My Experience at Taste of Cape Town……….06-05-2011

Since I went to the Taste of Cape Town for the first time two years ago I have been hooked ever since. It is the easiest way in which to taste so many different dishes from so many different restaurants. It is also a great way to discover a new restaurant, which is exactly what happened when I went there two years ago when I discovered Il Leone. Needless to say, I was as excited as ever to go again this year. The venue this year was definitely the best one they have had so far as well.

Signal at Cape Grace

Confit duck tart with preserved ginger and pickled shimeji mushrooms

This wasn’t too bad. A little bit of a sweet taste due to the preserved ginger, but duck is mostly associated with a bit of a sweeter taste. The pickled shimeji mushroom added very little to no flavour to the dish. It didn’t compliment the duck. The tart was a little bit oily but one can expect that from a pastry.  

Confit Duck Tart



Cape Grace Paella

Cape Grace Paella

I had never before had raw Norwegian Salmon in paella before so that was a bit different. To be honest, I have had better paella’s. The rice tasted a bit smokey. A little bit of chorizo sausage might have done this paella wonders.

Il Leone Mastrantonio

As I previously mentioned, two years ago when I went to the Taste of Cape Town I discovered Il Leone and since then we have been going there regularly. They have the best pasta by far! Therefore I was really looking forward to seeing what they would have to offer at the TOCT this year. Unfortunately they were not that impressive this year!

Insalata al tonno scottao – Cubes of seared tuna served with cherry tomatoes, avocado, caper berries, olives and basil and tossed in an olive and lemon vinaigrette

This salad was very fresh and tasted lovely. The tuna cubes were done to perfection and the salad was very flavourful!

Classic Italian clam pasta

I was really not impressed with this dish at all! The clams were tiny and there was hardly any meat inside the clams. The pasta was also very oily and lacked taste. Definitely not something I would rush back to Il Leone to go have.

None the less, Il Leone still stays my favourite Italian restaurant.

Bistro Sixteen82

Sticky five-spiced free-range pork belly. Served with salted caramel and apple celeriac espuma

I am not generally a fan of pork belly as I immediately think “extremely fatty” when I hear the name, but this one was surprisingly good and succulent. It was also not fatty at all.

Societi Bistro

Chicken liver parfait on toast with pineapple chutney

 This was surprisingly good! Something so simple yet the taste was amazing! Extremely delicious liver parfait which was complimented well by the pineapple chutney!

Chicken Liver Parfait

 

Seared squid, chilli, mint and rocket

This squid wasn’t too bad but definitely not mind blowing. The chilly and mint was a good combination.

Seared squid

Jordan Restaurant with George Jardine

 I have never really heard of Jordan before, but after what I tasted that night I will definitely be going there more frequently!

Aged Chalmar sirloin and foie gras bourguignon

If I was on death row and they asked me what I wanted as my last meal, this would be it! OH MY WORD! I don’t even think there are enough descriptive words to explain the way this dish tasted! The sirloin was so so soft you could tear it with your bare hands. The creamy, cheesy like texture and taste of the mash it was served on was incredible! I really took my time eating this one, savouring every bite! This was definitely my favourite meal out of everything I tasted that night.

  

Barrel-smoked kingklip fettuccini

This dish was also extremely tasty. Not as wonderful as the Sirloin though. The picture doesn’t do it justice. It was topped with grated cheese and had a lingering Pernod aftertaste.    

Barrel-smoked kingklip fettuccini

Overall I had a good experince and am so excited about having discovered Jordan Restaurant. I am already looking forward to next year's Taste of Cape Town! :-)

Yours in fun & food,

Elly D

http://www.tasteofcapetown.com/