Review | Indochine at Delaire Graff presents The Wonders of The Cape

As the sun sets over the picturesque valley, the last light just catching the larger-than-life Dylan Lewis cheetah sculptures, which stand sentinel in the majestic garden, Indochine Restaurant at Delaire Graff Estate is coming to life.

Inside, beneath the impressive ceiling installation of 800 spiralling perspex swallows (conceptualised by artist Lionel Smit and designed and produced by sculptor Andre Stead), the copper tables are buffed to a shine, popping against the rich blue leather furnishings and textures of natural wood. The tables are set and the first bottle of Delaire’s Sunrise Brut – a gorgeously crisp and dry Chenin-led Cap Classique – has been popped, as the first guests start arriving. It’s here where chef Virgil Kahn brings his Indo-Asian cooking to life, staying true to his roots, with a malay flair.

The recently launched The Wonders of the Cape menu by Chef Virgil, follows on from his hugely successful spice route series, and this time sees him looking towards the bounty of the Cape for inspiration, presenting an experience of land and sea, showcasing the beauty of the Cape’s landscapes, fauna and flora through this six-course dinner.

Getting our palates whet and the meal started is the daily amuse-bouche. When we visit it is a beef brisket dumpling. The beautifully braised beef, packed with flavour, is wrapped up in an equally flavourful butternut and turmeric casing and served in a deep and rich Khao Soi Gai broth.

 For the main menu  the chef takes inspiration from the ocean, serving a trio of dishes. There’s the jasmine glazed langoustine, ‘indo’ oysters and a som tam palate cleanser. The delicate langoustine arrives together with an umami-rich shiitake aioli, I’d recommend lathering as much as you can onto the crustacean for ultimate enjoyment.

The oysters, served Indochine style, dressed in a choo chee curry and textures of lime. It’s a great balance of spicy, tart and savoury, all delivered in a single mouthful. Ending with the som tam, here the Thai inspired dish  uses seasonal local fruit the likes of mango and watermelon together with a tomato and basil water – a refreshing end to the trio.

Next, we stay with the ocean and move onto the second starter which sees coal-fired tuna served with textures of corn - including a clever little Southern Thai corn tiger’s milk - as well as lime koshu and jalapeno. It’s a dish of bold flavours, the tiger’s milk the clear hero  here. The magnificent taste sensations calmed by a litchi and sake slushie, cleansing our palates ahead of the main course.

This takes shape in a beautiful expression of wagyu, a perfectly cooked fillet served with components of cherry and a three-mushroom ragout of sorts wrapped in crispy kale, finished with a dusting of ox heart. It’s a meal that does well to showcase the beauty of the produce, using the ingredients from the premium cuts to the tertiary ones – done  in such a way that is both accessible and delicious. That little mushroom parcel, almost stealing the show with its punchy XO sauce.

The meal comes to a close with a duo of desserts, a perfectly lovely mango flan and the star of the show a brilliant meeting of savoury and sweet with frozen basil and chilli mousses served along with basil sorbet, and elements of litchi, coconut and tapioca. It’s a stunning dish that perfectly fits the brief for the ending of a meal of this magnitude. Not too sweet, not too rich but still most certainly a dessert.

It is a superb dining experience from start to finish, full of hearty and hefty flavours, clever cooking and a locally conscious mindset. Perhaps most impressive is that across this diverse and varied menu over 80% of the produce is sourced from Delaire Graff’s greenhouse and garden, driving home the chef’s dedication to locality and seasonality even while he plays between multi-continental techniques, flavours and dishes.