Rossouws Restaurants - the independent guide to eating in South Africa » Posts

The Guinea Fowl, Stellenbosch

JPR — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:47:02 +0000

Saxenburg has a formidable reputation for its Shirazes, and a recent visit to the restaurant on the farm – called The Guinea Fowl in homage to that beloved of tea houses, tourist curios and continentals – happily gave us a big selection of back vintages at great prices. The menu is a curiousity: German meets Asian meets South African with a whole lot of… Guinea Fowl mixed in. It’s eclectic and idiosyncratic and so seriously out of step with the quotidian salad, steak, pasta menus of the country that its even refreshing… but its mitigated by the room, which is a rather alarming blend of terracotta, vivid orange cloths and sunflower walls. I found myself looking out the window for comfort, but here you regrettably see the urban sprawl of Kuilsriver etc. On one of the coldest days of winter thusfar, a fire in the fireplace would also have been great.

Informed that the chef really enjoys cooking fish, and encouraged by the fact that one can have a half portion of line fish as a starter, we tried this – kingklip served with lemon creamed mash and seasonal vegetables (R89); as well as a starter portion of bouillabaisse (R75). The fish was beautifully cooked, the broth of the bouillabaisse delivered on the menu’s promise of Pernod flavours, while the seafood herein was also deftly cooked, especially the fantastic prawns, simply blanched in the broth.

Mains: liver in onion (R119), again with a mash (as before, piped, for a seriously classicist look), and seasonal vegetables (same as fish, and same as, it turned out, on the other main – come to think of it, same as in the bouillabaisse) that were crisp and turned. Good liver, though, curiously, sliced. Another main was the fusion fun of guinea fowl marinated in “Brazilian” coffee and whisky, served with a bacon and dried prune addition, plus mash, etc (R159) – this was tender and accurately cooked, quite like a “coq au vin”, though the endless fun promised by the flavour combinations was a bit of a let-down. The only crash of the meal was the rooibos “tea”-ramisu – dry and flavourless and not a steal at R79.

Service was fair and friendly, until they began relentlessly to push us towards dessert and coffee, even though our wine was still well in glass. When we got round to the espresso, it was decent.

In sum: Ambience weird, perhaps wonderful depending on your sense of colour, and somewhat lacking in comfort; service adequate; food very consistently cooked and sound but too expensive; wine list great for price and for lovers of vintage bottles.

Saxenburg Wine Farm, Polkadraai Rd (M12), Kuilsriver

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Restaurant reviewing and the blogosphere

JPR — Tue, 25 May 2010 11:34:17 +0000

Quite unexpectedly, a recent blog review posted on this site has opened a vigorous to-and-fro. While important issues were raised, much of the initial conversation was based on a mis-understanding of how Rossouw’s Restaurants works. As stated in the introduction above, the website that you are reading complements the printed Rossouw’s guide. For both the printed guide and all reviews here, restaurant visits are conducted anonymously; and all meals are paid for. As for this website, and its blogs, all content is written by myself, the editor, and opinions expressed are my own. If this is ever not the case it will be clearly noted.

The printed guide in book form encompasses research from over South Africa and more than 500 restaurants per year, and here a team of inspectors is utilised. These reviewers all follow the same guidelines to strive for independent and informative assessments. The use of a team of selected reviewers is in line with practise the world over. It would be a physical impossibility for one person, as editor, to visit every restaurant, every year. My inspectors also add the value of giving a second and sometimes third opinion on a restaurant to balance and improve reviews. This approach has always been clearly explained in the printed guide – which preceded the website and its blog by four years.

Much was recently raised over the value and role of the blogosphere in reviewing restaurants, and this debate is important. These are some of my thoughts:

1. It is my opinion that blog reviews and/or comments should carry the person’s real name (for responsibility) and that reasons (i.e. facts or examples) should be given to back up all opinions expressed. In this way, other readers – and indeed the restaurateur – can see how conclusions are reached and people can in turn debate issues constructively.

2. Reviews should also be paid for by the reviewer and not be based on a “freebie” or an invitation. Reviews written from an experience that was a “soft opening” or any hosted event should be introduced as such, so that the reader realises this may not be a typical experience.

3. It is also true that restaurants should ideally not be “reviewed” within days of opening – what the ideal post-opening ”grace” period is is a matter for discussion; but on the other hand a restaurant that is open and taking your real money is immediately accountable. Having said that, early reviews can again explain to the reader that they are such, and some latitude should be allowed for.

4. The web is a great place to read all kinds of opinions – and this is also its danger – you don’t always know whose opinion it is or much about the person making it. A distinction should be drawn between professional restaurant reviews (i.e. where people make a living from it) and those that are written by non-professionals. Simply because there is more invested when you owe your livelihood to it. One could (hopefully should) also expect a higher level of expertise and experience as well as more considered engagement.

5. It’s self-evident, but worth noting again, that a blog review is bound to a certain point in time. That is why a post on this blog is never the “last word” on a restaurant but an impression of its offering at this point in time. A printed review in a yearly guide is an impression that means to capture data over a longer period and is also based on multiple visits, over the course of many years – for restaurants, consistency and longevity are true signs of both quality, value and (therefore) success.

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DW Eleven-13, Dunkeld West

JPR — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 06:39:11 +0000

There’s a cool bar area alongside this mod resto, and there’s a jazzy soundtrack. Monochromes meet modular plastic white chairs and high dark leather ones, dark wood tables, mod Afro touches. It’s all very elegant, but also sparse. A small wine list with a reasonable selection, but no vintages, quite a few by glass, and utterly silly descriptions.

The waitress is lovely but uses “nice” a good deal to describe the menu, which is disconcerting. She is then very, very slow to bring the wine, and continues to leave us a little too long at every opportunity, even more disconcerting. The menu claims a “moorish” soup which was actually a broccoli soup this night. Other starters include seared foie gras, a confit tomato and goat’s cheese tart, prawn ragu. For mains, roast chicken with mash (pommes purée mind you), lamb rack and rib eye and “triple cooked” chips. So all in all the food here is based on bistro classics and the cooking turned out to be very competent, with classic saucing. Much of the food tasted of the primary ingredient, eg chicken and mash was just so, the broccoli soup too. Good house cured salmon with curry oil, a fine risotto. Orange tart with choc sorbet good, Eton mess too.

Overall a good meal, it’s just the fact that they’re often pretty quiet that needs to be remedied (tucked away location), and the lunch specials with wine on Tues-Sun at R115 for two courses should help. Check it out.

Dunkeld West Shopping Centre, Jan Smuts and Bompas. 011 341 0663

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River Café, Constantia refreshed

JPR — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:53:15 +0000

Constantia Uitsig’s River Café has had a shake-up of late – and it’s a promising one. As a south peninsula favourite, it has a strong pedigree, but in the last while it has slid into a groove of ordinariness that exposed the menu prices. Yet, it’s lovely bucolic setting and garden spaces continued to draw the punters, many of a mature mien as the place has always had something of a tea house character to it. Now Luke Dale-Roberts of sister restaurant La Colombe has taken charge and UK-experienced chef Scot is leading the renaissance with his signature fish pie and pecan tart.

It’s a small one page menu printed on A4 paper to change as often as required. Interesting ideas sit alongside tried and tested dishes – so a fresh apricot, feta and rocket salad with walnut dressing as a starter joins niçoise and Caesar salads; while for mains a fillet with Bearnaise, rosemary fries and a cauliflower and Gorgonzola gratin shares space with a dish consisting of grilled asparagus and porcini mushrooms, poached duck egg, artichoke cream, bacon and parsley dressing.

The Caesar salad was as close to textbook as SA gets, all the correct ingredients. My only quibble were the rather dark bacon bits, but the poached egg was a thing of beauty and the portion large. I’d heard that Scot insisted on keeping his fish pie (named “classic fish pie”) on the menu so I ordered it, though I was sorely tempted by the 100% rib eye burger. The pie came with its own generous side salad and it was a cloud of light but crusted potato covering the creamy, fresh fish and prawns. The flavours were mild, but pure.

Service was outstanding, courteous and on the button – with one glitch. On arrival I visited the gents to find the soap pretty spent. Informed my waiter, then at the end of the meal thought I’d check, not replenished.

Wine list is mainly estate own, also by the carafe, but this is supplemented by a small list of other wines. Overall, the prices strike one as being on the high side, but portions are generous, so value is fair. Starters (often enough for a light meal) sit at R50-R88; mains R85-R125. I finished (or rather was finished) by the pecan nut tart, with home-made vanilla ice cream – it was excellent and again big.

So certainly worth a turn, or to put back on your visit list. Coffee also been much improved, so that’s also an option.

Daily breakfast and lunch. Constantia Uitsig Farm,Spaanschemat River Road. 021 794 3010

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Rossouw’s 2010 is imminent

JPR — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:31:49 +0000

Rossouw’s Restaurants 2010 is nearly here. As ever, there are many new restaurants reviewed, as well as multiple improvements – especially to the lists and the cross-referencing utility. For the first time, Rossouw’s also weighs in on the scene in Kwa-Zulu Natal. And there are some exciting newcomers to the Three Star list.

The guide should be in stores from early November, but you can make sure you get yours speedily by placing an order here.

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East Head Café, Knysna

JPR — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:18:15 +0000

A pretty new spot, run by Jerome, who used to operate Cruise Café – this “beach house” has a fabulous position overlooking the Heads and the interior is bright and cheerful, with big windows to capitalise on one of the world’s finest locations. In white wood and stabs of colour, it’s comfortable and unpretentious, as is the friendly service and casual menu with all-day breakfasts, sandwiches and lunches like gourmet burgers, fish and chips or daily specials. I tried the battered hake and chips and it was a fine result for R54, though the espresso was ordinary. A really great spot to while away a morning or afternoon with friends (I preferred it to the Cornutti across the way), assisted by a quirky and personal wine list as well as liquid breakfasts…

Breakfast and lunch daily. 044 384 0933

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Nova goes supernova, closes

JPR — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:20:08 +0000

Sadly, Nova – the exciting restaurant where Richard Carstens created his food art – has closed. I know there is a recession, but it is tough to see progressive restaurants close while the run-of-the-mill keep on trucking. In the last year, Platine shut its doors, recently the Showroom and now Nova. These were all restaurants that pushed the boundaries of cuisine – and although there will always be a smaller market for places like these, it is something of an indictment of Cape Town’s diners that they stayed open for so short a time.

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Rossouw’s Restaurants Three Star Celebration

JPR — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:06:22 +0000

Last night, the 13 restaurants that were awarded the highest accolade of three stars in the printed 2009 Rossouw’s Restaurants guide were invited to a celebration at Rust en Vrede for a short ceremony where I handed them a commemorative certificate followed by the appropriate celebration: a relaxed four course meal. Interestingly, this event nearly co-incided with my very first meal at Rust en Vrede a year ago and the “less is more” philosophy of the restaurant still impresses and delights – my thanks to David Higgs and the team for a superb evening.

The 13 three star winners are (in alphabetical order): Aubergine (Cape Town); Bosman’s at Grande Roche (Paarl); Butcher Shop and Grill (Sandton); Ile de Païn (Knysna); Jardine (Cape Town); La Colombe (Constantia); Magica Roma (Pinelands); Mariana’s (Stanford); The Tasting Room (Franschhoek); Thomas Maxwell Bistro (Sandton); Ritrovo (Pretoria); Rust en Vrede (Stellenbosch); Zachary’s (Knysna).

The event was co-hosted by StreetSmart, the charity that’s featured in the guide and which helps street children through the donations of diners at participating restaurants. You can see which restaurants support StreetSmart here. It’s a fast growing group, and if you are a restaurateur, why not consider signing up?

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Meloncino, V&A Waterfront

JPR — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:24:08 +0000

“Chefs imported from Italy” tells the menu at this stylish and vibrant waterfront Italian with large bar and fashion tv, deck with superb views of Table Mountain. The menu ranges through pasta, pizza and grills, but manages to suggest that the quality is going to be better than so many dozens of all-round Italians (a more modern approach, and the presence of Italian owners gave this impression). It is, but not so much to put in into a “must visit” category. Pizza is good, salads ordinary, pastas engage in some interesting directions like spaghetti with a chicken and pistachio “ragu” – but the spaghetti was overcooked. Veal saltimbocca is average, and the dish of the day was a seafood soup packed with flavour and a good few bits from the “mare” – a starter at R79 but easily a meal for the less famished.

021 419 5558

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Richard Carstens’ Nova

JPR — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:52:24 +0000

“Very, very nice” is not the phrase I would have expected to hear to describe a dish on Richard Carstens’ new menu at his new restaurant, Nova. Rather “elegant” or “precise,” “surprising” or “bizarre” – for all of these could describe some of the creativity that goes into his food. But last night the waitress said “very, very nice,” so one area where Nova can improve is clear.

The space is calming, white and subtly floral, it feels sophisticated even for the aircon that still sticks out and the un-ironed table cloths. That city-chic, not quite precise, sophistication. The menu has a rather awkward intro to Carstens, known as SA’s molecular chef (though he chooses not to be pigeon-holed, saying this is merely another tool in the box), that relates his awards and explains what a degustation menu is.

Said menu is R325 per head before wine, and The Hungry Man and I tried a few dishes from it, before moving into items from the main menu. The “Frozen Citric Dome” contains curiousities like caramelised caviar and melon seed milk, all liberally topped with one of the foams that are a constant signature here. It was a fresh and tantalising dish but I really loved the “Oyster” with its sesame pudding and lemongrass flavours. On the main menu we tried “Tomato” which was a fantastical collection of tomato: whole, pieces, ices and dried. The overly salty though soft “Calamari” was offset by the superb texture of dry risotto and crunchy mange tout; and a melon soup was delicious.

The mains we tried were the “Duck” in an Asian idiom, lacquered, with mushroom and mint and then back to the degustation for the “Veal” which rested on a gelatine strip of stock (a “stock sheet”) and was redolent of truffle. Both mains featured perfectly cooked meats. We added the “Asparagus” to our mains – another intense and pure hit of flavour.

“Chocolate” (a recognisable mousse with cardamom ice cream) and a very playfully re-invented pannacotta that would have purists wobbly rounded our feast off. Well not quite, since I felt obliged to try the espresso (just a coffee), which was poor – but in all this was a fabulously rewarding food experience. Not for the faint-hearted and certainly not for the conservative eater, this is adventurous dining. Carstens does capture many essential flavours very accurately and one can only be amazed at the expertise and precision in the construction of these dishes.

Nova. Below Relish on upper Buitengracht. 021 422 3584

Just don’t be tempted, as we were, by a pre-dinner drink upstairs at Relish. It’s pretty shabby.

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