CULINARY GREATS AT TOKARA RESTAURANT

Two hours of driving in terrible traffic and pouring rain could not stop us from visiting the Tokara Restaurant last Friday night. We’ve never experienced Chef Richard Carstens culinary masterpieces and the invitation to the “Culinary Greats” evening at Tokara Restaurant came as a welcome surprise.

The occasion: Homage to great British chefs – the likes of culinary luminaries Marco Pierre White, Raymond Blanc, Nico Ladenis and Pierre Koffman.  The setting: Stylishly decorated Tokara restaurant (Wine Estate).

Here is a short video with chef Richard Carstens preparing one of the famous Marco Pierre White dishes. (Also footage of the other dishes and pairings).

The menu: In celebration of the new British wave

• Course 1: Blanquette of scallops, crayfish and prawn ravioli, cucumber & ginger (Wine: Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut 2010) – The awesomeness of this dish is in the individual flavours of each ingredient. The pairing with old faithful, Kaapse Vonkel, as well as the presentation, makes this dish a culinary treat.
• Course 2: Escalope of Salmon with watercress, sorrel, baby spinach & tomato buerre blanc (Wine: Tokara (Stellenbosch) Chardonnay – Reserve collection 2010) - My favourite dish of the evening, the salmon was cooked to perfection, the natural saltiness from the caviar combining well with the tomato buerre blanc. (Freshly squeezed tomato juice to balance the acidity in the dish).
• Course 3: Quail Pie (Wine: Paul Cluver Pinot Noir 2009) – The truffle jus and the Pinot Noir’s tomato leaf profile… mmm 
• Course 4: Braised Pig’s Trotter (Wine:  Steenberg Nebbiolo 2009) – Phone Steenberg immediately and order 6 bottles of Nebbiolo, what a beaut. And the trotter? What about the trotter? All the dishes can’t be to my taste… well prepared, but I’m not a trotter man.
• Dessert: Lemon Tart & Vanilla (Wine: Miles Mossop KiKa) – Simply put – wow!

Tokara will host three more homage themed evenings:

• 3 August 2012: ‘New World’ Chefs – Keller, Nobu, Trotter, Perry and Wakuda will be in the limelight.
• 7 September 2012: The Modernist – featuring Adria, Bras, Gagnaire and Atala.
• 12 October 2012: Sommelier ‘shoot-out’ – where three leading sommeliers will compete to make the perfect wine pairing for a menu prepared by Richard.

These evenings are a true culinary experience. The service is exceptional, the portions are very generous and the attention to detail makes each a memorable evening. Menus are priced at R395 per person for five courses and the wine pairing is extra (but highly recommended).

More information: Press release: Tokara chef, Richard Carstens reaches new culinary peak this winter

Contact details: www.tokara.co.za  |  (021) 885 2550  |  reservations@tokara.com

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