Estate Living Magazine Issue 30 Smart Environments June 2018 | Page 61

rampant carnivore, opted for the beef burger with turkey bacon, tomato chutney and
obatzda – a spicy blend of soft cheeses. Kind of like a bacon cheese burger all grown
up, and served with crispy potato wedges. He was particularly impressed with the
fact that it was cooked ‘as a burger ought to be’, in other words just slightly rare.
It was also pretty darn big, which makes sense as people who order burgers are
usually not orthorexic snowflake dieters. He’s a big, active mountain biker, and he
declared it decidedly filling. Our client opted for a fresh and healthy Westin Caesar
salad, of which Tim Noakes would approve. If you really want to get into a foodie
argument, discuss the ‘real’ ingredients of this dish, as the original created by
Caesar Cardini in 1924 has been through a few incarnations. The Westin version
differs from what we know of the classic mostly by the wonderfully local addition
of rooibos-smoked chicken along with the expected greens, poached egg and
Parmesan. Our client loved it so much, he even stopped looking at the view
for a while.
Chef Stephen Mandes has only been at the Westin since January this year,
and he has been careful to not change too many things at once, but he’s
already stamped the menu with some signature twists – the unexpected
innovations that saw him garner the title of Ultimate Braai Master in 2014.
Born on the Cape Flats, which is not quite visible from ON19 because the
spa is on that side of the building, Mandes grew up helping out – and
experimenting – in the kitchen, so it was almost natural for him to study
culinary arts when he finished school. He has worked in some of Cape
Town’s most well established five-star properties, including the Mount
Nelson and the Cape Grace, and he is looking forward to taking the
Westin’s flagship restaurant to new heights.
ON19 is the perfect spot for a light business lunch as it is quiet
and elegant, but the view makes for great non-work-related
conversation so this very serious schmooze session felt more like
an outing with friends. I will have to return here in a few months
to see how it continues to evolve under the management of this
young and innovative local lad made good.
Stephen Mandes
By Jennifer Stern
www.on19restaurant.co.za
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