In no particular order, here are 5 stylish South African restaurants we think are really, really, really ridiculously good looking.

1. The Pot Luck Club

Expect fantastic views of the city (especially at night) and delicious modern cuisine from this edgy and stylish venue.

Silo Building, Top Floor, The Old Biscuit Mill, 373- 375 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, thepotluckclub.co.za, 021 447 0804

2. Chefs Warehouse and Canteen

We love how the walls of this buzzing restaurant are stacked with all sorts of exotic cooking ingredients and kitchenware.

92 Bree Street, Cape Town, chefswarehouse.co.za, 021 422 0128

3. Perron

This bright and flashy Mexican spot is decorated in turquoise and pink (not to mention fun florals). Perfect for an evening of flamboyance!

Illovo Junction, corner of Oxford Road and Corlett Drive, Johannesburg, perron.co.za, 011 880 7296

4. Harveys

This previous Eat Out Style Award winner is all about dramatic elegance. Think giant chandeliers and a phantom staircase.

Shop 13 Umhlanga Centre, 185 Ridge Road, Umhlanga Rocks, Durban, harveysrestaurant.co.za, 031 561 4977

5. Five Hundred

The open kitchen is the first thing you see as you enter, which is just one of the elements that makes this exclusive restaurant a truly theatrical experience.

The Saxon Hotel, 36 Saxon Road, Sandhurst, Sandton, Johannesburg, saxon.co.za, 011 292 6000

Missed our previous post on 5 Stylish South African Restaurants? Don’t miss it! All of the above restaurants were nominees for the 2014 Boschendal Style Awards. For more information, visit eatout.co.za.

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At the 2014 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards on 16 November, the brand new Eat Out Top 10 was announced. Without further ado, here are this year’s winners, along with comments from the panel of judges.

1. The Test Kitchen (Woodstock, Cape Town)

Local and international food lovers alike flock to this gem, often after a month-long wait to get a table – and what an exceptional meal awaits them. It’s no surprise that this celebrated eatery by chef Luke Dale-Roberts, the very deserving third time winner of Restaurant of the Year, is now featured on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

“Luke is a genius chef who excites and challenges the palates of his diners through flavour, ingredients, innovation and attitude. Every year it gets better and better.” – Abigail Donnelly

“Luke’s cooking feels almost effortless, even when you know it’s anything but.” – Kate Wilson

2. Five Hundred (Sandton, Johannesburg)

Although there’s outstanding technique and presentation on show here, chef David Higgs’s produce-driven menu is all about allowing individual ingredients to shine, and giving diners a fine time. It’s not wacky or concept-driven – it’s delicious food taken to a new level.

“Interesting ingredients, expert techniques and beautiful plating make this an unforgettable meal.” – Andy Fenner
“There’s great flavour here; an excellent experience all round.” – Reuben Riffel
“Quite simply, some of the best food and service on the continent.” – Arnold Tanzer

3. The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais (Franschhoek, Western Cape)

So much of what chef Margot Janse does defies description, but one thing is certain: she’s pushing the envelope in showcasing unique South African flavours. This is culinary storytelling at its best. The African surprise menu is a playful, innovative feast of visual surprises.

“Margot is at the top of her game and is clearly having a lot of fun.” – Reuben Riffel
“Consistently genius food dazzles and thrills with a magical element of surprise.” – Abigail Donnelly

4. Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient (Elandsfontein, Pretoria)

Chantel Dartnall, the 2014 San Pellegrino Chef of the Year, reigns supreme at this flamboyant restaurant. Inspired by her travels and showcasing a strong botanical theme, the menu reads like a playful, floral ode to the senses.

“Amazing attention to detail, radical technique on display, and surely some of the most beautiful plating in South Africa.” – Andy Fenner

5. Jordan Restaurant (Stellenbosch, Western Cape)

Chef George Jardine’s seasonal menu captivates with outstanding flavours, textures and techniques. Sensitively sourced ingredients are prepared with complete confidence, and the end result is food that is unpretentious but delicious and beautiful to behold.

“This is easy-going fine dining at its best.” – Arnold Tanzer
“George has a wonderful aesthetic all of his own. It’s less about the pomp, more about creating the perfect mouthful.” – Kate Wilson
“One of the most exciting menus I’ve seen this year.” – Andy Fenner

6. Overture (Stellenbosch, Western Cape)

There’s no doubt about it, chef Bertus Basson is leading the pack when it comes to cooking South African heritage food. He’s putting traditional ingredients and techniques back on the plate. His focus on fresh, natural flavours, use of top-quality produce and precise technique results in intense, delicious dishes.

“This is brave, simple, vibrant food with masses of flavour and personality.” – Abigail Donnelly
“Delicious, accessible dining.” – Arnold Tanzer

7. Rust en Vrede (Stellenbosch, Western Cape)

Everything you’ve heard about this restaurant is true: the service is excellent, the space captivating and the attention to detail unparalleled. From the magical bread course of mini Guinness loaves and goat’s butter to petits fours at meal’s end, it’s an enchanting experience.

“This is exciting food cooked with confidence, often leading to moments of awed silence.” – Abigail Donnelly
“A journey of art, flavour and texture.” – Reuben Riffel

8. DW Eleven-13 (Dunkeld West, Johannesburg)

Marthinus Ferreira is an extremely passionate chef who’s worked with the likes of Heston Blumenthal – and it shows. This is a man striving for constant improvement, and his contemporary menu with hints of bistro classics offers a feast of note.

“Marthinus’s food is both precise and hearty, with big flavours and delicious combinations.” – Kate Wilson
“This chef’s sincerity, passion and commitment are very inspiring.” – Abigail Donnelly
“Truly, Marthinus is cooking up a storm in the City of Gold.” – Arnold Tanzer

9. The Restaurant at Newton Johnson (Hemel en Aarde Valley)

Eric Bullpit’s food has always been technically sound (as diners at his former establishment The Roundhouse would know) but now he’s cooking with more confidence, demonstrating fantastic balance of flavours. Dishes are bursting with flavour and show a clear and uncluttered focus on the core ingredient.

“Eric’s food is honest and simple, with an innate sense of purity.” – Abigail Donnelly
“Dishes impress with deep, intense flavours and a nice surprise here and there.” – Reuben Riffel

10. Terrior (Stellenbosch)

Michael Broughton uses top quality produce and winning flavour combinations, and puts his own touch on the classics. Plating is gorgeously uncluttered and every dish shows a mastery of technique. The portions are generous and the flavours wonderfully layered, leading to a marvelous, memorable experience.

“Michael’s love for depth of flavour and sauces shines through.” – Arnold Tanzer
“Simply superb. If I could eat here every week, I would.” – Kate Wilson
“There’s a very clear direction to Michael’s cooking: classic dishes interpreted in various ways, just this side of cheeky.” – Andy Fenner

Want to know how the awards are judged? Read about the year-long process, here.

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The nominees, in alphabetical order, are:

Bread & Wine
DW Eleven-13
Five Hundred
Jordan Restaurant
La Mouette
Makaron
Overture
Planet Restaurant
Restaurant Mosaic
Rust en Vrede
Terroir
The Greenhouse at Cellars-Hohenort
The Kitchen at Maison
The Pot Luck Club
The Restaurant at Newton Johnson
The Restaurant at Waterkloof
The Tasting Room
The Test Kitchen
The White Room at Dear Me
Tokara 

South Africa’s new Top 10 will be announced on the 16th of November 2014 at Thunder City in Cape Town. The glittering awards ceremony will see six celebrated chefs preparing a five-course meal paired with wine and beer for the largest audience yet. Tickets are on sale now via Webtickets.

Where else could you have six decorated chefs cooking for you under one roof ­– with wine and premium drinks included? 

Eat Out is delighted to reveal that the event’s showcase dinner – always a highlight of the evening – will be prepared by:

David Higgs of Five Hundred (our reigning Chef of the Year)

George Jardine of Jordan Restaurant (currently no. 6 in the Top 10)

Neil Jewell of Bread & Wine (a Top 10 nominee in 2013)

Bertus Basson of Overture (no. 7)

PJ Vadas formerly of Camphors at Vergelegen (no. 8 in the Top 10)

Vanessa Marx of Dear Me, who was named 2013’s Rising Star

We’ve even heard whisperings of an interactive dessert with Soma confection! Each course will be paired with free-flowing complimentary drinks, including the likes of Nederburg, Boschendal and Grolsch.

On the night, the Top 10 restaurants in the country for 2014 will be unveiled, along with the Restaurant of the Year, San Pellegrino Chef of the Year, Grolsch Service Excellence Award, the winner of the Lannice Snyman Lifetime Achievement Award in Association with Paarl Media, the Boschendal Style Award and Nederburg Rising Star Award. After the awards ceremony, the celebrations will continue into the early hours of the morning with extended festivities at the venue. Best you get your dancing shoes shined!

This year Abigail Donnelly, Eat Out editor and judge for the annual restaurant awards, was supported by five anonymous judges, whose identities will also be revealed on awards night. With the determining factors being excellence in food, service and ambience, the judges ate at restaurants across the country to determine the nominees, and each judge scored restaurants individually on a scorecard.

Says Donnelly, “I am very excited about this year’s list of nominees. We’ve seen a number of significant and newsworthy changes at the country’s top restaurants over the past year, which means that – besides the excellent restaurants we’ve celebrated before – there are some very deserving newcomers on the list. We look forward to honouring these phenomenal restaurants for their stellar work at this year’s event, which is going to be the biggest awards ceremony we’ve hosted yet!”

Follow @Eat_Out on Twitter to join the conversation and to see live updates on the night, and like the Eat Out Facebook page. The Eat Out magazine 2015 will launch on the night of the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards and will be available at selected Woolworths, Exclusive Books, Pick n Pay, Spar and CNA stores too.

Buy tickets online now for this once-in-a-lifetime foodie experience.

For more information visit eatout.co.za.

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Read in English.

Die bekroonde sjef David Higgs vat Nechama Brodie op ’n toer van sy smaaklike nuwe daktuin by die Saxon Hotel.

“Hoe groot is die tuin?” vra ek die uitvoerende sjef David Higgs.

Ons staan onder ’n grys Hoëveldse hemel midde ’n oorvloedige oes blomme en groente wat in netjiese rye groei op die plat dak van ’n onderdak-parkeergebied by die Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg.

“Ek het nie ’n idee nie,” sê hy, “maar gee my net ’n minuut.”

Hy stap stadig al langs die een kant van die tuin af, kom terug en doen dieselfde in die ander rigting.”

“20 by 30,” sê hy.

“Voet?” vra ek.

“Nee, meter.”

“Hoe tree ’n mens meters af?”

“Só,” sê hy, en wys weer hoe ’n mens dit doen, asof dit die natuurlikste ding ter wêreld is.

Dalk is dit makliker as jy lank is.

’n Ruimtetjie op die dak

Vir David het die daktuin van rofweg 600 vierkante meter ’n stokperdjieprojek geword sedert hy ’n jaar gelede by die Saxon aangesluit het ná ’n tydperk by die Radisson Blu in Sandton.

“Ek was omtrent al drie maande in die tuig voor iemand my vertel het daar is ’n ‘ruimtetjie’ op die dak waar hulle al hoe lank probeer om ’n kruietuin aan die gang te kry.”

David sê toe hy die tuin besoek het, was daar “een eiervrugplant, ’n lourierboom en ment. Baie, baie ment.”

Hy het sake daar gelaat omdat die winter om die draai was, maar het dadelik begin beplan vir die somer.

Om die ruimte te ontwikkel en vol groente te kry het hy kontak gemaak met Sought After Seedlings. “Hulle spesialiseer in erfenissaad,” verduidelik hy en voeg by diversiteit (ook wat smaak betref) was absoluut noodsaaklik. “Wat ons nie wou hê nie, is hope…”

“Iceberg-slaaiblare?” waag ek. Hy knik.

Nege maande later en die tuin is gevestig: Daar is ’n wurmplaas (onderdak, op die dak) en ’n komposhoop wat aangevul word met vloeibare kombuisafval – iets wat noodsaaklik is “vir ’n hotel, veral ’n hotel in die stad”. Sought After Seedlings doen die plantwerk, die kombuispersoneel doen die plukwerk, en daar is ’n tuinier wat sorg dat die tuin netjies bly.

Dit het die speelveld is verander

Tussen die kruie en groente word blomme geplant – party is eetbaar, ander hou peste weg, en nog ’n paar lok bye. Die tuin is totaal organies en tydens die bouproses is selfs spesiale grond ingery.

Die ontwerp moedig ’n “veganistiese kop-tot-stert-eetpatroon” aan: ’n boontjieplant dra die ongelooflikste mooi pers blomme, wat boonop “baie smaaklik” is, sê David.

Later trek hy ’n piepklein rooi blommetjie van ’n bos pynappelsalie af. “Proe hier,” stel hy voor. Die onderpunt van die blom is vol stroopsoet nektar, en dit voel kompleet of jy weer ’n kind is.

“Die personeel is altyd hier bo op die dak, hulle wandel deur die tuin, breek die peule oop,” sê David. “Om jou eie groente te pluk en dit dieselfde dag nog te berei… die kleure, die geure…”

Die tuin word maandeliks en seisoenaal beplan saam met Sought After Seedlings. Volgens David “het dit die speelveld verander”.

“Ek het agtergekom wanneer ek ’n spyskaart saamstel, is dit altyd op proteïen gegrond, maar wanneer ek nou in die tuin stap en pers bone sien, begin ek dink wat ’n mens dáármee kan doen. Daardie visuele stimulasie verander die proses.” 

Selfonderhoudend

Die tuin verskaf reeds die meeste van die kruie en groente wat nodig is vir Five Hundred, David se nuwe konseprestaurant waar ’n sesgangspyskaart jou R1 550 per persoon uit die sak sal jaag (wyn ingesluit), of R1 100 vir vier gange.

David sê die gaste is in die wolke oor die vars borlottibone en dragon (“dit groei soos ’n onkruid”) in ’n tamatie-emulsie wat saam met ’n vryloopribfilet-en-kruiekluitjie voorgesit word. Die tuin se erfenistamaties is weer die perfekte pasmaat vir ’n ander gereg: gerookte kabeljou.

Toe hulle die tuin beplan en ontwikkel het, het David na talle ander daktuinprojekte in Johannesburg gaan loer, soos die daktuine in die Maboneng-distrik.

“Ons het ’n tydjie vantevore gesels oor ’n artikel wat ons oor New York gelees het. Daarin is die stelling gemaak indien al die dakke in die Groot Appel met daktuine gespog het, sou dit in die groentebehoeftes van ’n kwart van die stad se inwoners kon voorsien. Ek het al op drie plase gewerk, en dis eintlik skokkend dat ek na die stad moes kom om my eie groentetuin te plant.” 

Five Hundred is oop van Dinsdae tot Saterdae. Besoek www.saxon.co.za vir meer inligt

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Lees in Afrikaans.

Award-winning chef David Higgs takes Nechama Brodie on a tour of his new rooftop garden at the Saxon Hotel. 

“How big is the garden?” I say to executive chef David Higgs.  

We’re standing under a grey Highveld sky in the middle of a verdant crop of flowers and vegetables, planted in neat timber-bordered rows on the flat-top roof of a covered parking area at the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg. 

“No idea,” he says. “I’ll tell you in a second.”

He walks slowly all the way down the one side, comes back and repeats the same exercise on the cross. 

“20 by 30,” he says. 

“Feet?” I ask. 

“No, metres.” 

“How do you pace in metres?”

“Like this,” he says, showing off his stride again, as if it were obvious. 

Perhaps it’s easier when you’re tall.  

A little space on the roof

The [roughly] 600 square-metre rooftop garden has become something of a passion project for David, who joined the Saxon nearly a year ago after leaving the Radisson Blu in Sandton. 

“I’d been here about three months before I was told there was a ‘little space on the roof’ where they’d been trying to get a herb garden going.”

David says when he went to see the garden there was “one aubergine plant, a bayleaf tree and mint. Lots and lots of mint.”

David left the lot as winter approached, but started planning for summer. 

To develop the space, he contacted Sought After Seedlings to plant and populate the garden. “They do a lot of heirloom stuff,” he explains, adding that diversity (and taste) was essential. “We didn’t want loads of…”

“Iceberg lettuce?” I volunteer. He nods.  

Nine months later, the garden is fully established: there is a worm farm (under cover, on the roof) and a compost heap (supplemented with liquid waste from the kitchen – something that’s important “for a hotel to do, especially in the city”). Sought After Seedlings do the planting, the kitchen staff does the picking, and there is a dedicated gardener who maintains the space. 

A game-changer 

Between the herbs and vegetables, the gardens are planted with flowers – some are edible, others are to keep away pests or encourage bees. The garden is entirely organic; special soil was even brought in during its construction. 

The layout encourages a vegan sort of nose-to-tail eating: a bean plant produces beautiful purple flowers that are “incredibly tasty,” David says. 

Later he pulls off a tiny red flower from a bush of Pineapple Sage. “Taste this,” he suggests. The end of the flower is sweet with nectar. It’s a bit like being a kid again.  

“The staff are always up here, wandering through the garden, breaking open the pods,” David says. “To be able to pick your own veg and cook it on that day – the colours, the flavours…” 

The garden is planned monthly, seasonally, in conjunction with Sought After Seedlings. David says it’s a “game changer. I realised that when I design menus it’s always based on protein. Now, when I walk in the garden and see purple beans I start working on what we can do with them – that visual stimulation changes the process.”

Self-sufficiency

The garden already supplies most of the herbs and vegetables needed for Five Hundred, David’s new signature concept restaurant (a six-course menu is R1 550 per person, including wine; the four-course menu option R1 100). 

David says diners are raving about the fresh borlotti beans and tarragon (“it grows like a weed,” he says of the herb) in a tomato emulsion, served with free-range rib-eye and herb dumplings. The garden’s heirloom tomatoes accompany another dish: David uses five different varietals to accompany smoked farmed kabeljou. 

In planning and developing the garden, David spent time looking at other urban garden initiatives in Johannesburg – like those on the rooftops of the Maboneng Precinct. 

“We were talking a while ago,” he says, “about an article we’d read – on New York. It said something like if all the rooftops in New York were planted they would feed a quarter of the city. I’ve worked on three farms. It’s crazy that I had to come to the city to plant my own vegetable garden.”

Five Hundred is open Tuesday to Saturday. For more information go to www.saxon.co.za 

 

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