Tabula Rasa @ Mosaic

Tabula Rasa, or otherwise for those who don't speak Latin; a clean state, or existing in the purest original state. That's what Chef Chantel Dartnall has entitled the new Autumn/Winter menu at Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient.

I have always, only heard amazing things from every person that has gone to The Orient Boutique Hotel to experience Restaurant Mosaic. So, it has been on my bucket list for a while. So when I got the chance, I literally jumped at the opportunity with both hands & this one I was not declining. 

So there I go on the drive to lunch & on arrival, it is a beautiful setting of this beautiful hotel surrounded by nothing but nature. Greeted by friendly staff at the gate & then ushered into the reception area where Germain Lehodey, house sommelier, awaits with the welcome drink list.

I opted for the bubbly on arrival. (As I always do.) This time, something that I have not had before. The Champagne Franck Bonville 2009 Brut Reserve. The next moment, some snacks are presented & here I find myself indulging in the 1st bit of food from Restaurant Mosaic. A Mushroom Mousse enfolded in Mushroom & a vegetable spring roll with rice paper & Asian styled dipping sauce.

And up we go to the actual restaurant & I take my seat at a simple & elegantly set table. A few moments later, Chef Chantel Dartnall makes her appearance & is revolving in the room table to table giving each person some individual attention & extra information regarding the culinary experience that we would be taking today. And to end that off, we cheers with a glass of Jacques Bruere Bon Courage 2002 Brut Reserve.

Bread. Bread and more Bread. And Gourmet Bread. With Gourmet Butter. An array of bread is brought round to each table & you have your choice of any bread that they have. I opted for the Mushroom & Caramelised Onion and the Basil Pesto options. Knowing me, I tried every butter that they had on the table just to see what was my favourite. The Unsalted Vanilla Seaweed was definitely the winner. 

A quick little palate cleanser shot from the kitchen - Lemonade & Rocket. Fresh & Crisp.

Something to just awaken the palate, as Chef Chantel said, an Asparagus Mousse with Mushrooms & a Snail. Then this plate is put in front of you that looks like there is a snail escaping from the little garden on your plate.

The Amuse Bouche is something that I wish I could have had a double serving of. This cauliflower soup du jour with goose liver mousse filled brussel sprouts was something that really played with your senses. Beautifully presented with contrasting colours. The texture of the fine soup & with the crunchy brussel sprout leaves & finished off with the smooth goose liver mousse.

I opted for the fish. Apparently, Mosaic is the place "Where the River meets the Sea." A combination of fresh water fish & sea water fish on 1 plate. The sweet Tilapia & the salty Halibut accompanied by Oyster Leaves & Watercress.

Dessert is going to blow your mind. The First Frost. A poached Forelle Pear filled with white chocolate & served with homemade mushrooms & tonka. Every bite is full of flavour & texture that will definitely be leaving you very satisfied. 

And just before you think it's all done. Well, think again. Post dessert treats with coffee. Petit Fours & Turkish Delight & Fudge. It will definitely be on the sweeter side of things. But oh so good. 

Right. So, who is not keen to try out the new menu at Restaurant Mosaic?

Check out their website: www.restaurantmosaic.com

Calisto's - A Portuguese Cuisine Adventure

Calisto’s I believe is a very nice genuine family restaurant, situated in the New Market Mall in Alberton, where you can take everyone. They have a wide variety of items on the menu that will work for every person’s pocket.

Upon arrival the 1^st item that caught my eye was the decanter placed on our table with Sparkling Wine and Berries. The server called it “Champagne Sangria.” I decided to let that one slip as I had already poured a 2^nd glass of this refreshing & bubbly drink.

Being a very large table we were served with a large array of starters.

-  Peri Peri Chicken Livers (done perfectly as not to actually put your throat on fire)

-  Trinchado

-  Tempura Prawns (crispy and light outer and a soft and tender prawn)

-  Haloumis Strips

-  Creamy Garlic Snails (lots of garlic, just the way I like it)

-  Giblets (I don’t eat these…)

-  Crispy Squid Heads (really good and crispy)

-  Chorizo

-  Calamari tubes

I love eating like this. Having a little bit of everything. It sort of assures that you get to try everything on the table and if you are lucky enough (meaning that if another foodie has not already cleared the rest of the plates) you can get a 2^nd helping of your favourites.

Each person then ordered anything off of the menu as to their own taste. I opted for the Sole Thermidor. The sole was prepared very well. Sliding off of the bone with ease, makes eating a sole so much easier. The thermidor sauce was very rich and creamy. As it should be. With mushrooms and cheese, it added to the flavours of the thermidor. Trust to say, that I was very full after this meal. But it is a must try in my opinion.

Others around the table opted for fillet, prawns and platters for 1. The dishes really did look very impressive and from what I could tell, everyone was enjoying their meals.

Dessert & Coffee was up next and it is always a favourite time of a meal for me. I was easy on deciding here. Peppermint crisp tart. Yum. Just thinking about it now makes me want to go have another one. Light and full of flavor this one actually didn’t leave me feeling like I had over indulged for the night. Some of the other desserts included Italian Kisses & Crème Caramel.

If you don’t mind the drive to Alberton or if you are close to the New Market Mall area, I would definitely recommend heading to Calisto’s for a meal.

Pomodoro Ristorante

Pomodoro Ristorante is situated at the Morningside Shopping Centre just off of Rivonia in Johannesburg. A quaint little Italian restaurant that oozes a modern & chic environment whilst holding an upmarket feel.

The owner & chef, Stefano, was there to welcome a few of us to his establishment and explained a bit about himself. An extremely knowledgable & passionate individual when it comes to food, as one can imagine living in many parts of the world and how different cultures would influence his cooking style & techniques.

One thing that I always love when I sit down at a restaurant is when the server will ask if we would like a bottle of water whilst we wait and decide on what we would like to drink. (This doesn’t happen often, but it did happen at Pomodoro.)

Starting off with a ‘pre-starter’ – Margherita pizza. Extremely light base and generous with the cheese.

Moving on to our starters

– Crumbed Grilled Falkland Calamari, gives off the illusion that it has been fried in a crispy batter, yet it has been grilled, without overcooking it and making it feel like you are chewing on a piece of rubber.

– Beef Carpaccio, delicately sliced pieces of beef with fresh mushrooms and parmesan shavings make a delightful and flavoursome dish.

The 1^st set of main meals – 3 Pasta Dishes

I can’t decide which one of these are my favourite.

The 1^st – Porcini Mushroom Tagliatelle. Dried porcini mushrooms are infused with a Chivas Regal Whisky served with a fresh and light creamy sauce.

The 2^nd – Lamb & Tomato based Rigatoni. I believe this would make a wonderful dish in the colder winter months where the soft lamb and tomato just come together so well.

The 3^rd – Spinach Ricotta with Goat Cheese & Truffle Oil. I am a spinach lover, so this dish was superb for me being paired with that goat cheese. The truffle oil just adds a bit of a different element of surprise to the dish which one would not expect.

The 2^nd set of main meals –

The 1^st – Pan fried Veal Liver & Caramelised onions served with a potato puree. What I loved with this dish is that the potato puree was not super fine, but still full of texture.

The 2^nd – A medium rare T-bone prepared with only coarse salt and rosemary oil. You would think that it is very plain. And yes. It may be so. But, those flavours are just incredible. So if you are a meat lover. This one is for you.

Finally on to the desserts –

Panna Cota with Vanilla & Wild Berry Coulis. A fresh and tasty combination after any meal.

Chocolate Fondant that will make you salivate just looking at it.

Naturally, wine was flowing the whole night. And there is a wide variety of wines to choose from and Stefano will always recommend the best wine to accompany your meal.

All in all, this was a wonderful experience. Amazing service. A chef who knows exactly what he is talking about and will actually make the right suggestions for you. I’m definitely going back.