Once upon a time at The Food Barn

Chicago’s Queen of Cool Marries The King of Cartoon, and live happily ever after.
If you’ve read my Food Barn-Inspired Mushroom Pasta recipe, you will have noted the awe-struck, dreamy-eyed tone in my voice, as is only fitting when speaking of the culinary creme de la creme of the Noordhoek valley (and, arguably, the country for that matter). And so what could have been more perfect than our friends Kate and Mark choosing to have their wedding reception there? Possibly nothing on earth. Which is why I nearly fainted with delight when we got the invite.

Kate is our classy, big business savvy trader friend from Chiacago, and Mark her super talented animator-designer now-husband. Seen SA Rugby’s baby bokkie character and the ever popular new Bok kids clothing line? That’s him.

So it must be said that on this day, The Food Barn was competing in a high stakes game of uber-coolness when taking into account that K&M, and all their creative cleverness, elected to get married in what could be described as a glass box on top of a building in Cape Town. Within sight of Table Mountain. And it’s winter and it didn’t rain. And the whole roof opened up to let in streaming sunlight as Kate walked down the aisle. It was breathtaking.

And it continued as we were transported around Champan’s Peak in full view of one of those magnificent Capetonian sunsets that Mother Nature gifts us with every now and then. This is indeed the stuff that fairy tales are made of.

 

Then as we pulled into the quaint little Noordhoek Farm Village and alighted outside The Food Barn we were warmly greeted by smiling waiters lofting merry glasses of bubbling champagne. Perfection.

So, without further ado, and for your reading pleasure, let’s get down to what we ate…

The hors d’oeuvres
I chose Tempura of prawns on a bed of avocado, aubergine & tomato, served with basil salsa and finished with a red chilli syrup. Bliss.

Rob, with aubergine being about the only thing on the planet that he doesn’t eat and also because he’s allergic to prawns, went with the tomato and parmesan tart with a basil butter sauce. Gone in two bites.

Mains
Grilled linefish on cauliflower and basil mash with pickled ginger, and aioli with an olive oil and soy sauce dressing.

Only one person at our table of 8 chose that, because being the red-blooded South Africans we all are, none of us could pass up…
Grilled free-range Namibian beef fillet with potato bake and a cognac and black pepper sauce.

Dessert
Sliced chocolate and almond biscuit roulade served with coffee and vanilla sauces, and home made ice cream on the side.

Or red poppy scented panna-cotta and passion fruit brulee with vanilla sauce and hibiscus ice-cream.

So there you have it. K&M a match made in heaven, and a wedding with celestial food. Pure poetry.

 

Enjoy The Food Barn fare for less during winter with their fabulous Winter special. Seriously unbeatable value.

Or for something different, and which I can highly recommend, take some time out to go to one of their cooking demonstrations hosted by Franck Dangereux of La Colombe fame.

“Cooking is not an art. It is ephemeral. It doesn’t stay. It doesn’t last. It’s there. It’s gone. It’s just pleasure. It is giving pleasure, it is taking pleasure, getting together. And getting fat, perhaps. But that is part of the pleasure.”
– Franck Dangereux

The idyllic Noordhoek Farm Village is also home to the famed Cafe Roux, and Bob Skinstad’s The Toad, a typical country pub with a distinct South African flavour, and some of the best pizzas this side of Italy.