Tapas, Spanish-style appetisers, are becoming popular on the restaurant scene in Pretoria, with more restaurants beginning to add this style of cuisine to their menus. Foodies were delighted with an array of flavours as Belle’s Patisserie in Hazelwood recently introduced its new tapas menu at a special launch event.
Gina Mosley, spokesperson for Belle’s Patisserie, says this shared style of eating is a relaxing way to enjoy lunch with friends, have an early evening family dinner or an intimate dinner date. She says tapas has evolved over the years into a sophisticated cuisine, which is as much about the social experience as it is about the food, where individuals share stories, wine and delicious international cuisine.
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“Dishes on our new tapas menu include creamy mussel pot with white wine garlic sauce, prawns sautéed in Asian chilli dressing, and pan-fried salmon steak with rosemary sauce. Guests can also enjoy the charcuterie board withParma ham, chorizo sausage, salami and caper berries in olive oil, with our 7 Layer Dip of cucumber, tomato, hummus, olives, roasted pepper, feta cheese and Greek yoghurt, served with assorted artisan breads,” says Mosley.
The new menu also includes a selection of sliders, including a sweet potato falafel burger or grilled chicken burger with Sriracha mayo, each served on a burger bun or mini panini. Round up the meal with a cake, tart or pastry, such as macaroons, red velvet cheese cake or Ferrero Rocher cake.
According to Mosley, the man behind the magic of the new menu is Arnold Stuurman, head chef at Belle’s Patisserie, who has cooked for famous faces including Queen Elizabeth II, the late Nelson Mandela and Oprah Winfrey. He began his love affair with food when he helped his grandmother in the family kitchen as a child and his wealth of expertise is a top driving factor behind the success of Belle’s Patisserie.
“I’ve always had a love for cooking and soon realised I would never be able to survive in this industry if I didn’t have a love for food because it has taken over my life. At Belle’s Patisserie we pride ourselves on attention to detail in taste and presentation of our cuisine, and aim to provide customers with the best quality tapas made from the freshest ingredients,” he says.
This article was originally published in Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Pretoria. Visit yourneighbourhood.co.za, like YourNeighbourhoodZA on Facebook and follow YourHoodZA on Twitter.
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