A family birthday always means a food celebration in our house and, last weekend, we went to try out the Winter Special at La Mouette for daughter Clare's birthday. We would thoroughly recommend this! It was indeed a feast and rather good value
La Mouette introduced Cape Town to these delicious light croquettes and have not been able to take them off their menu because they are so popular. Lynne's had a lovely hint of truffle oil and the outside was crisp with a savour creamy centre, while garlic infused aioli added another dimension
The bread served was excellent and it was very hard to hold back, knowing that several more courses were to follow. Soft baps of light white bread with chives and a good brown seed loaf in a ciabatta style. The pan contained rendered lard with a rich balsamic glaze, crisp flakes of garlic and some herbs
Clare asked for a Mojito cocktail and was rewarded with this large glass of perfection. We were treated to some good local MCC bubbly, probably a Blanc de Blanc and, we guess, possibly from Colmant in Franschhoek?
The Butternut soup is served naked first, showing the roasted hazelnuts and creamy goats cheese topped with a parmesan crisp and some onion cress
Then the rich sweet butternut soup is poured into the bowls. The goats cheese is the perfect foil for the soup, it adds that necessary umami savouriness, as does the parmesan crisp
Lynne went for a glass of Trizanne 2018 Sauvignon Blanc - and it comes in a generous carafe, so there was enough for all the next courses. John ordered the Rijks Touch of Oak 2018 Chenin Blanc. Both matched the dishes very well
There are choices on the next course and Clare chose the Organic beet salad with house made ricotta cheese, tempura leaf and beetroot ketchup, which she said was very good
We both went for the local hake, pearly fresh and beautifully cooked as it fell into flakes. Nicely seasoned and very flavourful it went very well with the Jerusalem artichoke purée, the crisp fried shavings of the same vegetable and the tiny balls of pomme dauphine
A surprise addition is some good umami bone broth which has an added element of acidity. Pure genius, Chef Henry. We'll skate over the kale....
Two choices on the main course as well. This was the Beef short rib, tender and unctuous, served with a confit sweet potato, pickled turnip, and an aubergine and miso purée and some spinach
The girls went for the mushroom risotto, so well cooked with large separate grains in a rich umami mushroom sauce, topped with shimeji mushrooms, wild rocket and grated aged parmesan with that necessary crystallisation
Dessert is a rhubarb fool on a lemon posset, dressed with mint oil (nicely subtle), an almond crumble and some light as air vanilla donuts
And a special from the kitchen for the birthday girl, light nut meringue dacquoise layers, filled topped with cream, nuts and chocolate balls. Much appreciated
A very good and generous double espresso for the driver
Our bill
All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus
LOOKS ABSOLUTELY YUM!!! No pics of the birthday girl though....
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