Dinner plans? Make sure Radisson Blu Sandton’s new winter offering is top of your list

There’s nothing quite like culinary delights that can truly transport you, and if you haven’t managed to be a part of the mass exodus of South Africans chasing a European summer this winter, then a trip to the Vivace Restaurant at the Radisson Blu Sandton Hotel should do the trick. With a new executive chef, Croatian-born Slobodan Stefancic, at the helm the new season’s menu is a delicious ode to Mediterranean cooking and a return to the restaurant’s original Italian roots and name.

According to Chef Stefancic, the idea of the menu is to introduce a simplistic, Italian-inspired approach to dining. “Simple, seasonal ingredients undoubtedly create the boldest flavours,” he says . “This principle is the foundation of European cooking and as an ode to the restaurant’s Italian name, Vivace, I felt inspired to create a menu that represents that.”

The menu is undoubtedly clean, fresh and elegantly light in its mood and is the absolute picture and taste of summer on the coast. Given that the typical idea of winter cuisine is a selection of heavier, heartier meals to counteract the cold weather, this menu flips that whole narrative on its head and challenges the palate. Despite not being a fan of heavy winter dishes, Chef Stefancic wanted to balance the South African palate with a Mediterranean one while still catering to diners with a hearty meat option but never overloading it with heaviness. The balance and lightness in the menu are crucial to its enjoyment as it allows every dish to be savoured to the fullest without overwhelming the stomach with heavy, rich dishes that eventually end up hindering the full enjoyment of the menu due to diners becoming too full, too quickly.

The menu tasting kicked off with two starter options, both of which pair well with the Iona Sauvignon Blanc 2022. Who doesn’t love a winter classic? The roasted tomato, epper and rosemary soup served with a side of toasted bread was a welcome taste of winter with a twist. Smooth and flavoursome with a delicate acidity, it was just enough to whet the appetite for what was to come. Should you not be a fan of soup as a starter, the crispy halloumi with zucchini ribbons, crushed avo, sun-dried tomato and wildrocket is absolutely sublime and an explosion of flavours — from salty, creamy acidity to the perfect amount of crunch. We highly recommend a generous squeeze of the charred lemon that serves as garnish over the halloumi — the slight sour-sweetness it gives completely lifts the dish, creating another level in its taste profile.

The next course really started to bring the Mediterranean coast to life with the Gamberi alla Griglia, a bold-flavoured dish of chilli grilled prawns, shaved fennel, charred onion petals, basil lemon butter and crispy noodles, which paired well with the Iona Chardonnay 2021. Chef Stefancic made sure the prawns were ever so slightly separated from the shells, making it easy to deshell them with the ease of just a knife and fork and no need for messy handling. While this dish is an explosion of bold, tasty flavours, a fair warning to those who can’t take a bit of heat — it is spicy. After the taste bud-jolting flavour profiles of the first starters, the next dish of Carpaccio Di Manzo, comprising finely sliced raw beef, marinated mushrooms, Grana Padano shavings, wild rocket and lemon mustard aioli, comes as a welcome, leisurely pause in the menu as the palate enjoys something a bit more delicate and ‘melt-in-your-mouth’, with the addition of a beautifully smooth Iona’s Mr P Pinot Noir (2022) to accompany it.

Getting to the ‘meat and potatoes’ of the menu, the main courses service both red meat and seafood lovers with the choice of a sesame salmon or a braised beef short-rib. Salmon lovers will not be left wanting with the grilled Norwegian salmon that is cooked to tender, flake-off-with-a fork perfection, served on a bed of pickled cucumber spaghetti with sweet chilli jam and perfectly complemented by the Iona Pinot Noir 2021. If traditional, hearty winter dishes are more your taste, the braised beef short-rib paired with the Iona One Man Band (2018) is a must have. Succulent, richly-flavoured and visually unmatched, this dish allows you to eat with your eyes first before savouring the beef short-rib braised in a merlot emulsion, served with sun-dried tomato polenta and glazed root vegetables. And you will be happy to know that this dish tastes as decadent as it looks.

Just when you think it can’t get any better, the dessert is the perfect end to this moreish menu. While most would go with a rich chocolate dessert or something hot and custard-drenched, Chef Stefancic serves up an expertly executed classic vanilla panna cotta served with macerated strawberries and basil. Creamy, delicately light and with just the right amount of wobble, there’s nothing more to want or ask for — except for a glass of Iona Noble Late Harvest (2017) dessert wine to finish things off .

Visit www.radissonhotels.com for bookings