A night out in Cape Town
Take a stroll along the Victoria & Albert Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa and you are hard-pressed to find a lack-lustre restaurant. So, to my luck I had the trusted recommendation of someone who’s opinion I… well, I trust of course! My friend and fellow WSET Educator, David Munroe insisted that I dine at ‘Belthazar’ during my visit to Cape Town. So I did as I was bid and made my reservation as soon as we arrived in to town. Reservations are generally taken for tables inside the restaurant, however their generous patio accommodates walk-ins as well. So while we did have a reservation, we readily relinquished it for a table outside, when we got there!
I am delighted to report that wining and dining at ‘Belthazar’ proved to be one heck of a top-notch experience! Their attention to detail is incredible. Their wine list is impressive too, not just because it features a very good selection of South African wines, but also because it is cleverly designed to look like a newspaper! As for the food… well, everything from nibbling on fresh and decadently dense bread along with our wines to a kingklip grilled to perfection accompanied by sautéed spinach and followed by a sinfully inviting cheesecake… everything performed like a fine-tuned orchestra! Of course, I would be amiss if I did not mention their exquisite service, which was confidently executed with unpretentious professionalism… and those 1000 watt South African smiles!!
All in all, make this a stop if your journeys take you to Cape Town. ‘Belthazar’ certainly serves as a fine representative for some of the finest in today’s South African gastronomy.
Here are the wines we enjoyed with our meal:
Fable Mountain Belle Flower Rosé 2015
– medium-bodied under a dry, onion skin coloured robe, this wine is packed with currants, pomegranate, strawberries and a teasing whiff of floral notes. It’s bright acidity keeps the palate refreshing right through a lingering finish. Overall, an expressive Rosé that promises to delight as a sipper to beat a warm afternoon or accompany smoked salmon, a sun-dried tomato pesto flatbread, chèvre or silky fish like kingklip of course, or cod.
Nederburg “The Anchorman” Chenin Blanc 2015: Listen up world…this Chenin Blanc was made to stand out! While this grape has long been politely shy in expression, Nederburg’s Chenin Blanc is bold, assertive and decidedly full-bodied! Ripe pear and melon, with stone fruit, nougat, honeysuckle and a light sprinkling of exotic spices unfold in layers over a long, luxurious finish. Acidity sits at medium plus but is most appropriate to balance its creamy mouthfeel. Elegant, complex and one heck of a blockbuster Chenin Blanc! This golden beauty plays second fiddle to no one! I raise my glass to Nederburg!
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