Lunch at Delaire Graff's Indochine

Vineyards going right up the mountain behind Delaire Graff on Helshoogte Pass

Dark wood and superb views in the foyer of Indochine Restaurant

The Menu

Tempura fritters with two asian dipping sauces with the compliments of the chef

A very smoky view of Table Mountain from Delaire Graff because of the forest fires in Franschhoek and Paarl

Lynne and Tanja  MacKay-Davidson at our table on the lovely cool breezy terrace

Smoke billowing up from the horrendous forest fire

Katherine, the sommelier showing us the Delaire Cabernet Franc Rosé

Which John had with his starter

Tanja’s mushroom broth

Lynne’s starter of Chicken Lataing with a Penang egg net. Like a sushi roll, the egg net of crisp deep fried egg encases the spicy chicken and fresh herbs with counterpoints of small squares of citrus jelly, lemon slices and is sprinkled with crisp cashew nut brittle.

John chose the crispy Ponzu duck also with cashew nut brittle and citrus jelly

For her main course, Lynne had the Red Thai duck breast with fresh litchis, coconut and ginger. They warned us that the curries could be very spicy and that they could cool them down, if we wanted, by the addition of coconut milk, but we both like a bit of heat and didn't find either very hot.

The curry sauces are interactive. You pour them over your dish yourself. This was Tanja’s vegetarian curry main course

John's Main course of Rogan Josh

Three side dishes of mushroom dumplings, small crisp spring rolls together with three dipping sauces and an aubergine stir fry,  with a portion of steamed rice.

John's dessert: Banana and white chocolate spring rolls served with banana caviar, a chocolate praline ice cream and nut fudge, a tour de force!

Inside the restaurant - on a very warm Monday, even with air conditioning, everyone was on the verandah

Lynne's delightful pot of herb and flower tea  and a double espresso for John

Executive chef Christaan Campbell

The cool foyer is full of very interesting art and sculpture

A sculpture over one of the koi ponds, which Lynne covets

Another view of the fire heading for Paarl

from the stunningly beautiful vineyards at Delaire Graff

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013

Breedekloof dinner at the Cullinan

Guests gathering in the foyer before dinner

There are many very different interpretations to semi formal dress in Cape Town

The large banqueting hall was just large enough to accommodate the large guest list

We begin to take our seats 

Mike and Renée Bampfield-Duggan of Wine Concepts

The very brief menu

The first white wine was Slanghoek Cellar’s 2012 Chenin Blanc

Melody Botha, CEO of Breedekloof Wine & Tourism, tells us why the dinner is being held and what the proceedings will be

The first round, of four wines per course, to pair with dinner is poured

We are introduced to Personal chef Neill Anthony who has perfected his skills over the past 10 years in London in the kitchens of Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road, Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, Alyn Williams at The Groucho Club and Les Trois Garçons.

Monika Elias and Graham Howe

Lauren Cohen of Corporate Image PR agency with Tobey du Toit.

Duimpie Bayly introduced the area and the wines

Our first course was a salmon trout tartare on a crisp flaky pastry disc with fennel and dill and an olive oil mousseline. The wine which matched this course the best for us was the very interesting De Hageveld 2011 from Deetlefs Estate - a blend of 75% Semillon, 17% Chardonnay, 8% Sauvignon Blanc which stood up the saltiness of the dish

Elsie Pels CWM introduces the next flight of wines

Higgo Jacobs, sommelier at Catharina's at Steenberg, watched the pouring of the first four red wines to match the second course

Cathy and Kevin Marston

Guests listening to information about the wine

Maryna Strachan, editor of Wine Extra, tells us about the next flight

Goudini Shiraz 2011; Waboomsrivier Arboras 2010 and Groot Eiland Shriaz/Pinotage 2011

We listened and we tasted

Our second course was a play on Pap en Vleis and was more of an amuse in size than a main course. It consisted of a small square of smooth parmesan polenta, thin slices of dried salted pork belly and some tomato and onion relish.

Dr Winnie Bowman tells Lisa Boshoff and Higgo Jacobs how she got involved 

and then she talked  to us all about the wines she tasted on the panel and those we would be served

Melody Botha, CEO of Breedekloof Wine & Tourism

A lovely surprise was the presence of Tsogo Sun group sommelier Miguel Chan, who had flown down from Johannesburg specially for the function.

A duo of springbok with roast potatoes, tender green beans, flaked almonds and strangely red chilli slices on a puree and a jus was the main course.  A small loin fillet rather dry (but then they were feeding 150 people) was accompanied by a haché of slow cooked springbok formed into a round cake.

Pouring out one wine so the glasses are ready for the next

Ina Smith, Manager of the Chenin Blanc Association, tells us about the dessert wines to come

Some of the wines we tasted

Maggie Mostert of Batonage

The chefs ‘plate’ the dessert

Maggie Mostert and Hennie Coetzee of Batonage

Christian and Jane Eedes chatting to Dr Winnie Bowman

Tasting the dessert wines while waiting for dessert to be served

CWM Alan Mullins, who always has a smile

Lauren Cohen, Tobey du Toit and Sommelier Miguel Chan

Dessert was described as Broken Milk Tart with passion fruit, but what arrived was a coupe dish with a sweet custard, a passion fruit mousse and fresh passion fruit pulp. It was supported by the excellent Badsberg Badlese 2009, a natural sweet made from Chenin Blanc

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013