It has been a long standing debate that Johannesburg just can’t seem to match up with the caliber restaurants that one might find in Cape Town. The closest us Gautengers could get to the fancy Capetonian tasting menus was at Roots Restaurant (I blogged about this Top 10 restaurant here), but it’s at the Forum Homini Hotel in The Cradle of Humankind – much too far to drive for a boozy dinner…
Enter Cube Tasting Kitchen. Finally, Joburgers can brag about a restaurant on our doorstep that matches any of the establishments in Cape Town (or anywhere in South Africa for that matter). Dario D'Angeli of Yum fame is behind this venture, and according to their Twitter brief they are a “Tasting kitchen - not restaurant. Small, intimate and focused. We are about a food experience, so leave your watch behind!!” and that is exactly what it is! The menu changes with the seasons a couple of times a year with a focus on fresh seasonal ingredients.
We enjoyed an 18 course meal (see full menu below), and it was absolutely delightful! Creative, detailed, innovative and not to mention delicious. Dario and fellow chef Jonty visited each table personally to explain the dishes, so it really made for an intimate evening. After hours of eating and tasting miniature portions of dishes ranging from a Wild Mushroom Soup that looked like a mini Guinness, to a Lobster & Chorizo Barley to the most decadent Rosemary infused Chocolate Shot, we left VERY satisfied and certainly inspired.
At R450.00 per person it’s not a cheap night out, but I see this as a restaurant for special occasions (I’m sure I can find something to celebrate every time the seasons change…) and a bonus is that you can BYO, and they don’t charge corkage. Dario was very helpful in suggesting wine pairings for the dishes, and it really enhances the experience so it’s worth visiting the kitchen as a group of 6 or more.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we see this restaurant on the Eat Out Top 10 list soon. For more info click here.
18 Bite sized dishes, chef explanations, great wine
- an evening to remember!
The July/August menu
No comments:
Post a Comment