A waiter wheels out a wooden trolley upon which is an array of charcuterie, each with its own accompaniment. We can choose two to slather on the plump, sweet potato and sourdough bread in the centre of our table. I opt for salmon gravlax cured in sugar and salt and finished off with freshly chopped dill, served with a salmon mousse and apple and cucumber jelly – shaped like an apple – and duck breast cured for six hours and hung for 21 days to age.
Picture: Lisa Daubermann
From the moment my husband and I arrived at La Colombe, the kitchen, service and attention to detail have been run like clockwork. About six years into his career, executive chef James Gaag moved to the UK for a brief period to work with one of the world’s finest chefs, Frenchman Raymond Blanc, at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire, which earned two Michelin stars upon opening in 1984 and has retained them since. James arrived in awe of the restaurant’s postcard-perfect setting, surrounded by gardens, flower borders and orchards, and due to Raymond’s regimental style of running a kitchen, he left armed with discipline and respect.
These traits he has instilled in the staff at La Colombe. We were addressed as Ma’am and Sir and shown to our table. The restaurant is glass-fronted, allowing light to pour in and uninterrupted views of the forest surrounding Silvermist Estate. Tables are few for spaciousness, intimacy and exclusivity. Our waiter offered to take our coats and provided a stool for my handbag. Each time we get up to use the restroom, where tweeting birds play over speakers, he refolds our napkins and pulls out our chair upon our return.
Picture: Lauren Mulligan/backintoday/Instagram
We’ve opted for the 11-course Chef’s Menu, caviar and truffles and the Iconic Wine Flight – this is, after all, a special occasion. This boundary-pushing, globally inspired offering isn’t the usual Asian-French fusion you might expect from a fine-dining restaurant. James’s mom is from Zimbabwe and his dad is German, and he spent most of his childhood in Germany. On the menu are Indian and Italian influences from his recent travels, even Mexican and Peruvian flavours.
The trick will be to balance sweet, sour and spicy ingredients so that one doesn’t dominate the other, and portion size and timing between courses is crucial given there are 11.
Another waiter serves us Tuna ‘La Colombe’, beginning with a live demonstration mixing a marinade of crispy shallots, a dash of coriander, aromatic confit lemon, freshly diced spring onion, garlic, and for a tiny bit of heat, some crispy jalapeño. Using a pestle and mortar, she combines these ingredients with James’s Secret Sauce, so called because he’s the only one who knows what’s in it. Then, she asks us to lift our tuna cans – even the label is emblazoned with La Colombe – under which is a smoked salsa verde topped with lightly seared tuna, chipotle mayo and lime.
Picture: Andrea van der Spuy
Our visit coincides with International Drink Chenin Day, and to celebrate, the sommelier opens a magnum bottle of 1947 chenin blanc.
Other standouts include melt-in-the-mouth scallops and pork jowl with curried bay leaves, curried sultana puree, coriander oil and finished with a butternut-coriander velouté. James’s mom’s bolognese, refined for fine dining, makes an appearance with Karoo lamb and celeriac. The cheese and honey course is served on plates shaped like honeycombs and adorned with edible flowers and comprises a super-melty raclette cheese, smoked Stanford, pickled pear puree and pickled onion and quince butter with roasted walnuts, best smothered on crackers. My favourite dessert is the Jerusalem artichoke mousse, sponge cake and ice cream with a rich, chocolate and hazelnut crumb, and three different twills, carrot and orange, cacao nib and caramel-chocolate.
Picture: Lisa Daubermann
The Chef’s Menu is R1 795 per person – before you add caviar, truffles and a wine pairing. The reality is that most South Africans can’t afford to eat at La Colombe regularly, but is it worth the splurge for a special occasion? We lingered over lunch at La Colombe for six hours, savouring every mouthful of this perfectly portioned, paced and prepared culinary journey. This isn’t just a meal but an experience you’ll remember for years.
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