EATING OUT GUIDE : TOP OF THE POPS

Entrance to the Hartford Estate, Mooi River, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
(Photo : Nicholas Goss)

Hartford included in Anne Stevens' Eating Out Restaurant Guide

Whatever they may say about the troubles of the world, there are still pockets of excellence which continue to stand out despite the gloom. Hartford House is one of those, maintaining its position as one of the most decorated hospitality businesses in the land this year. We never take these things for granted, but we're always grateful for the recognition and the encouragement they bring to our team. Hartford is something of a miracle story, in a district short on skills and job opportunities. Few of our people know the look of a school leaver's certificate, yet they are born of a natural talent for making people feel at home, and they're among the few in the world who still regard service as a dignity.

It's great to be recognised by the country as a whole, and we thrive on the acclaim of those abroad, but it's as gratifying knowing that you're appreciated in your own neighbourhood. Anne Stevens, the most revered of KwaZulu-Natal's food critics is our senior journalist, who has eateries living in anxious anticipation of her approval at this time of the year. Last Friday her annual Eating Out guide appeared for the umpteenth time in decades, in The Mercury. Remarkably, for a city which ranks as the third largest in the country, Durban doesn't celebrate a restaurant in Anne's top echelons. There are some fine restaurants in South Africa's premier holiday playground, worthy of mention in any collection of the country's best, but if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, the leisurely drive in the Mooi River direction of the Drakensberg, is essential. Hartford was once again one of only two in the province to enjoy her coveted four-star acknowledgment; coming from Anne, that's some compliment. Like everything else on this property, from racehorses, horse feeds, equine insurance to hospitality, the motto is : "World class and beyond". "Auntie Anne's" endorsement that we've been faithful to our creed, is heartening.

For more information please visit :
www.hartford.co.za

EAT OUT RESTAURANT AWARDS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

Form is temporary, class is permanent.
(Photos : Brett Florens)

EAT OUT DSTV FOOD NETWORK RESTAURANT AWARDS
Sunday 20th November 2011

The hallmark of greatness, is consistency. There's an old saying in the horse business that "form is temporary, class is permanent", and it's the same in the culinary world. Good chefs may fluke the odd good dish, but great chefs aspire consistently to greatness. In the context of a girl who is yet to strike her 30^th year, for her restaurant to be included among the finalists for the national Eat Out culinary awards five years in a row, is the best class indicator we know.

Head Chef, Jackie Cameron, who quite remarkably in a world where "musical chairs" is more the norm in staff turnovers than the standard, now in her 9^th year at Hartford House, has just received formal notification from the organisers of the "Top Ten" restaurants in the nation, that they're included in the finals once again. The gala function marking the announcement of the top ten takes place in Cape Town on the 20^th November.

To quote convenor, Abigail Donnelly "it has been a privilege and a humbling experience to have eaten such beautiful food this year, and it's certainly a huge achievement to have been included on this list".

The nominees are listed below. It's hot as hell in the Western Cape kitchen, where all but three countrywide are based. Notably, Hartford remains the only KZN-based restaurant on the list of finalists.

RESTAURANT AWARDS NOMINEES

AZURE	Cape Town
BABEL	Simondium
BOSMAN'S RESTAURANT	Paarl
DW ELEVEN-13	Johannesburg
THE RESTAURANT AT GRANDE PROVENCE	Franschhoek
THE GREENHOUSE	Cape Town
HARTFORD HOUSE	Mooi River
JORDAN RESTAURANT	Stellenbosch
LA COLOMBE	Cape Town
RESTAURANT MOSAIC AT ORIENT	Pretoria
NOBU	Cape Town
OVERTURE	Stellenbosch
PIERNEEF A LA MOTTE	Franschhoek
THE PLANET RESTAURANT	Cape Town
ROOTS	Krugersdorp
THE ROUNDHOUSE	Cape Town
TASTING ROOM AT LE QUARTIER FRANCAIS	Franschhoek
TERROIR	Stellenbosch
THE TEST KITCHEN BY LUKE DALE-ROBERTS	Cape Town
TOKARA	Stellenbosch

For more information visit :
www.eatout.co.za

PUTTING AN "H" INTO DELICIOUS WITH ANNE STEVENS

Hartford House Restaurant
(Photo : Hartford House) 

HARTFORD HOUSE RESTAURANT

Anne Stevens has long ranked among the nation's top food critics. Certainly in KZN, she's the "Queen of Critics". She recently visited us :

The five-course dinners at Hartford House near Mooi River are R325 a head.

Is that expensive? Not at all, bearing in mind that one of the country's top chefs is in the kitchen, and getting better and better with each year of maturity.

Jackie Cameron is now so confident of her abilities that she allows herself little dashes of humour in her cooking, like a Maltabella ice cream at breakfast, a deconstructed peppermint crisp tart after an elaborate dinner and a lamb bunny chow made with mealie bread at lunchtime.

The highlight of a recent dinner was a deeply intense brown mushroom soup made with shiitake powder and truffle oil.

Its flavours lingered and it was perhaps wise to follow it with something fresh and light : Norwegian salmon tartare with cream cheese, smoky olives, microherbs (the new buzzword), lemon zest and croutons.

The play of textures and flavours was fascinating, and echoed in the next dish : seared springbok loin salad with pink peppercorns, beetroot, candied walnuts and little cubes of foie gras terrine.

With all that going before, and appetite pretty much sated, it was perhaps inevitable that the main was less memorable. But crispy Midlands duck breast with potato spaghetti, butternut puree, hazelnuts and cinnamon-infused red wine sauce would stand out on most restaurant menus.

Then the peppermint crisp tart, broken into individual pockets of chocolate, mint, cream and crunch.

There is a new lunch menu, served on the deep veranda in good weather, featuring the likes of local trout with almond potato cream, smoked salmon salad with nori seaweed terrine, and asparagus with exotic mushrooms in a Caesar dressing.

A duo of rabbit - hot terrine and loin wrapped in parma ham - sounds inviting, as do gorgonzola capelletti with olives, green beans, apple, toasted walnuts and walnut oil.

But then just about everything at Hartford is appealing.

It features one of my favourite breakfasts of all time : poached haddock sitting on a tuna fishcake, dressed with caviar, rocket and a subtle black sesame seed sauce.

Just add a corn fritter from the full English breakfast, and you have a winning way to start the day.

It's going to be interesting to watch what direction Jackie takes in the years to come.

Booking is also essential here : 033 263 2713

Extract from The Mercury Good Life