Square Cafe and Wine Bar premiered its Winemaker’s Dinner series on Thursday, 26 January. The monthly event has been created to establish the restaurant as a place where fine food and wine come together.
Each event will play host to one of the Cape’s illustrious wine farms in a collaboration that pairs signature wines with a curated fine dining menu.
The stylish, brasserie-style restaurant overlooks the Century City Hotel’s bustling Urban Square, a local hotspot for after-work drinks and socialising. Its covered terrace is a welcome spot to soak up the lively spirit of the square and enjoy a South African wine from the cellar with some tapas from the à la carte menu.
For the occasion, we were greeted with a glass of Steenberg 1682 Brut Chardonnay and a croissant bruschetta topped with honey-glazed stone fruit and sprinkled with toasted pistachio crumble and yuzu pearls, which are little zesty bombs of citrus liquid – we googled it.
After some mingling and a top-up or two of the delicious chardonnay bubbles, we were shown to our table and given the second pairing on the menu: a timbale of Cape gooseberry and citrus blossom-infused goat’s cheese drizzled with a zesty apple syrup and served with the Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc. The creamy texture of the cheese combined with the crispy crunch of the pastry and the lively notes of the wine made for a winning combination.
The Steenberg Merlot, with its full body and velvety texture, changed the direction of the menu. It went well with the hearty beef cheeks, smoked tomato risotto, and sautéed summer vegetables that made up the third course.
A spiced peach panna cotta, coated in a summer melon pureé and fresh berries, was served with two wines: the Steenberg Rosé and the Steenberg Pinot Noir Rosé MCC. We were told to make the call on which wine was most suited to the dessert.
We picked the rosé, although we’ll definitely be stocking up at home on that MCC – the often overlooked but just as good bubbly from the farm’s sparkling wine range. Apparently, it’s only sold at a few select stores in the country, which means we have an excuse to visit Steenberg this summer.
If you are not partial to making the drive to the Winelands to sample your favourite local labels (for adults with young children, the distance may be a bit of a stretch), then you can catch the next Winemaker’s Dinner at Square Cafe this month.
In February, the restaurant will collaborate with Rickety Bridge and its range by award-winning sommelier, Marlvin Gwese.
Here’s a preview of what you can expect:
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Details:
Location: Square Cafe and Wine Bar | 3 Energy Lane, Century City
Times: Open 6.30am to 10pm daily
You can find more information about Square Cafe and Wine Bar’s upcoming and weekly events here.
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Written by Kate Walker for Cape {town} Etc.
Feature image: Kate Walker
