On David Higgs and his moreish ‘modern comfort food’
Once you’re finished gawking at the slick, sophisticated interiors of the Central One Bar & Restaurant – think crisp whites and dramatic reds, vertical succulent gardens suspended on the walls and bold oversized lighting – the hard work really begins. Shortly after presenting us with an ample and utterly tantalising menu, our waiter Andrew summed it up well when he informed us
that “everything here is awesome”.
To be fair, it must be tough being asked for recommendations when the chef at the helm of the Central One is none other than David Higgs (Chef of the Year at the annual Eat Out Restaurant Awards). Higgs aptly describes the dishes on his newly released menu as “modern comfort food” and although he has mastered the art of presenting his food in such a way that it looks delightfully intimidating, it all tastes surprisingly comforting and homely.
His green herb soup starter, for example, is certainly not something most of us would be able to whip up at home (especially not when three roses of dalewood hugenot cheese are served, followed by the waiter pouring your soup over these embellishments as soon as the dish finds it way to your table), but there’s something comfortingly familiar about its green wholesomeness and rich, healthy flavours.
Again, when it comes to Higgs’s main courses, the classics are all there, but they’ve been given a refreshingly modern twist. The way in which the meats are prepared (my succulent trout salmon roll fell apart as soon as I took my knife to it), as well as the inventive sides and sauces (such as the almond and ciabatta crunch and roasted lime puree that my fish was served with) that Higgs’s chooses to accompany his mains set him heads and shoulders above so many restaurants offering the usual suspects with little to no variation or playful experimentation of flavours.
The quality of his dishes, as well as the details that do much more than simply decorate the plate, are really the two areas where Higgs shines. My partner’s smoked pork knuckle terrine starter, served with a paint slick of duck liver, a handful of fresh peas and a few dollops of local mozzarella gave me a serious case of “order envy”, and that’s before I stole a bit of his braised pork belly main, served with lentil, sweetpotato and apple, sweetcorn and bok choi.
Ordering dessert is rather a deceptive affair at Central One. The desserts are conveniently grouped into four food main ingredients: chocolate, fruit, coffee and cheese. That’s easy enough, until the actually look at what is detailed beneath each one of these groupings. My partner and I decided to continue in the gluttonous vein with which we started and opted for a coffee and a chocolate.
Chocolate involves an absolutely perfect fondant (the Masterchef judges would have given Higgs a 10/10, without a doubt), served with vanilla and parsnip ice cream and orange peel puree. Coffee is even more of a delicate and intricate offering: milk chocolate mousse, espresso ice cream, coffee-filled macaroons. Add to this a glass of Meerendal Cabernet Sauvignon, and you’ve come as close as possible to a perfect meal as I ever thought I would get.
For more information on the Central One Bar & Restaurant in the Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel, Sandton, visit www.radissonblu.com or www.ghal.co.za or call 011-286-1000.
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