RESTAURANT MOSAIC

IMAGES COURTESY OF RESTAURANT MOSAIC

NASTURTIUM, A NEW TASTING EXPERIENCE

Chef Chantel Dartnall of Restaurant Mosaic at the Orient has launched her much-anticipated spring menu, Nasturtium.

Abeautiful foray into our natural world with delicate colours, intricate designs and detailed plating, Chef Chantel Dartnall never fails to disappoint. Her latest tasting experience, launched in September, is called Nasturtium, and is their first culinary announcement to be welcomed by fine-diners since the lockdown. Intertidal Pool – Where

Sweet Meets Salty is found in Mosaic’s selection of first courses. In this dish, Chef Chantel returns to the place of her youth, finding solace in the folds of the Tsitsikamma Mountains where sweet and salty waters meet. “This has been my own private Garden of Eden for many decades now - the place where I find my internal peace and rejuvenate my soul,” she says.

For Hidden Gem, Chef Chantel was inspired by the Oracle of Delphi for her beetroot base. Beetroot contains betaine, a substance that relaxes the mind, and tryptophan (also found in chocolate), which contributes to an overall sense of wellbeing. “The baby beetroots are grown at the Pico Grow Farm, close to where our restaurant is situated. Their enthusiasm for their produce lights up my kitchen every week along with a colourful array of fresh edible flowers,” Chantel adds.

There’s nothing like a little luxury when dining out…but Little Luxuries veers away from the norm. “Forget foie gras. Forget caviar. Langoustines are the new marker of haute cuisine, a shrimpy-looking crustacean in

the lobster family,” Chantel says, “They have a more complex and delicate taste than lobster. The flavour is sweet, elegant.”

A work of artful flavours is the Rungis Market course. Made with Abalobi Catch of the Day, Dill Veloute and Nasturtium Cream, it is a composition that shouts freshness. Giving a nod to her time in France, Chef Chantel was inspired by the fresh fish unloaded early each day at the famous Rungis Market – something she longed for back home. “Now, a few years later, Frederick and Virgil’s fish caught during the night in Lambert’s Bay will arrive fresh and unfrozen at Mosaic in time to be served for dinner,”she explains. “We not only caught up with the sophistication of our European friends, but we can now proudly serve sustainably caught fresh fish from our own coastal waters.”

If names were anything to go by, one of our absolute favourites is Blink-Blaar-Wag-’n-Bietjie. This comes towards the end of the experience and includes 36-month Matured Charles Arnaud Compte with Bees Wax Honey Cream and Pumpkin Seed Granola. Chantel is particularly taken with the honey component of this course. “This rich and decadent natural nectar was harvested from our own Francolin Conservancy apiaries under the guiding hand and care of Sharon our apiculturists, who ensures that all our bees are healthy and happy and have enough to eat throughout the year.”

All of Restaurant Mosaic’s dishes naturally provide perfect pairing options for guests. These are the Sommelier’s Pairing, the Enthusiast’s Pairing and a NonAlcoholic Pairing.

Grande Degustation: R2 125 pp Market Degustation: R1 660 pp Enthusiast’s Wine Pairing: R405 Connoisseur’s Wine Pairing: R485

THIS RICH AND DECADENT NATURAL NECTAR WAS HARVESTED FROM OUR OWN FRANCOLIN CONSERVANCY APIARIES UNDER THE GUIDING HAND AND CARE OF SHARON OUR APICULTURISTS, WHO ENSURES THAT ALL OUR BEES ARE HEALTHY AND HAPPY AND HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

MENU SAMPLING

GRANDE DÉGUSTATION

A Small Prelude: First Courses • Intertidal Pool - Where Sweet

meets Salty: Ocean Tempura,

Tidal Pool, Chokka Crisp • Hidden Gem: Confit, Pickled and Roasted Beetroot, White

Balsamic Honey • Little Luxuries: Lobster Moussé, Savoy Cabbage, Caviar d’Aquitaine • By the Great Oak: Wild Mushroom Ragoût, Perigord Black Truffle

Remise en Bouche: Main Course

• Spring Pasture: Free Range Lamb, Ratatoulli, Herb Jus • Rungis Market: Abalobi Catch of The Day, Nasturtium Cream, Dill Velouté • Le Lapin: Rabbit Loin, Spelt Salad, Country Terrine

Final Flavours

• “Blink-Blaar-Wag-‘n-Bietjie”: 36 Month Matured Charles Arnaud Comté, Bees Wax Honey Cream,

Pumpkin Seed Granola

Dessert

• Summertime Daydreaming: Lemon Chiboust, Babà au Limoncino, Limoncino Sorbet • Sakura: Valrhona Blossoms, Cherry Mousse, Paté de Fruit

• Coffee, Tea and Petits Fours