It’s no big secret that Cape Town is going through a severe drought, so local business owners have had to assess a way forward to keep their businesses afloat while saving water. From the 1st of April, The Test Kitchen will introduce The Drought Kitchen, a pop-up dining experience. Luke Dale-Roberts and his team will focus on using less water in the kitchen while still preparing creative and magnificent food.

By Ulisha Moodley

‘I’ve had to re-evaluate how we approach what we do in the kitchen and the restaurant,’ says Luke. ‘From preparation to plating, service to clean-up, everything is impacted by using less water. It’s been an eye-opener, for sure,’ he adds.

Guests can look forward to a sublime six-course menu that is adapted from the Test Kitchen’s standard repertoire, but just with a water-wise twist. The menu includes a 12-hour hot-smoked trout with watercress and yoghurt snow; yuzu caviare and blinis; sweet breads with asparagus, peas, morel and porcini hollandaise; pig-head salad and pork pie; springbok with beetroot bone marrow and hazelnuts; and peaches and lavender for dessert.

Each course will also be plated on empty picture frames with an interchangeable card, designed by Luke. ‘These hand-crafted disposable plates will provide the perfect counterpoint for displaying each dish.’ With no washing up required!

Booking can be made via The Test Kitchen’s website here: thetestkitchen.co.za

THE DETAILS

When: 1 April – 31 May 2018; Tuesday-Saturday, 6:30 PM –11:30 PM
Where: 375 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
Price: R890 for the water-saving menu
Contact: 021 447 2337
Website: thetestkitchen.co.za

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The Test Kitchen is best known for its unique dining experience and gastronomic cuisine. But what truly makes this restaurant stand out amongst its competitors? The man; Luke Dale-Roberts, himself.

By Mikaela Kagan

Dale-Roberts prides himself on his dedication to perfection and his unrivalled commitment to innovation. After earning a place on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and taking a top spot on Eat Out’s Top 10 since 2010, he still felt the need to surpass himself, seeking new opportunities for growth and creativity. To no one’s surprise, he sealed his position as the best in the business with his well-deserved win at the 2016 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Awards. Chief judge and editor, Abigail Donnelly, awarded the Test Kitchen with the Restaurant of the Year award for an astounding fifth consecutive year. After yet another exceptional year, Luke’s unconditional desire to push culinary boundaries has once again raised the standards of fine dining in South Africa.

True to his ever-evolving personal commitment to excellence, Dale-Roberts has reinvented the magnificent Test Kitchen, unveiling a revamped sensory culinary experience. The restaurant has now been divided into two conrasting parts; the Dark Room and the Light Room.

The Dark Room is a hedonistic, luxurious space boasting wood-clad walls, sinister manipulated shadows and a rich colour palette. The idea behind this quiet, mysterious room was to create an environment condusive to intimate and engaging conversation over beautifully-crafted finger food. It is here where guests instinctively lower their voices, breathe a little deeper, and gain a heightened appreciation for their surroundings. The Dark Room hosts the first seven courses of the new tasting menu, before guests transition to the Light Room.

Upon entering the Light Room, one is handed a geranium-infused glass of water, served with rose petal ice cubes – an instantly refreshing juxtaposition to the edgier weight and decadence of the Dark Room. Tables are laid immaculately with traditional linen, creating a more formal setting and a bright sense of occasion. It is here, in crisp and clean-cut beauty of the Light Room, that the patrons will be served the remainder of the elegantly-plated menu.

There are three menu options on offer to suit your taste and budget:

Tasting menu #1 includes cocktails, a glass of MCC, coffee, and after-dinner brandy.
Tasting menu #2 with a wine pairing includes cocktails, a glass of MCC, coffee, and after-dinner brandy.
Tasting menu #3 with an iconic wine pairing includes cocktails, a glass of MCC, coffee, and afte-dinner brandy.

Each menu will leave you with a lingering sense of awe at having partook in one of the very best dining experiences the world has to offer.

THE DETAILS

When: Tuesday-Sunday; Dinner sitting 18:30-20:30 PM
Where: The Old Biscuit Mill, 375 Albert Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915
Reservations: (27) (21) 447 2337 // reservations@thetestkitchen.co.za
Website: thetestkitchen.co.za 

FOLLOW THEM

Facebook: The Test Kitchen
Twitter: @TestKitchenCT
Instagram: @thetestkitchenct

The post The Test Kitchen: A taste of what’s to come appeared first on MyKitchen.

It started with 20 of the country’s most delicious and stylish restaurants and a panel of anonymous judges to critically review them. Now, the wait is over and the 2016 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards have been named. Here’s the list of the 10 restaurants where you should be booking a table:

1. The Test Kitchen
It was none other than chef Luke Dale-Roberts who walked away with the top spot. His clever use of ingredients and techniques is what keeps diners always going back for more.

2. La Colombe
Located on top of beautiful Constantia Nek, the view is as much a treat as chefs Scot Kirton and James Gaag’s food.

3. The Restaurant at Waterkloof
Chef Gregory Czarnecki honours his French heritage with his classic yet modern fare. Designed to pair perfectly with the wines from the area, it’s a real treat.

4. The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français
Margot Janse plans her menu around the element of surprise to create an exciting and unforgettable dining experience.

5. Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient
Step back in time when you enter the Art Nouveau-style dining area and prepare to be indulged by chef Chantel Dartnall’s culinary creations.

6. Overture
Here, chef Bertus Basson strikes the ultimate balance between hearty South African cooking and sophisticated fine dining.

7. Greenhouse at The Cellars-Hohenort
Expect dishes inspired by every nook of the earth as chefs Peter Tempelhoff and Ashley Moss are driven by the variety that the sea, land and garden offers us.

8. The Kitchen at Maison
It’s the simple approach to cooking and the careful emphasis on flavour that secured this restaurant’s place in the top 10 ranking.

9. Foliage
As the name suggests, ingredients are seasonal, fresh and foraged, which shows in the meticulous care being put into every plate of food.

10. Camphors at Vergelegen
Eat your way through an elegant menu featuring traditional South African ingredients, paired with Vergelen’s delicious wines.

Photography: The Test Kitchen

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