Mint at the Taj - First Friday of the month "Taste" dinner

The wines we were tasting were Bartinney’s Sauvignon Blanc BWI, Avondale Cyclus Blend BWI, Waverley Hills organic Shiraz Rose, and their Shiraz and Boekenhoutskloof Wolftrap Red, Boplaas Muscadel

At the monthly dinner you can enjoy a free tasting of selected wines before dinner and then you can pay for a glass of one you like

Lynne chats to Beverage Manager Tatiana Marcetteau and the sommelier

First ‘course’ good bread and olive tapenade

Their modern version of a Caprese salad. Restaurant-made mozzarella ‘string’ cheese with tomato chips, basil jelly and rocket

Soup comes in two parts.  First you have the roughly puréed artichoke quenelle. 

Then they add the thick and really smooth Jerusalem artichoke soup. Delicious. It had an earthy taste from some celeriac which the chef added.

Restaurant manager Ansolette Andov and Director of Food and Beverage Willem du Toit discuss the concept with Lynne

Next were spicy calamari polpetti with lemon pepper dressing

The restaurant has a very comfortable, modern and leisurely feel.  The wine tasting was happening in front of the glassed in kitchen.

The barbecue option. Beef Spare ribs in a sweet and sticky vanilla and sesame sauce. The chicken wings have Asian notes and a nice heat. Served with a cooling dipping sauce

Light as a feather gnocchi in a three cheese sauce. We will be back for more of these. Reminiscent of the wonderful light gnocchi they used to serve at L’Aperitivo before it closed

We chat with the chef Lyall Abrahams

Grilled Franschhoek trout served with soft and creamy griddled polenta and mange tout

Starting to flag a little! Soft as butter and perfectly pink ostrich fillet Bordelaise with spinach, calvados apples and a tart tatin of artichokes. Marvellous wine sauce with a lovely level of pepper crusting.

A citrus Assiette: a rich creamy Orange parfait with strips of candied peel, carbonated lemon sorbet on a mango pure and a lime cloud in a tiny cup which was sharp and fluffy. This was perfectly matched with the Boplaas muscadel.

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2013