Words: Nine Squared Communications and Events
The acclaimed Lacuna restaurant at Sun International’s The Maslow Hotel in Sandton will transform itself into a Winter Wonderland for the month of July with a feast of fabulous food guaranteed to beat the winter chill.
Photo credit: Francisco Nwamba
Chef Jason Millar, who started off as executive chef at the hotel earlier this year, has designed a special three-course meal perfect for this time of the year and which is on offer for both lunch and dinner from Wednesday, July 1, until Friday, July 31.
Cost is R325 per person with the menu changing weekly and offering a choice of three starters and mains as well as a specially created chocolate dessert. It includes a complimentary winter warmer cocktail from the hotel’s world class bar.
Dishes include suckling pig ravioli with sweet and sour grapefruit and chicken jus;
Bouillabaisse soup; beef and Guinness pie with rosemary mash and garden peas; braised oxtail and horseradish mash; confit duck leg accompanied by braised cabbage, lentil du puy and jus gras and a Lindt chocolate dessert with a twist.
Chef Millar, who began his career in the United Kingdom and has cooked at top restaurants across the globe, is passionate about fresh ingredients: “I have sourced incredible local ingredients, which we have incorporated into the Winter Wonderland menu. Our team is set to be a force to be reckoned with in Jo’burg’s fast-changing food and beverage landscape, and vibrant social culture.”
Millar has an impressive CV having been mentored by chefs such as Raymond Blanc, Gary Goldie, Phil Carmichael, Gordon Ramsay and Jason Atherton.
Adéle Ankiewicz, senior product manager at Lindt South Africa explains their involvement. “We are delighted with this collaboration between The Maslow’s Winter Wonderland and Lindt’s Lindor chocolate. As a world-renowned, premium chocolate, we found this initiative inspiring and enjoyed working with Chef Millar and his dynamic team. Diners will be offered a wonderful and decadent Lindt dessert at the end of their meal. There will also be a Lindt centrepiece that will be showcased at the entrance to the Lacuna restaurant. We look forward to many more collaborations in the future.”
For its CSI initiatives this winter, Sun International has targeted Alexandra Clinic and given them 100 blankets which have been distributed to orphans and the elderly as part of the July month-long drive to keep people warm. They are also providing a pop-up soup kitchen which takes the form of a special truck travelling across townships and informal settlements in Johannesburg and its surrounds to provide hearty and nourishing meals for these communities. Diners at Winter Wonderland are invited to donate to these causes.
Make your Winter Wonderland reservation by calling 010 226 4600 or visit https://www.facebook.com/suninternational and https://www.facebook.com/TheMaslowHotel
The Winter Wonderland menu at Sun International’s Maslow Hotel is as follows:
Week 1 menu – Wednesday July 1 to Tuesday July 7
Starters
Cauliflower and parmesan velouté with hazelnut and cocoa (V)
Patagonian calamari, chorizo, garden peas & chili cassoulet
Salted cod fritters with hot macerated tomatoes
Main course
Bouillabaisse soup with crusty bread
Chalmar beef fillet stroganoff with pilaf rice
Butternut risotto with field mushrooms and parmesan (V)
Dessert
Maslow/Lindt chocolate tart with a twist.
Week 2 menu – Wednesday July 8 to Tuesday July 14
Starters
Courgette velouté with tapenade and croutons (V)
Raclette fondue with garlic bread and truffle (V)
Suckling pig ravioli with sweet and sour grapefruit and chicken jus
Main course
Beef and Guinness pie with rosemary mash and garden peas
Eight hour lamb with pomme puree & seasonal vegetables
Pea and mint risotto with shaved parmesan and pancetta
Dessert
Maslow/Lindt chocolate tart with a twist.
Week 3 menu – Wednesday July 15 to Tuesday July 21
Starters
Minestrone soup
Sea bass with hot Nicoise garnish
Ravioli of hake and salmon with Meaux mustard and crispy leeks
Main course
Braised oxtail, horseradish mash and baby vegetables
Confit duck leg, braised cabbage, lentil du puy and jus gras
Homemade gnocchi with creamy garden peas, Parmesan and black trumpets (V)
Dessert
Maslow/Lindt chocolate tart with a twist.
Week 4 menu – Wednesday July 22 to Friday July 31
Starters
Chicken and barley farmhouse soup
Seared calves liver with beetroot and black pudding
Salmon ravioli with shellfish essence and edamame
Main course
Lancashire lamb hot pot
Daube of beef, pomme purée, pancetta and field mushrooms
Cauliflower risotto with wild mushrooms and parmesan (V)
Dessert
Maslow/Lindt chocolate tart with a twist.
