Radisson Blu's Supper Club: The perfect recipe for a night out?

Food, and the enjoyment of it, has always been an integral part of living a good life.

The reality of the situation, however, for all of us who have a ton of responsibility, is that we don’t often get the chance to wine and dine ourselves in the way we know is possible. Food is often an integral part of an experience, and we seldom get the chance (or even the ingredients) to explore true bliss with cooking and eating.

But where can we go to get this experience, without the worry of having to do it ourselves?

Well, the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sandton offers a Supper Club wine pairing experience - and we were invited to give our review.

First impressions

The Supper Club happens every last Thursday of the month and starts at 6:30pm. From the moment you walk in, you are greeted with highly professional and helpful staff (before walking on an unbelievably comfortable carpet to your table).

As we sat down for the evening, we received our welcome drinks and waited with high anticipation for everything to start.

We (all the people dining) were greeted by the manager and were taken through what we would be eating for the night. He took us through each course and explained the idea for each, helping us understand the thought process behind the choice of food. Then, the soothing live music started and they started to serve us.

The evening offered four courses, each paired with a carefully selected wine for the dish.

Mussels and red wine

The first dish of the evening was delectably tender mussels served with a garlic sauce and garlic focaccia bread. Each meal had two possible wines you could choose from, and interestingly enough, along with the obvious white wine pairing with seafood - we had the option of pairing this dish with a Haute Cabriere Pinot Noir.

Image by Emily Stander: Garlic mussels and focaccia bread
Image by Emily Stander: Garlic mussels and focaccia bread

Honestly, it wasn’t a bad choice. Personally, I had never had red wine with seafood, but it was far from disappointing. The Chenin Blanc on offer was a touch better, but that might also be my personal preference for a beautiful white wine.

All in all, the evening started me off with a new experience that taught me not to shove off the idea of something that may seem strange at first.

Two birds with one stone

After the mussels, the quail arrived.

Now, I had never had quail before - so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. What I got, however, was something which definitely turned out to be one of my favourite meals I have had in my life.

Image by Emily Stander: Quail with potato croquettes and mushroom sauce
Image by Emily Stander: Quail with potato croquettes and mushroom sauce

The quail was served with delicate little potato croquettes and a rich mushroom and masala sauce. However, the definite highlight of this dish and something I am undeniably going to try at home was the fried basil.

This dish was paired with a glass of La Motte Millennium or Marras The Trickster Cinsault.

Image by Emily Stander: Ostrick fillet with rosemary jus and pomme puree
Image by Emily Stander: Ostrick fillet with rosemary jus and pomme puree

The main highlight of the evening, without a doubt, was the ostrich fillet.

Served with a pomme puree, rosemary jus and roasted cherry tomatoes, the fillet itself was impeccably prepared. Ostrich, as far as I understand, can be a difficult meat to work with - and it was presented to us expertly. The dish was paired with a Simsonsig Pinotage or Bayede Merlot - and, especially as a lover of red wine, both were excellent choices.

To send you off

The last meal of the night was a trio of desserts - lemon curd tartlets, flourless chocolate torte and a homemade doughnut with strawberries. Paired with a glass of Allesverloen, this was the perfect way to say good night to what had been a personable and flavoursome evening.

Image by Emily Stander: A trio of desserts; lemon curd tartlets, flourless chocolate torte and a homemade doughnut
Image by Emily Stander: A trio of desserts; lemon curd tartlets, flourless chocolate torte and a homemade doughnut

Supper Clubs traditionally are places for elaborate parties, American-styled food, a never-ending flow of champagne and live jazz performances. Radisson Blu wanted to bring this back in an era where we are craving social interactions - and they have definitely done so successfully, with a more refined twist.

With something new to try every month, I definitely recommend that you book your seats to get the perfect wine-and-dine experience that you may be craving.

About Emily Stander

Freelancer specialising in games and entertainment | My first loves are writing, music and video games
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