Karla’s Top Pick for November

As a foodie, local travelling lover and shopper, I thought of doing a monthly blog featuring Karla’s top picks for the month. Karla’s top pick for November is Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo in Cape Town. Hopefully this can give you some insight to me, and also some local (hopefully international – we will get there) little gems.

My first pick must be my first time at Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo in Cape Town. Ross and I use to eat out quite frequently, but since having a baby, we have cut back a lot and now find ourselves going for breakfasts and lunches which are child-friendly. This is great, don’t get me wrong but goodness I do miss a fancy treat where Ross and I can have a conversation without one of us being in the play area. So off we went for a lovely lunch. Here are some of my highlights:

Ambiance and Atmosphere:

What an absolutely beautiful setting. You get fetched at the entrance by shuttle and taken down a bit of a steep and narrow road.

The views are exquisite, even though we went in winter, there is nothing like the ocean in a bit of a storm. There were also some noticeable features like the beautiful chandeliers, open wooden trusses, velvet chairs and some beautiful art pieces.

There was also a wood burning fireplace, a similar one to which we stock and some leather couches. Overall the ambiance and atmosphere is inviting and not intimidating like some fancy restaurants can be.

Culinary Artistry:

Probably one of the main reasons to go to a chefs warehouse is the food. Liam Tomlin and chef Braam Beyers are absolute culinary genesis. The menu was throughout and I loved that it was seafood inspired menu.

If you havent been to a Chefs warehouse before, the menu changes, based on seasonality of products and the chef’s desires. Being as close to the ocean though, I am assuming this is mostly a seafood menu at all times. You can either choose your own items from the menu – there are 2 options per course or you can get both options to share.

I am normally an each to your own kinda girl but Ross wanted to share so we went with his wishes. Absolutely magical. We also have this thing where we rate the meals from 1. The favourite to 4 the least favourite. Often ours goes in reverse.

My favourite on the menu was the Yellowtail sashimi – this is often the case when there is sashimi on the menu and Ross was the flavours of paella. The flavours of paella was a saffron risotto with white clams.

We opted out of the chorizo, as I dont eat pork and the dish was still perfectly balanced and absolutely delicious. You would sometimes think we masterchef judges but we not.

Wine and Beverage curation:

There is nothing like a wine pairing with a delicious menu, but I was surprised to see that they didnt actually offer this. I love a good glass of wine and really consider myself a bit of a coinisorre.

I dont know a lot of wine but I know what tastes good and I know when you are trying to trick me into drinking merlot. Fun fact – I hate merlot. I am yet to try one that doesnt taste flat. I just dont get the varietal at all.

I also found Boschkloof on the menu. A friend of mine 10 years ago lost a bet – I cant remember what we bet on but the loser had to buy the winner a really good bottle of wine. Cam, landed up getting me a bottle of Boschkloof and I was amazed.

I also discovered that this winefarm is very close to where my mom lives. I begged her and my late stepdad to come wine tasting with me at the farm when I was visiting and they both refused, saying they dont like boutique wine farms, but after some convincing they came with.

Safe to say, they loved it too. We ordered the chardonnay and Ross himself was very impressed that he then went to buy a bottle the next day. The wine selection was amazing and when I see Boschkloof on the menu, I know the place knows a thing or two about wine.

Last, the impeccable service.

Dining in upscale establishments is not just about the food; it’s an entire experience orchestrated by skilled and attentive staff.

Every waiter and the manager were experienced and made the whole lunch a dream from the moment we walked into to the final farewell.

Their timings were perfect, we never felt rushed or bothered by the staff and that was such a treat. They were able to anticipate our needs discreetly without us feeling watched.

Overall, I highly recommend Chefs warehouse at Tintswalo for anyone needing a treat. It is a bit pricy, hence me saying it is a treat day for a special occasion. Cant wait for the next occasion where I need to try their new Chefs Warehouse at the Bailey in Cape Town CBD.