Most of you will know how hectic Cape Town restaurants get on V-day. Over-priced set menus and most of the time fully booked two weeks in advance. To avoid the hustle and potentially bad service due to understaffing, this year we decided to head out for dinner the night before Valentines day, and then on the actual day, have a picnic and rent a dvd.
I am a big fan of Indian food and love cooking curries etc. I even completed a one-day Indian cooking class at Masala Dosa (www.masaladosa.co.za), so now I can roast and make my own spice blends. But nothing I've eaten in my entire life could have prepared me for the bursting, aromatic flavours, textures and creative quality that is served up at the Bombay Brasserie, at The Taj in Cape Town.
We did the Maitre D tasting menu, which goes for R395 per person. To complement our dinner we had a bottle of the Marklew 2005 Cab Sauv, upon recommendation of our waitress.
A tray of Indian snacks is presented as guests sit down, and after we have ordered, we received an amuse bouche – a deep fried dumpling.
The first of our several dishes was a roasted yellow corn soup, poured over Turmeric Popcorns. A really interesting combination, but scrumptious too.
A tray of more starters was next, with a succulent, creamy chicken breast, char-grilled brocolli head with mustard and pickle spices, and lastly a spicy tempura prawn, which went excellently with the mint chutney. I'm still dreaming of that chutney...
After a tamarind sorbet – to cleanse the palate – the three main dishes arrived. We were served a helping of each, with basmati rice, fresh naan bread and an interesting spinach-like-pate – which was actually sauteed spinach with golden fried garlic – before they set the rest of the food down on our table.The mains consisted of: Black lentils and kidney beans simmered overnight; a lamb biryani and line fish (Kingklip) in spiced coconut curry, which was possibly the most succulent fish I have ever eaten.
The flavours were all exquisitely different and complementary.
We were so full at this point already... but I always enjoy how uniquely different Indian desserts are compared to what we commonly eat.We were served a Malt and Cocoa flavoured Indian Ice Cream with a deep fried doughnut-type ball in a super-sweet syrup. The idea here is to put a little of each on one spoon and taste them together as they balance each other out.
What's interesting to note is that the head chef hails from North India, and his assistant exec chefs are from the North and West respectively.
It was such an incredible meal, I would absolutely do it again and recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Indian cuisine.
The Bombay Brasserie
Corner Wale Street and Adderley Street, 021 819 2000.
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