#HighburyHearsYou – we at Cape Town Etc are passionate about getting local restaurants back and booming in business. As part of our #HighburyHearsYou initiative, we’re dishing out the deets on some incredible restaurants in and around town.
When food is great, it’s great. What makes great food even better is a complimentary drink that when paired well, enhances an entire meal. The Radisson Blu at the V&A waterfront has mastered the art of flavour pairing, especially when it comes to curry and wine. Having visited the hotel’s eatery ourselves, we can attest to this first hand, says Cape Town Etc’s Leigh-Ann Londt.
The venue and eatery set up are stunning. It lures you in and sets you up for a luscious ocean-side experience. A welcoming chardonnay cocktail eased us into the afternoon.
On offer were three delectable curries, cooked up by the passionate, Chef Norman, who is originally from Durban. He explained his rich understanding of curry as a combination between traditional Durban and Cape Malay flavours – being mindful to pay homage to both styles. The results are simply sensational.
Each curry tasted was paired with a glass of Waterford wine, carefully selected by the famous winemaker of the estate itself, Mark Le Roux. The precise consideration of flavour-pairings was nothing short of admirable. Delicious on their own, and reinvented alongside the food itself, the mastery behind a well-oiled palate truly came to fruition under Le Roux’s direction.
From full on vegan to melt in the mouth lamb, we were treated to a full blown flavour bomb throughout the curry tasting experience.
To begin: vegan curry.
Being non-vegan, this rendition of Butter Chicken had us on the edge of our seats. Robust flavours of creamy coconut and sweet cashew draped plant-based protein had us double-checking if it was chicken. Served alongside fragrant basmati rice and sprinkled with dustings of fresh tomato and onion sambal, we couldn’t believe what we were tasting. Booming with flavour, there was absolutely nothing lacking in this incredible creation.
The Waterford Rose-Mary accompanied the meal, providing a crisp relief from the rich sauce, all while complimenting the delicate sweetness that sung throughout.
Second: chicken curry.
Round two packed a punch with hums of traditional Durban and Malay flavours. Less decadent than the Butter “Chicken”, this spicy number was lighter on sweetness, offering up a refined balance of heat and spice that was perfectly accompanied by a fresh Pecan Stream Sauvignon Blanc by Waterford.
Finally: lamb curry.
As the meal progressed, so did the level of depth in flavour. Light and sweet transitioned to big and bold as we finished off with a beautiful lamb curry cooked in a vigorous tomato-based sauce. Dots of sweet chutney harvested from the Waterford Shiraz grape provided the perfect relief to rich meatiness. The dish paired perfectly with the Waterford Pecan Stream Pebble Hill red.
To round it all off, we were presented with the Lulu dessert. Think light Chaux pastry filled with chocolate, served warm with vanilla ice cream and a decadent toffee sauce. This divine dessert was paired with a Martini prosecco champagne – simply wonderful.
The Raddison Blu Hotel Waterfront boasts a Tobago’s bar that has a happy hour daily, from 6pm – 8pm. Selected cocktails and mocktails at only R65.
Also on offer is a superb breakfast at Tobago’s restaurant. Choose anything off their A LA Carte menu or select a full offering for only R250. Sparkling wine and oysters are served on weekends only.
Bookings are essential: 021 441 3000
Picture/s: Leigh-Ann Londt