Cloistered in Rosebank on Jellicoe Avenue, is Clico Restaurant of Clico Boutique Hotel, a fine dining establishment led by Chef Marnus Scholly.
The Clico is known for its innovative gourmet fare, with an emphasis on seasonal, local and organic produce, seasonal a la carte menus, bespoke wines and superb service.
Scholly and his team of artisans have launched a new six-course winter menu packed with deep, comforting flavours specially crafted to warm the soul.
Top winter picks off this menu include the Salmon Gravlax, as a starter, which boasts a beautiful array of winter vegetables as a light, fresh way to start the meal, especially when paired with the Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc.
It is a beautiful combination of cured salmon paired with a savoury muesli for some crunch and served alongside seasonal vegetables with some citrus undertones.
My favourite second course dish is Butternut Gnocchi with caramelised wild mushrooms, spinach and Parmesan, paired with a Vondeling Chardonnay. Slow braised Oxtail popped into pockets of Tortellini pasta with Parmesan cream, pumpkin seed pesto and a poached Quail egg enjoyed with a Yardstick Pinot Noir made for a great third course.
For the fourth course, I had Pork Belly with honey, soya sauce and butternut - paired with an Amatra Merlot. The belly is brined and then roasted. Followed by the Braised Lamb Shoulder, which is marinated for three days in the fridge with an olive and mustard sauce, slow roasted and served with an extraordinary beetroot jus.
The sixth course is appropriately named Milk and Honey, and has a wobbly goat’s milk panna cotta, rooibos cremeux and home-made honeycomb paired with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Liqueur. It’s mild and creamy to the taste and is brought alive by the shards of honeycomb and white chocolate.
Or you could choose to have a cheese board with local cheeses, preserve, lavash and an assortment of nuts - paired with a Paul Cluver Riesling.
I would have selected a less overpowering cultivar to match the flavours of the Pork belly,
but overall, each of the wines paired enhanced my Clico
dining experience.
Clico Restaurant offers both an a la Carte menu option, as well as a six course, wine-paired tasting menu.
To book your table this winter, visit www.clicohotel.com