Old Mutual Wine Trophy & Wild Woods reviewed. As seen in 48 Hours.
WINE bottles now carry health warnings, especially pertinent if you’re pregnant. They don’t however warn you that your teeth will look ghoulish if you spend the day tasting red wine. I had to avert my gaze every time my eyes leapt past the Old Mutual Wine Trophy judges’ lips into their mouths, before I felt my tummy turn and again locked my eyes with theirs, desperate not to peek again at their rust-coloured teeth.
We shared a table with international wine judge Simon Tam (born in Hong Kong and raised in Adelaide) to whom I could listen to endlessly. I’m told they can’t brush their teeth immediately after tasting, as it impacts their enamel layer.
I will not be a wine judge. Not only because I refuse to walk around looking like I’ve just sunk my teeth into old, raw liver but because I didn’t really enjoy the wines we were served, all trophy winners!
I did enjoy much of the food though which I always do at Bosman’s at Grande Roche Hotel. For my taste, I want foam in my coffee and gel in my hair, and not on the plate, so items such as slow-cooked egg with bacon and pea sorbet to start or apple-vinegar gelee and apple-citrus sorbet to end don’t impress me.
The veal though, served with the most magnificent mushroom and white truffle sauce is the kind of food I want to eat, and eat, and eat.
The results are out May 16 and you can follow them in Wine Magazine, June issue.
Grande Roche Hotel & Restaurant, Paarl. 021-863-2727.
I’m an easy guy to satisfy. Give me a carafe of Bloody Mary (R60), David Bowie on the “stereo” and food at Wild Woods. It is simplistic to call the food at this Bistro simple, so let me call it honest, and respectful of ingredients. Above all, it is very good value for money. Take the sauté of sweetbreads with chorizo sausage, tomato and potatoes. I’d comfortably pay R100 for this dish but thankfully it only cost R50. For a harmonious eating experience this is cheap, at the price.
The Sunday Roast (R100) was the costliest item on the menu. There were three good slices of beef, well cooked and seasoned, roasted spuds, blanched green beans and horseradish cream. For the Yorkshire pud I was expecting a puffy pillow, crispy on the outside with just hot air inside, so was deflated by the look of the pancake, although it still tasted delicious.
The plumb crumble with custard (R40) was fresh and tartly moreish.
Coming from the deep North, as I do, a trip to Hout Bay requires forward planning and a pit stop along the way. With items such as veal and red wine croquettes (R45), Spanish-style ham (R60) on rocket, with peaches and parmesan or veal brisket with chicory, ham and gruyere gratin (R80), I’m heading back much sooner than I ever expected. I’ve also been dreaming of their peanut butter and jam ice cream sundae. I’ve eaten at many restaurants where Pete Goffe-Wood is either in the kitchen or part owner. Here he seems his most relaxed and skilled. Thankfully, without a gel or foam in sight.
Wild Woods, Hout Bay (next to Chapman’s Peak Hotel) 021-791-1166.
Brian Berkman writes about luxury travel and dining out. See www.BrianBerkman.com or follow BrianBerkmanZA on Twitter for dish-by-dish updates.
[23-Apr-10]
Brian Berkman
Lets try once again and hope that you actually respond this time aroudn. It would be great if your reviews were archived in date order. No use me clicking on a restaurant and find out if was done years ago.
[24-Apr-10]
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