WINTER WARMERS
IT’S debatable who had the better menu at a recent launch of the Winter Specials menu at The Cellars-Hohenort’s Conservatory in Constantia – the vegetarians or the carnivores?
Guests whet their appetite with a double-baked Underberg cheese soufflé, a gentle reminder that it is the restaurant’s signature soufflé for good reason – perfectly fluffy and light, it has just the right amount of melt-in-the-mouth cheesy flavour.
And while the cauliflower content of the soup starter may have caught the eye of those following a diet that favours this non-starchy vegetable, the miso pork belly or shaved octopus carpaccio proved just as tempting as the alternative starters.
All the dishes favour local produce and fresh ingredients, created by a team of chefs under the direction of Peter Tempelhoff, executive chef for The Collection by Liz McGrath. A Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef, Tempelhoff is no stranger to the Michelin-star restaurant environment, but his retweet of comedian Bill Murray’s comment: “There’s no ‘i’ in team… there is however an ‘i’ in ‘win’, ‘achievement’, ‘prevail’, ‘triumph’, ‘first place’, ‘gold medallist’ and ‘champion’,” says something about his leadership style.
The Cellars-Hohenort Conservatory’s head chef Delia Harbottle continues to impress with her mouth-watering combinations.
The white mushroom cheesecake concocted for the vegetarians among us is the ideal example. Textured like the finest French paté, thanks to its combination of artichokes and pine nuts, and garnished with basil seed and a tiny crispy sesame wonton, it wasn’t long before more miniature servings appeared on the table for everyone to taste.
The Winter Special main course options feature Springbok rump, honey-roasted butternut risotto, halloumi cheese or green Thai rubbed linefish. Those who had the meat dish found the portion a little large for a four-course meal, but loved the large bowls of colourful seasonal vegetables that accompanied it. The vegetarian option was a Cape Malay soya bobotie, beautifully presented in cobalt-blue ramekins and accompanied by a carefully curled poppadom and crunchy side salad.
If you manage to save space for dessert, you can have a relatively guilt-free pineapple tart tatin or the decadent Cellars chocolate sundae with nougat ice cream, crushed macaroons and strawberry jelly!
The Collection by Liz McGrath Winter Specials at The Conservatory at The CellarsHohenort and The Seafood at the Plettenberg’s à la carte menu: R180 for two courses, R210 for three courses until August 31.
The Seafood at The Marine offers the same option for lunch only until July 31, thereafter for lunch and dinner until August 31. The Pavilion at The Marine’s tasting menu special is R375 for six courses, until August 31.
Pair your selections with wine recommended by The Collection sommelier Michelle Michaels.
The Cellars-Hohenort, 021 794 21 37; The Marine, 028 313 1000; The Plettenberg, 044 5332030, www.collectionmcgrath.com