Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Mandela Day tasting at Kitima’s new venture, Raya's Kitchen presented by KRP Wines

Kathy and Dane Raath have a good list of wines and beers which they represent in the trade and this was a chance to taste these together with samples of the food at the recently opened Raya's Kitchen. This new Asian restaurant, serving authentic food from the East, is in Mandela Rhodes Place with entrances on Wale and Church Street in Town. Kitima in Hout Bay is very popular and now you can experience some of the food here in town. You will find some of the wines which KRP represent on their menu. Have a look at their website http://rayakitchen.co.za/
Lots of glass and vertiginous stairs to the other levels
The chef had produced these superb carvings from vegetables - butternut and pumpkin and radish 'roses'. And you could sample two of the dim sum dumplings on the menu, a prawn and an unusual herb spinach and cream cheese. We will definitely be back to try more
Tasting at Beaumont's stand with winemaker Sebastian Beaumont were Mike Bamfield Duggan and Michael Pownall, both sampling to buy. The Hope Marguerite Chenin is showing so well, as usual
Johan Kruger makes the wines on his lawyer father Andre's farm Sterhuis in the Bottelary valley in Stellenbosch. We tasted his excellent 5 star Platter Barrel fermented Chardonnay and his new Noble Late Harvest Stroopsoet (syrup sweet) 2015 which is in superb balance with the 135 gm of residual sugar and good fruit acids
 Michael Pownall with Sandra and Philip Engelen
Van Zyl du Toit and Ansgar Flaatten of Allee Bleue. We liked their raspberry flavoured Pinotage MCC a lot. It is elegant, dry and fruity
Llewellyn Jepson with Teddy and Doreen Hall. Teddy produces a great Reserve Chenin Dr Jan Cats 2011 with lovely layers, grippy chalky tannins and the ability to enhance food. His Sauvignon Blanc has lovely figgy notes
Johan Kruger with his Stroopsoet Noble Late Harvest
 Teddy Hall and Pardon Taguzu, sommelier at Aubergine Restaurant, swapping addresses - or is this a different technique for face to face communicating?
Platters of snacks were circulating. These small wafers were stuffed with sweet corn and chicken
And lots of rather hot spring rolls with a soy dipping sauce
Dane Raath in the busy tasting room upstairs
Johan Kruger and Bouchard Finlayson winemaker Chris Albrecht
Duck salad on a spoon was lovely and fresh
Vegetable spring rolls with a sweet chilli sauce, also heat hot
Sisters Lidia and Linda Nobrega of the Chapmans Peak Hotel
Voted by everyone we spoke to as the best dish of the evening, chocolate stuffed spring rolls. You had to do these in one bite or they dripped everywhere. Very good chocolate was used
And Panko crumbed fish and prawn balls on skewers
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

No comments:

Post a Comment