Beat the winter blues with Jazz on the Bay at The41

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Chef Aristotle and international hospitality tycoon, Gilles Blanc, together presented a winter set menu of five Asian inspired courses made with fresh local ingredients, paired perfectly with Mud House and Flagstone wines.

We had the pleasure of attending the launch of Jazz on the Bay and it turned out to be a cosy and intimate affair. We were greeted with a glass of Da Lucca Prosecco upon arrival and soon everyone took their seats, eagerly awaiting a selection of creative and hearty dishes.

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We started with a delightful little amuse bouche of tuna tartare, brioche bread and herb aioli paired with Free Run Sauvignon Blanc. The crisp Sauvignon Blanc paired excellently with the tuna tartare and kept things light. Our only complaint, as with all amuse bouche, is that we wanted more.

For the entrée, the chef produced a divine smelling, creamy butternut, coriander and coconut soup. The soup was delicious, but we were in need of some crispy bread that could add a touch of saltiness to the dish and help us soak up the last of it. The soup was paired with the Two Roads Chardonnay, complementing the soup with notes of citrus and cinnamon.

View the launch gallery

The poisson or fish dish was, for me at least, the winning dish of the evening - a calamari pesto and potato nest paired with Treaty Tree Sauvignon Blanc. While the chef remarked that he would generally not use cheese with seafood, the premium parmesan topping the calamari definitely elevated the dish to extremely tasty. It wasn't the prettiest dish, but taste wins over presentation every day. The Sauvignon Blanc - elegant and flavourful - is a food wine, made to elevate the dining experience. It's complexity complemented the dish perfectly with hints of spice in the background and a citrusy flavour going well with the calamari.

Ostrich isn't for everyone, but the plat de résistance, an ostrich ragu Thai curry and beetroot chips, was an entirely pleasurable dish. The ostrich was cooked perfectly and with the Thai flavours, made for a very interesting and delicious experience. It was paired with Mud House Pinot Noir - a delicious red wine, darker and heavier than what we had had so far, pairing extremely well with the ostrich and enhancing the curry flavours.

For dessert, we were served an aphrodisiac crème brûlée paired with Bees Knees Sauvignon Blanc - a new singularly intriguing, delicious and very sweet wine. While incredibly delicious on their own, together, the dessert ended up too sweet for my taste. I dare say, the wine itself could be offered as a dessert.

The jazzy dining gatherings kick off on Thursday, 14 June with a live performance by Dan Shout. In July, guests will be serenaded by the sounds of Marc de Kock, followed by Amy Campbell and her band in August.

Bookings in advance via info@the41.co.za is essential. Only the set menu will be available on Jazz on the Bay monthly event evenings. For more information go to the event Facebook page.