Think Radisson Blu and you think upscale sophistication and excellent service. But this doesn’t just extend to the international chain’s hotel and resort offerings. At Cape Town’s Radisson Blu Le Vendome, the cuisine at hotel restaurant La Mer stands up to the rest of the property’s standards.
With Executive Chef Chad Inder at its helm (he also oversees the dining offering at Park Inn by Radisson in Rondebosch), the menu has undergone a refurbishment to match the hotel’s current revamp. La Mer’s interior will see a change as well, heading towards a more steampunk aesthetic but it’s the food that proves to be a real treat with the menu changing every three months.
The most recent offering features Mediterranean cuisine, fusing flavours from Spain, Morocco and Greece – but with a decidedly homely bent. In a move away from fine dining, Chef Inder serves up meals that still look and taste exquisite but feel more light and nuanced.
Start off with a nice and tangy Moroccan chicken soup that’s balanced with the addition of cream cheese, a Spanish beef and bean stew or – what the chef describes as the most simple dish on the menu – a beef fillet bourgeois that features bacon in its creamy sauce.
For mains, opt for grilled sea bass on jasmine savoury rice with roasted peppers and lemon thyme cream sauce that will leave you both satisfied and in want of another portion, pan-seared duck or pork belly accompanied by wilted spinach, black beans and maraschino cherries that’s every bit as good as it sounds. If you find you’ve still got room for dessert, treat yourself with the dreamy rooibos creme brûlée with rooibos-vanilla mousse and marinated gooseberries, deep-fried mint and beetroot, a signature ingredient by Chef Inder.
OF NOTE
When 1 April – 30 June
Where La Mer Restaurant & Grill, Radisson Blu Le Vendome Hotel, 14 London Road, Sea Point
Cost According to menu
Contact 021 826 5100, radissonblu.com
Photography Courtesy images