I like to think only the best people are born on July 18 (Mandela being the prime example). Since I too am born on this day, this weekend was all about birthday celebrations in the Two Peas household.
On Friday Kyle booked us a table at the fabulous DW 11-13 by Marthinus Ferriera. This restaurant, which has been on top of our dining out wish list for some time, describes itself as offering a "unique experience through experimental cuisine"and is regularly cited as one of the top restaurants in South Africa. DW 11-13 is located in the Dunkled West shopping Centre in shops 11-13, which goes some way to explain the name, but apparently it is also a play on South West London postcode and Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Cafe where Ferriera once worked.
Arriving at the restaurant we were greeted and showed to our seats by the hostess, a friendly and impassioned lady named Robin. Having agonised for days about whether we wanted to order a wide section off the A La Carte Menu and share everything or try the tasting menu, we arrived still unsure of which one we wanted to do. The tasting menu with wine pairing comes in at a sizeable R950 per person, while we estimated a starter, main and dessert with a bottle of wine to share would cost us in the region of R650 per person. In the end following the ardent urging of the hostess, and on the basis that we had wanted to really experience the restaurant, we opted for the tasting menu.
We where not disappointed. The 6 course tasting menu (really 7.5 if you include the sorbet, amuse bouche and pre-desserts served between courses) was not only outstanding but also generous. Both the DW 11-13 food portions and wine pairings were perfectly sized to enabled us to taste a variety of bites and flavours without being left feeling like we needed to look for the nearest drive through on the way home.
The stand out savoury dish for us was undoubtedly, and much to our surprise, the vegetarian, 'Polenta, cauliflower espuma, sultanas, pine nuts, kale and brown butter'. This dish was delishiously balanced by the contrast of the creamy texture of the cauliflower with crispy kale and the saltiness of the brown butter with the sweetness of the sultanas. I wish I could say we got a picture before we tucked in but unfortunately I only remembered halfway through. This course was paired with what was also our favourite wine of the evening an Oak Valley Mountain Reserve White Blend.
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| What remained of my 'Polenta, cauliflower espuma, sultanas, pine nuts, kale and brown butter' when I remembered to photograph it. |
Kyle absolutely loved the 'Springbok, dauphinoise, beetroot, blackcurrant ketchup and parsnip purée, spiced jus' but I, being rather sensitive to pepper, found the spicing of the on the springbok a bit overpowering and was unable to really enjoy any of the other flavours on the dish which was a pity.
For me the 'Karoo stilton ice cream, walnuts, port gel, melon compote, puff disc and celery' was the most exciting dish of the day due to the creamy sharpness of the Karoo stilton ice-cream. Kyle thought the ice-cream didn't have enough stilton flavour when eaten alone but worked with the dish as a whole.
Overall it was the details that made the DW11-13 experience exceptional. We loved the subtle South African theme to the décor and the way this linked to both the food and the plating. We also loved how knowledgeable and attentive all the waiting and hosting staff were and that they made us feel right at home.
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| DW 11-13's subtle South African themed décor |
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