S hane Sauvage, the creator of the La Pentola brand (one in 5 Wells Street, Pretoria, 012 329 4028, and the other in Hermanus – Shop 4, Ocean View, 87 Marine Drive, 028 313 1685) won’t like it that I call him my wild child but I will explain.
There’s a warmth, an energy, an embraceable element about having a meal at one of his restaurants.
People who know his special brand of magic won’t have to be told to check out his Hermanus restaurant – where he spends most of his time – or make a few visits up Gauteng way to check that the mother-branch of La Pentola is chugging along nicely in the capable hands of family .
Walking into the restaurant on the sea, there was a wonderful feeling of déjà vu because of the Sauvage special touch.
The two restaurants are quite different, the Pretoria one quite dark and intimate, while Hermanus – because of the setting – is all about the beautiful Cape light, and naturally the sea. But there’s a delightful quirkiness about the decor at both eateries, the cheeky dresses of the waitresses that’s such a tongue-in-cheek feature and then of course there’s the Shane bonhomie.
I had gathered a group of friends for lunch, because it’s been a priority since this Pretoria boykie opened the second of his very unique brand.
I know he has had to adapt his Cape Town menu but I was delighted to discover that he hadn’t lost any of his individuality – that many of his signature dishes had easily travelled. After all, La Pentola is as much about having a good time as good food. It has always been about the full experience which makes dining at either of these venues so memorable.
We started with a table of starters which is always a fun thing to do in a restaurant that has such innovative options. It means you get to try almost the full range without yearning for your neighbour’s choice. When I think of the rich generous quality of Shane’s food, Angel Snails (R60) is a perfect example. It’s described as Spanish snails wrapped in bacon, panfried with red onion, black pepper, butter and steamed in chardonnay bound with cream with fresh oregano. It’s delicious as you take two of the richest ingredients and combine them for extra punch. There’s also ostrich carpaccio (R55), of which he has different variations (Springbok, Cape fusion with salmon and baby marrow), Huckleberry haloumi (R55), a garden salad topped with slices of grilled haloumi, roasted cashew nuts drizzled with honey and dusted with sesame seeds which releases funky flavours, basil and port livers (R48) which is as velvety as it sounds, and one of his new specialities, a Billabong salad with a nod to the East including fresh fish, gooseberries and lettuce with a dressing of coconut cream, lemongrass, ginger and olive oil to add to the splendour of the mix. It’s a great way to start this kind of meal with everyone dipping in and out of their favourites.
Mains ranged from the exquisite Duck in Triple Sec (which two of us shared easily at R125) to the more casual salmon pastry (R75) which is light and fresh in appeal and taste and perfect as a seaside lunch; Zorba’s Chicken (R75), breast panfried with onion, garlic, black pepper doused in white Sambuca with fresh oregano to add kick; a Super T (R150) which is a bonus for meat lovers, and as a nod to the area, a classic Spaghetti Frutti di Mare (R135).
It was good stuff. Every dish was beautifully prepared, plated artistically and hit all the sweet spots.
That’s why we struggled to select more than three desserts which included Sauvage specialities like the Trio of Chocolate Terrine (R50), a White Chocolate Terrine (R50) and an Amoretti ice cream (R45).
It was the perfect feast for friends visiting a special chef in his latest surroundings. He has landed as graciously as only the exuberant Shane could. And he has once again created a paradise for those of us who regard the ambience and the experience as important as the quality and the adventure of the food.
It would be amiss to ignore the wine. Sauvage has always had a keen interest which he has cultivated. Now, in the heart of wine country, he can be kickass in this sphere.
l My second port of call was something different but with a similar exuberance.
I had heard of chef Kobus van der Merwe of Oep Ve Koep (St Augustine Road, Paternoster, 022 752 2033, bookings essential and open for breakfast and lunch) before it was announced that he had won Eat Out’s Nederburg Rising Star award for 2014.
I had previously reviewed his evocative cookery book Strandveldfood, a West Coast Odyssey with pictures by the extraordinary Jac de Villiers, celebrating a very specific region and its food. It was a like a shooting star of something special emerging and a few weeks later it was announced. Watch out, this is someone extraordinary!
Fortunately, I had made a booking, so I could safely slip in for lunch before the serious festive season started. I was intrigued by Van der Merwe’s food philosophy and that he was going out on a limb to do his kind of food. That’s evident when you have a meal. I was asked whether I wanted to discuss the menu before our date, but I wanted to see what the chef would produce when he has carte blanche.
In 2009, he joined his mom – an extraordinary force, which explains her son’s pursuit of his passion, at her Oep Ve Koep shop/farmstall in Paternos that offers extraordinary food.
His focus is the West Coast region and he has turned into an exacting forager which runs through every menu as he both celebrates the region and a individualistic way of presenting food. This is his great love, the place where he stays and that he wants you to taste on a plate.
It’s also the kind of venue he has established. With all the accolades streaming his way presently – both with the cookbook and the award – he could possibly turn his mind to something more fancy, but I loved the space which both suits his lifestyle and ethos. When the weather permits – and it is best when it does – he has an outside garden where they have established a herb garden in an old fishing dingy, and the tables are sparse, allowing the chef to do his best in a tiny kitchen.
He is a shy young man. But he understands communication with his customers – he is the one who discusses the menu which is small, and changes from day to day according to the produce. But he allows diners a good glimpse of what he is doing and where he is headed.
It is especially fun to catch these rising stars once they’ve found their feet, are growing in confidence but still cling to their passion and what they want to achieve.
On the menu we had: West Coast oysters in its element (R65); Mosselbobotie (R70); and Seared watermelon, summer ice plant, kelp, garden marrow (R70) as starters. Mains: Saldanha Bay mussels, smoked angelfish, wild garlic (R115); or Sosaties Leipoldt (R135); and dessert, “sweetcorn”.
All foodies around the table, we went for a wide selection. I wanted to try something that sounded quite foreign yet spectacularly from this place. The seared watermelon was as delicious and unusual as it was pretty and I loved this almost wild start to the meal followed by the mussel confection which was glorious but more familiar.
West Coast oysters in its element was something to behold. The fragrance and taste was of the icy waters flowing close by while the mosselbobotie is such a clever idea and gives you exactly what you expect; as does the Sosatie Leipoldt which is made according to old-time tradition hence the nod to the Afrikaans writer/doctor/chef whose cooking methods signalled the return to the veld and his roots.
We knew we were still holding on to cool heads when the dessert titled “Sweetcorn” didn’t deliver for anyone around the table. A suggestion of a little salt improved the taste but it still feels as if what we had on the day might have gone wrong.
It really is my kind of meal. The food and ideas are new, it comes from a place that is deeply invested in doing things according to the heart rather than pocket and while this wasn’t a cheap meal, it certainly wasn’t over the top.
If you want to see what foraging is all about, this place in Paternoster is your most authentic source.
This is a chef who is all about the food and chasing a dream, the venue works with his ethos and every mouthful will add to the adventure of the day. Oep Ve Koep is also about shopping from vellies to sweets that go as far back as penny lines!