Having had two fantastic dining experiences at Maximillien Restaurant, I was incredibly excited to be invited for another evening of fine dining at its best. The evening was an intimate dinner for two, showcasing the latest Dining with a Difference offering.
The Maximillien is a grand space which seems to evolve with each visit. This evening was no exception as we were introduced to the new menu, created by new Executive Chef Kalpesh Hansjee. A soft spoken man whose culinary talents and experience speak volumes. Kalpesh’s love for food and wine began at the famous Gatrile’s Son & Company. From there he moved to the winelands of Stellenbosch and then to Europe where he lived and played in Michelin Stared restaurants in the Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Italy, Germany and the South of France.
With a man of this pedigree at the helm, it was with much anticipation that we sat down to dinner. The soft lighting and plush dark wood interior set the mood for a night to be remembered. Gift, our waiter for the evening, showed us to our table and recommended a beautiful bottle of House of Mandela, Pumla Pinotage. A true story in a bottle – named after Evelyn and Nelson Mandela’s fourth and last-born child. Whilst sipping on this very special red and perusing the menu we were treated to a soulful performance by Soul-Tone Band. Nonhlanhla, Augustus and Chuck’s smooth vocal, piano and guitar renditions of some of our favourites proved why they are one of the best Afro-Soul bands in Jozi.
With so many new options on the menu, it took quite some time to decide what to order. After much thought, we settled on salt and pepper Deep Fried Calamari with miso mayonnaise on a mini bagel and a deliciously creamy bowl of Minestrone soup for starters. Both were so tasty and filling, we took a few moments to savour the atmosphere before mains. When sampling a new menu, we were immediately drawn to one of the signature dishes – Braised Beef Oxtail as well as the Tomahawk Steak. Both hearty and meaty helpings. The oxtail braised for 24 hours with herbed creamed potato and baby veg and the steak prepared to perfection are certainly dishes we will be returning for.
After such a satisfying main course, we settled in for a bit before pondering dessert. The light and fresh Mango and Peach Delight and the dreamy Hazelnut and Milk Chocolate Torte caught our eye. We tried a bit of each before picking our favourites. Both were a really great way to end of such a beautiful meal. A few more sips of wine and an espresso each and it was time to bid Chef Kalpesh and his wonderful team adieu.
This imaginative take on fine-dining and painstaking attention to detail, make Dining with a Difference at the Maximillien a must on every foodie’s to-do list. Every Friday night from 19:00-21:30.