A formidable, five-star evergreen

RUST EN VREDE

ARECENT revisit to the restaurant on the historic Rust en Vrede estate was a complete pleasure — an all-round delight. So few restaurants achieve success in all of the varied components of fine dining, from the setting, to the fittings; from the service to the cuisine. Rust en Vrede continues to offer a beautiful dining event in all departments.

The setting is the old wine cellar on the estate and, as the restaurant is open only in the evenings, you are always treated to a romantic vision of the soft interior lights of a Cape Dutch building as you walk down a lane of trees. Inside, you encounter the showcase kitchen gleaming with copper and then turn to the luxurious interior with its generous spaces. As special-event restaurants go, it’s one of SA’s best.

Service is smooth and unobtrusive, with good menu knowledge. One of the distinct highlights is the presence of Joakim Blackadder, the genial Swedish sommelier. His ability to match wine to the cuisine is excellent, and if you are in the mood for exploration into the far corners of the world of wine, he is a willing leader.

Chef John Shuttleworth is the reserved general of the kitchen, offering a nightly menu of four courses (food only, R550) or six (R680). The latter does take up more than three hours of deca- dence. The style of the menu is eclectic in the modern sampling of varied cuisines of the world and the plates are works of art.

I particularly enjoyed the deftness of the flavours and the use of bright counterpoints to lift denser ingredients. For example, cured local trout was served with an oyster panna cotta and asparagus but offset with wasabi and curried peanuts for an explosion of texture. In the second course selection, crayfish tail was arranged with ginger “sand”, sago, miso and caramelised yuzu (an Asian citrus fruit). There was also a return of the new-potato “risotto” to the menu — a clever transposition of potato shards for rice. This was, however, one plate where the original, two years ago, was better — defter as a “trick” and with more defined truffle flavour.

The third course included farmed kabeljou with scallop soup, cucumber, red pepper and wild garlic (very good); and fillet of beef, with pressing of sticky rib, oxtail ravioli, burnt onion, pomme Lorette (fried potato croquettes) and porcini foam — which was also very delicious.

Desserts, too, were superb, the chocolate fondant with popcorn ice cream and passion fruit was a textbook example. FOR: Special setting, good service and formidable food. AGAINST: Set aside a full evening, this is relaxed dining.