Terri Dunbar-Curran
THERE are few places offering quite the same expansive ocean view as the Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa.
While the perfect time to enjoy a glass of bubbly on the deck is a summer evening, the vista is just as invigorating on a clear winter’s afternoon, as I discovered on a recent visit to sample the new winter menu at Azure with a group of foodies and general manager Horst Frehse.
Our table was bathed in dreamy warm sunlight while the air outside was crisp beneath a cloudless sky.
We started the afternoon with samplings from executive chef Henrico Grobbelaar’s menu and Red Carnation Hotel Collection president Beatrice Tollman’s favourite dishes. We snacked on taster portions of crayfish and prawn cocktail, duck bresaola and prawn stroganoff.
Lunch was a five-course affair, starting with a chicken terrine with smoked ham hock, endive, white port and verjus syrup, paired with Bouchard Finlayson’s Kaaimansgat 2010 Chardonnay and 2011 Blanc de Mer, the latter a tasty blend of six varietals.
Next up was a beef fillet tartare with spiced tomato waver, caper compote, pickles and sauce Béarnaise. The tartare was deliciously tender and the fresh meaty taste was perfectly spiced up by the gentle bite of the Béarnaise. It was paired with David Finlayson’s 2011 Pinot Noir.
Head sommelier Gregory Muthambe also paired the pinot noir with the Norwegian salmon with horseradish gel, smoked potato and fennel beetroot salad.
The chef kindly exchanged the salmon in my dish for succulent meaty grilled mushrooms, but the standout flavour was definitely the smoked potato.
The springbok fillet was next to arrive. Served with celeriac cream, roasted radish, orange vinaigrette and a gold sultana caper paste, the dish was paired with Bouchard Finlayson’s 2009 Hannibal, my favourite wine of the day.
The full-bodied wine was served slightly chilled because, Muthambe explained, at room temperature all you can taste is the alcohol.
The afternoon was brought to a sweet close with chocolate biscuit with milk chocolate, beurre noisette cream, praline feuilletine and berries.
Between courses the conversation flowed lazily from exotic destinations to local culinary secrets as the sun sank towards the sea. The stylish restaurant with its rich blues and elegant whites offers a welcome respite from the bustle of everyday life.
Don’t wait until summer to visit, Grobbelaar and his team will ensure you’re kept warm and satisfied, and while you’re at it, why not find out if there’s an opening at the spa?
l For information and bookings, call 021 437 9000.