Image courtesy of Swartland Wine Route

As we approach the festive season, our exploration of the Western Cape’s beautiful Winelands takes us to Swartland and Darling for a selection of great wines and delicious dinner pairings.

On the menu from local restaurant, Bar Bar Black Sheep – pallets can expect the best in organic and home-grown ingredients that the Swartland can offer, all seasonally fresh and locally sourced. Their delicious menu consists of rustic, slow-cooked country fare and pairs delightfully with excellent boutique and garasiste wines from the area supplied by the Wine Kollective.

The Expressions of Swartland and Darling launch evening commences at 18h00 on the 1st of November 2012 with a complimentary wine tasting which all are welcome to join. A 4-course dinner with paired wines priced at R350 per person and including mineral water will follow at 19h00 for 19h30. Guests are also invited to make an evening of it and enjoy the elegant luxury of the Taj Cape Town at a special rate of only R1750 per room, breakfast included.

Wines featured on the night, will be available for off-consumption purchase at Cellar Door prices through our wine kiosk. During the month of November, Mint Restaurant will offer two of the courses for R175 (excluding a glass of wine) or three courses including a glass of wine for only R210.

Join us at the Earth Fair Market on Thursdays between 12h00 and 15h00 and enjoy a tasting of some of our wines from our current Expressions series, along with some of the people who created them.

 Those dining from the Expressions menu or purchasing wine at Cellar Door prices at our Thursday Tastings, stand the chance of winning one of many prizes, including an evening stay for two people in a luxury room at Taj Cape Town.

Taj Cape Town provides stylish accommodation in Cape Town. Secure complimentary parking is available in Mandela Rhodes Place adjacent to the hotel with the parking entrance located in Burg Street, off Wale Street.

Image courtesy of Taste of Cape Town

Cape Town will be celebrating the culinary event of the year as Taste of Cape Town celebrates its 5th foodtastic anniversary.

Taste of Cape Town will once more be returning to the beautiful surrounds of Green Point Cricket Club to bring together the city’s most acclaimed restaurants, award- winning wineries, premium drink brands, artisan producers, boutique exhibitors and fantastic entertainment.

The festival will be attracting the city’s most dedicated and sophisticated foodies for four days of mouth-watering gourmet food and drink as well as a range of stalls where visitors can shop for ingredients, try delicious speciality food and relax in what has been described as the laid back atmosphere of a boutique food market.

The unique festival has become a truly world-class event, growing from a gastronomic meeting of the minds into festival that aims to educate and entertain guests with a line-up of innovative and interactive programmes on cooking and eating.

Crowns, the festival currency, are used to purchase food and drinks from the restaurants, bars and exhibitors and itself can be purchased using cash or credit card at the event from the Taste Bank or from roaming Crown sellers dressed in pink. Each Crown is worth R5 and prices range from 4 to 8 Crowns per dish with change offered in Crowns only.

Taste of Cape Town will be taking place from 19 – 22 April 2012 and the standard entrance fee which includes a tasting glass is R80. R200 premium tickets are available which include R120 worth of Crowns. For serious foodies, there are also Taste Clubhouse Experience tickets priced at R685 which come with 3 premium drinks, R180 worth of Crowns and access to a private clubhouse with a cash bar.

On the menu at Bombay Brasserie you will find a Shaami Shikhampuri Kebab – 6 Crowns a Pounded Lamb Kebab with a yogurt centre & mint chutney filling, Secondly a Kingklip Amritsari – 4 Crowns a Spicy battered fish with Bishop’s Weed, and thirdly a Paneer Koliwada – 4 Crowns a cottage cheese fritters with a Tamarind chutney filling. At Mint Restaurant you will find Crispy Calamari Chilli wild pepper with Dijonnaise – 5 Crowns.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and made its mark at last year’s Taste of Cape Town, consistently ranking as one of the top stands in the four-day festival with dishes from Bombay Brasserie and Mint Restaurant.