Tasting menus and food and drink pairings are one of the best ways try new things and learn about food. Pairings are often quite traditional, like French or Italian cuisine with wine. But F.East Indian restaurant on the corner of Bloem and Long Street have decided to do something a little bit different.
This cute little restaurant, which can seat up to 100, has taken on the world of pairings with a twist:
Curry with ANYTHING.
To kick off their pairing evenings they hosted Curry&Craft, a celebration of SA craft beers and authentic Indian foods.
To start we had Johnny Gold Weiss paired with platters of delicious stuffed mushrooms, Paneer Sashlik (an Indian-style cheese and veg kebab), and gorgeous potato samosas. The JG Weiss was the perfect starting drink, as it is light and fruity. Starting with anything heavier, and therefore more filling, would have been a bad intro to this many-coursed evening.
The mains came in three rounds and were served with fresh butter naan and rice: Boston Lager paired with Lamb Do Peaza, Whale Tale Ale paired with Prawn Masala, Pumpkin Ale paired with Chicken Kadai.
My least favourite was the Prawn Masala but that is because I personally am not a fan of seafood curry. However, I loved the dark, caramelly Whale Tale Ale it was served with.
The spicy Chicken Kadai was a great hit as the chicken was tender and beautifully seasoned. He curry flavour ran through each piece and wasn’t just in the sauce. I found the Pumpkin Ale a little overpowering, although the Kadai worked hard to hold its own.
The Boston Lager with Lamb Do Peaza was by far my favourite dish. Big chunks of beautifully cooked lamb in a stunning creamy, spicy sauce. They were big flavours that worked beautifully together. I could do with this combo right now, on this rainy Cape Town evening.
For dessert we had Chocolate Samoosas served with Masala tea. They were crunchy and golden with gleaming, oozy chocolate on the inside.
F.East plan on doing a pairing at least once a month. Their second was hosted this week – Curry and Brandy – and they have a lot more planned for the future.
But wait, that isn’t all (insert cheesy music)
Every month they also host a charity dinner, where they supply the food and the charity can sell tickets to raise money – it’s their special, beautiful and unique was of giving back to the community.
They also have stunning lunch specials, such as Curry and Rice for R40, Masala Lamb Burgers with fries or salad for R45 and spicy wraps for R40 and under! Plus these come with a free drinks if you order before 12!
F.East – you have impressed me. I will be back for more.