the beach or visiting the tastes of District Six. If you’re planning to blow the bank, there’s even a Once in a Lifetime picnic from R2200 that includes crayfish salad with caviar and a bottle of Moet Champagne.
Picnic Company
021-706-8470,
www.picnics.co.za

 

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