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Homini Crickets
By Le GastroGnome, Victor Strugo
When Forum Homini opened near the Cradle of Humankind in 2006, cynics disillusioned with a glut of privately owned boutique hotels sprouting up in the shrinking green belt between the capital and capitalist cities might well have dismissed it with a ho hum..
In the past year, major awards have brought Roots to the attention of city slickers from both Egoli and Tshwane, spurring chef-patron Philippe Wagenfuhrer to entice them with a surfeit of bright new ideas.
What drew me back here were rumours of an enticingly original breakfast menu...
While dinner was very much the domain of intimate-stayover couples, breakfast brought in several non-residents, including a well-behaved family party. What they came for was no traditional Continental, English breakfast or self-service buffet. Instead it's a lighter; early-bird application of the tasting-menu model, likewise aiming more at pleasure than plenitude. Between fruit juice and coffee (deliberately served at the end, so as not to jar with the gentler intervening flavours), breakfast's five courses always start with fruit and end with pastries. Between these, there is cereal, an egg dish and something fishy or meaty (but lightly so). The words hardly sound original: indeed cereal, eggs and kippers seem traditionally British, but like so much innovation, the magic resides in variations on familiar themes.
First a divine fresh fruit smoothie was paired with chocolate-coated pear, apple and strawberry. The choc-tactics returned with white and dark shards melted with butter over hot Maltabella porridge. It's nice to see this old local favourite revived and appropriately so since it contains sorghum, which is said to be the first grain milled in ancient Africa...
Cost:
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5-course breakfast
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R135
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Weekend brunch
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R175
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4-course lunch
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R150
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6-course dinner
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R245
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6 wine teasers
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R85
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BYO
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Preferably not
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Rating:
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Breakfast menu
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* * * *½ (keenly original)
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Winelist
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* * * * (versatile selection)
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Service
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* * * (very relaxed)
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Ambience
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* * * (elegance meets nature)
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Value
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* * * * (reasonable in context)
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roots brings back the flair for Mother's day
The award winning roots restaurant is bringing back the flair for mother's day with a beautiful Saturday brunch.
Bring your mothers, aunties, grandmothers, sisters and friends to a magical morning spent in the African bushveld. Hats are a must to add to our fun-filled morning!
Enjoy an enticing 5-course menu, highlights of which are, French champagne, a divine fresh fruit smoothie paired with chocolate coated seasonal fruit, tiger prawns with sweet pea puree sauce, and lemon syllabub with strawberries and crystalised rose petals. To end off this delectable brunch is freshly baked miniature pastries served with a sumptuous homemade jam and with a plunger of robust filter coffee or a refreshing pot of tea.
Bookings are essential for Mother's day "brunch with flair" at roots on Saturday 10 May from 09h00.
Our popular Sunday lunch will still be served, so for our loyal customer's bring along your mother's and spend the afternoon with us. Reservations are essential to avoid disappointment.
Cost:
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Saturday 5-course brunch:
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R245.00 per person
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Sunday 6-course lunch:
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R275.00 per person
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Wine teasers optional.
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May Tasting event
Dornier wines
Dornier Wines is located on two estates, both with long traditions. The history of Keerweder goes back to 1694, when it was acquired by Jac van Dyk. The Homestead farm includes a historic Sir Herbert Baker homestead and one of the oldest wine cellars in the area. The Dornier family bought the first farm in 1995, planted most of the vineyards and opened a new cellar in 2003.
Winery
'Great architecture is art, poor architecture is conventional triviality made of stone and concrete.' - CMD Dornier
Dornier's loft-style winery is a new attraction in the Cape Winelands. With its curved roof and the use of face brick and reflecting materials, the building blends creatively into the dramatic scenery of Stellenbosch Mountain. The style of the winery is a visual translation of our wines – elegant, clear yet complex and distinctly unique.
Dornier offers three ranges of Wines
Our DONATUS Range comprises our flagship red and white blends. They combine a distinctive local character with our individual style. We achieve this with a careful selection of fruit from our healthy vineyards. All wines are fermented and aged in separate batches and skillfully blended after a long ageing process. The wines offer complexity, elegance, perfect balance and freshness.
The DORNIER Range comprises single variety wines from our Stellenbosch vineyards. They are characterised by clean fruitiness, concentration and perfect balance.
The COCOA HILL Range offers freshness, uncompromised pleasure, and great value.
Join us this month for yet another monthly treat of food & wine.
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Wednesday:
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7 May 2008
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Time:
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18:30 for 19:00
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Dinner:
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R350pp (6 course gourmet dinner with 6 wine teasers)
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Call 011 ... to book your table. Looking forward to seeing you here!
June Tasting event
Waterford tasting
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Wednesday:
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4 June 2008
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Time:
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19:00
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Dinner:
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R350pp (6 course gourmet dinner with 6 wine teasers)
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Forum Homini Patron,
We have great events planned at roots & Forum Homini this year. Watch for the monthly updates in our newsletter.
Remember you are only 45 minutes away from one of SA's TOP 10 restaurants!
For more information on roots or Forum Homini please visit our website on www.forumhomini.co.za or contact us on 011 668 7000 .
Reserve now to avoid disappointment. Also open for breakfast, lunch & dinner
Friendly Hominid regards,
Juanita Marais
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