The Tasting Room - 27/07/2012

  'Bites' - squid ink rocks to die for, the exterior seems to melt away and relapse the foam that washes over your tastes buds to complete the experience. Chakalaka cigars with pap takes second place with regard to flavour, the other items - olive wafer with green olive marshmellow and foie gras slab lacked flavour but completed the general 'sweet' theme of the 'bites'

 Bread - brilliantly displayed in pilchard tins. Light fluffly consistency. Salted caramel butter a treat for that makes your taste buds salivate without control. Great combination.

Served on, as David puts it ' a slate roof tile' the beetroot 'ball' with a cucumber and dill granita and labneh 'smudge' was a little on the salty side and the spinach centre was lost in the full flavour of the beetroot. As a combination texture wise - very creative but not a winner when it comes to taste.

The salad... The only word to describe this is... Interesting. The nasturtiums have a slightly over powering sour taste but are complemented by the woody flavour of the beetroot (which was part of our previous course.) Not an overly fantastic course...as it left that strange after sour feeling on my teeth

 The next one might alarm some - nettle broth with artichoke done 3 ways. The diced artichoke added a crunchy texture to the broth which was a little on the salty side. The smoky flavour of the pan fried artichoke was a welcome change as was the creamy artichoke custard, again not an overwhelming success.

What can I say about the next course... (Green sick bbm face) I am not a fan of oysters, raw, cooked or half way in between. Luckily my dish was salvaged by a oyster vichyssoise and roasted cos lettuce crumble. Hubby had curry dusted kingklip which he descirbed as well prepared. The variety of textures complementing each other fantastically.

Guinea fowl - not so bad - quite tender, again a bit salty. The white liquorice puree added an interesting flavour which was a lot like beef stock. The quail - or midget quail was flavourful and was topped off with the granola, sweet corn puree and a pea dusted quail egg. A beautiful colour filled dish.

Wildebeest loin was tender and excellently cooked. It was accompanied by carrot 3 ways with celeriac puree. Very well salted and an exceptional course. The lamb cheek with aubergine puree, fermented garlic 'puree' and crispy tongue was the winner of the two. The combination of textures alone was something to write home about. Great course.

The cheese course: very interesting combination of flavours in both dishes. The salt and vinegar flings were excellently paired with a Languedoc (lankydak) custard. The other cheese plate - with grueye was expertly paired with a combination of nuts, currents and rusk pieces. Very rich, but incredibly tasty.

Dessert - a feast for both the eyes and taste buds. A dome of thin chocolate dissipating with the addition of a hot bitter butterscotch sauce. One melted a ball of snow white coconut ice cream is revealed.

Resting on a bed of caramelized macadamia nuts and sheltering a sweet boabab fruit centre. The other dessert was not lacking either. The silky smooth texture of the chocolate breaking the crisp chocolate granita. Although the holy basil was not my favourite, it was immensely enjoyed by David.

After dinner sweets consisted of a coffee ganache topped with a shell of meringue, portraying the illusion of a mushroom and a mussel tin filled with candyfloss and bite size jelly treats. Great way to end the meal.

For R770 it is quite pricey, but worth it to experience world class fine dining.