Luminary on 12th is Pretoria’s new hotspot for fine dining and wine pairings

Dinner with a bit of theatre is always an inspired move. I’m not talking actual theatre. I mean arriving at the Maslow Time Square Hotel, taking the lift to the 15th floor where you kick off with sundowners and canapés at Solis Bar as the sun sets over Pretoria and then making your way to the 12th floor where the latest dinner sensation in the capital city awaits in the form of Luminary on 12th, a pop-up fine dining and wine pairing experience.

The idea for the pop-up started as a chef’s table experience for guests which has now been added to the hotel’s offering to entice foodies with a finer palate.

Hosted on a private floor which has always been used to serve breakfast to guests staying in the hotel’s five-star rooms, executive chef Adrian Vaughan and his team have turned this space into a bookings-only dinner experience on Friday and Saturday nights to a maximum of 30 guests.

The bread course of brioche served with a rich parfait and jam paired seamlessly with a Delaire Graff 2019 Rose. The choice of serving the Ken Forrester Old Vine Reserve Chenin Blanc 2016 with a beef course might have seemed unconventional, but the pairing proved impeccable: the bold, beautifully rounded white mellowed out with each bite of the seared beef served with citrus and radish.

This was followed by a delicate plate of pink homemade ricotta which owed its hue to the beetroot powder mixed into the cheese, topped with ceviche of sea bass, confit tomatoes and a nasturtium pesto and a main dish of north African-inspired lamb with aubergine and wild garlic served with a Rupert & Rothschild Classique.

The crowd-pleasing savoury cheese course of blue cheese served with pear poached in red wine picked up on sweet notes of cake enriched with walnut and everything was tied together with a dessert of cherry, mascarpone and chocolate mousse.

When the last crumb has been devoured and the last sip savoured, the added bonus is you can check into one of the hotel's 238 three, four- or five-star rooms as it’s the first in South Africa to offer three different gradings under one roof.

The concept is exciting because the menu will change constantly, so guests can expect something new on each visit. A few favourites might make an appearance on more than one occasion. I have mine — I hope you’ll book to find yours.

• Bookings are open for the first official dinner served on December 22. For bookings and to inquire about the price for dinner at Luminary on 12th, email tsq@suninternational.com or phone 012-003-5653. For more information, visit the website.