Catharina’s – 6th AMERICAN EXPRESS PLATINUM CARD FINE DINING AWARD

Following hot on the heels after it received top honours in the latest Diners Club Winelist competition, Catharina’s, the restaurant at Steenberg has been awarded its 6^th consecutive American Express Platinum Card Fine Dining Award in recognition of consistently providing an unforgettable fine dining experience.   This year Catharina’s was among only 36 restaurants in the Cape from a total of 88 restaurants all over South Africa, to receive this prestigious accolade. This is a feather in the cap for the sterling team here led by Executive Chef Garth Almazan and Food & Beverage Manager Llewellyn Joorst,  who ensure that guests at Catharina’s are consistently offered a world class gourmet wine and dining experience.

Fine Dining

The American Express Platinum Card Fine Dining Awards are widely recognized as a credible barometer for discerning diners seeking a quality dining experience. The awards were introduced 13 years ago as a service to guide diners toward superior dining opportunities.  The selection criteria include quality of cuisine, service (including menu and wine knowledge), wine list, décor and ambience, with strong emphasis on maintaining high levels of consistency.

This year the focus was also on green initiatives, in response to the global movement among the hospitality industry to become more ‘green’ friendly. According to Vanessa Singh, Head of Card Marketing for American Express, the awards aim to have more of their restaurants align with the idea of going green, while still satisfying food lovers’ discerning palate. She stated that, in keeping with global trends, they are considering introducing elements of ‘green’ in the judging criteria.

In line with this sentiment, Gaby Gramm the General Manager of the Steenberg Hotel says: ‘We are attuned to the global move towards a more environmentally conscious approach to all aspects of hospitality. Catharina’s is very much a forerunner of the new ‘green’ consciousness among South African restaurants, having spearheaded the global ‘Meat Free Mondays’ campaign here locally, and more recently also adding ‘Free Range Fridays’ to the fine dining options here.  We are very proud to be recognized for these efforts, as well as for the quality food and wine encounter we offer our guests.’

Catharina's at Steenberg

Catharina’s offers a holistic fine dining experience, with a range of innovative menu options for meat lovers and vegetarians. This is complemented by a wide selection of more than 120 wines, ranging from Steenberg Vineyards’ own wine produced on the farm, including some older Steenberg vintages, to several other top South African wines from the Constantia Valley and other wine producing areas elsewhere. A selection of Graham Beck wines, including four styles of quality sparkling wines, also takes pride of place on the wine list here, along with a number of organic wines, as well as top award-winning local and international wines and champagne.

Recently Catharina’s wine list received the highest accolade in the annual Diners Club Winelist Awards for the fifth consecutive year, as one of only 39 Diamond Award winners in the Western Cape to score more than 91% this year.

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