Dinner at The Duchess

A couple weeks ago my colleague told me about a raffle that her sister was running for Afrika Tikkun. With the phrases 'NGO' and 'good cause' thrown in the mix I was sold... never thinking I'd actually win the prize. But I did!

I was so excited when I found out that I'd won a voucher for dinner at the Duchess of Wisbeach – a charming little eatery I'd been dying to try out. Having only previously been there for drinks, I'd heard about their signature dishes and waited patiently for last night to arrive so that I could finally try them!
 
Of course my colleague dropped in the fact that she was the one that alerted me to the raffle and that I should really invite her to be my dinner partner. My husband was out of town anyway and, let's face it, my colleague can be pretty persuasive...
So we arrived just after 7pm (a miracle considering the Bieber-fever traffic we were expecting) and ordered a glass of wine.


The decor is intriguing and beautiful, with porcelain dogs on tables and old portraits of duchesses covering the walls. The ambiance is sophisticated, but relaxed, and the service friendly and attentive.

What I do like is that all the wines are available by the glass, so I chose the DMZ Shiraz (R55), and my colleague had a Villiera Merlot (R45).

For starters I chose the grilled calamari tossed in soy, chilli and lemon juice, which arrived on a bed of rocket, beautifully cooked and flavoursome (R65). My colleague had the steamed mussels in tomato, carrot and ginger broth R80). It was quite a generous portion and the broth was fantastic. I could have sipped on it all night and will certainly go back for that dish as a main.




For mains we both had the same dish, the beef tagliata (R120): seared fillet on rocket with good-quality Parmesan and truffle oil. The meat was so beautifully pink and tender while the strong flavours of the truffle oil and Parmesan added depth and richness. It was so more-ish – just the type of simple, well-balanced flavours that I love. I have to treat my husband to this one day (soon).




Duchess of Wisbeach is open from Monday to Saturday for dinner.
021 434 1525
http://www.duchessofwisbeach.co.za/

More about Afrika Tikkun:

Afrika Tikkun is a truly inspiring international NGO that provides education, health and social services to children, youth and their families through centres of excellence in townships around the country. Their aim is to empower communities to develop new generations of productive citizens that can contribute positively to society.
If you would like to know more about Afrika Tikkun and contribute to or get involved with this good cause, check out their website for more information: http://afrikatikkun.org/

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