I was spoilt, by my incredible boyfriend, to a most delicious dinner experience on Saturday evening (for my Birthday) at a really gorgeous spot in Rosebank called - Clico Boutique Hotel. Their European style cooking is reflected in their individually crafted fine dining tasting menu’s, that change daily based on seasonal, organic and local ingredients. The name “Clico” was inspired by Jeanette’s passion for champagne with her favourite being Veuve Clicquot ...
Although they were renovating, they very kindly accommodated us in their dining area, and I really had to question if they were really renovating at all (as there wasn’t the slightest glimpse of dust or any renovation tell-tale signs). We were escorted to the intimately charming dining room which had a fireplace flickering adding a cozy ambiance, as it was chilly that day.
We decided to go with their 5-course tasting menu accompanied by the wine pairing as this would be a great way to enhance the flavours of the Chef’s unique creations.
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| Butternut Soup |
We started off with a Butternut Soup with Sautéed Mushrooms accompanied by a 2015 Lynx Blanc de Noir. Butternut soup is one of my favourite – so I am biased to saying it was delicious, however what I loved about their version was the variety of the wild mushrooms which added a lovely taste and texture to the dish. The Blanc de Noir was a perfect accompaniment to the dish with it sweet and crisp notes that – It was a lovely light wine to start a dinner experience with and would be a delicious wine for a hot Summer's day.
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| Trio of Fish |
Next came a Trio of Fish: Seabass, Scottish Salmon and
Kingklip served with green veggies, crushed lemon Potatoes and Garlic Sauce,
this meal was accompanied by a 2014 Iona Savignon Blanc. The Kinglip was my
favourite as it had a delicious smoky taste. The wine had a very floral
scent and really brought out the flavours.
Following this, we had a chicken breast wrapped in parma ham with pea puree, basil pesto risotto, seasonal vegetables and Cajun sauce accompanied by a 2014 Cape Rock GRV White. This smelled and looked so delicious that we forgot to take photos of the dish - if you are a fan of risotto, this one is everything! The parma ham was also done perfectly and wasn't overly crispy.
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| Pan fried Springbok Loin |
Finally, the last of the main dishes; A pan fried springbok loin served with baked polenta, glazed root vegetables and red wine sauce that was partnered with a 2014 Stellenrust Cabernet Sauvignon. This red wine was really flavourful and I loved the berry flavours and the hint of mocha that paired beautifully with the springbok.
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| Baked Chocolate Fondant |
Lastly (but definitely not least), was dessert: a beautifully presented baked chocolate fondant with fresh strawberries and litchi sorbet - the fondant was perfect and gooey on the inside and integrated with the sweet litchi tang - I have never tried such a combination, . The Axe Hill Cape Vintage Port that was selected here brought out a delicious contrast to the chocolate - this was heavenly!
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| Rose water turkish delight, meringues and chocolates with ganache centre |
To top it all of, the chef made a surprise dish for us to share, which was a great element of their acclaimed attention to detail! The rose water turkish delight was delectable!
To find out more about Clico Boutique Hotel, click here
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