Mains call for something off the grill, the 350g hangar steak in this instance (a testament to the chef’s dedication to celebrating secondary cuts) arrives topped with butter and under a cloche filled with smoke. It’s superbly cooked, gloriously tender and made all the more delicious when accompanied by the chef’s Wagyu pepper sauce and thrice-fried chips. It’s simple cooking, expertly executed – showcasing the produce at its prime.
Last but by no means least, the dessert offering takes shape in an array of indulgent dishes including a texturally dynamic dish of frozen chocolate mousse, olive oil, aerated chocolate, chocolate cremeaux, chocolate pebbles and olive oil ice cream. It’s a clever combination of flavours and textures – which work so well with one another.
Review | Sejour at The Houghton
Chef Freddie Dias’ new menu celebrates explorers and trailblazers
Image: Supplied
A fitting end to the year sees Chef Freddie Dias present his new menu ‘coalescence’ at the upmarket Johannesburg restaurant. Drawing on his previous menus, ‘the pioneer’ and 'the explorer', the name references the coming together of the two concepts merging to create a gastronomic experience to be shared and enjoyed.
The menu is divided into explorer plates – a starter-style selection; petisco – an ode to the casual eateries of Portugal and featuring a host of predominantly vegetarian dishes great as sides or sharing plates; grills – of grass-fed steaks, fish options and pork chops; and the pioneer plates of hearty mains.
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
Begin with a seasonal bread course of smoked potato bread and sourdough shards accompanied by baba ganoush, hummus and homemade butter. Next, go for the crispy chicken livers – a homage to the chef’s Portuguese roots – which sees a twist on the classic. They are deep fried and served with peri-peri mayo, pickled onions and leek ash atop sourdough. The grilled broccoli should not be missed either. The florets served in a rich and creamy blue cheese sauce with textures of chilli and garlic add a punch to the already flavourful dish – you won’t need to be asked twice to finish these vegetables.
Image: Supplied
Mains call for something off the grill, the 350g hangar steak in this instance (a testament to the chef’s dedication to celebrating secondary cuts) arrives topped with butter and under a cloche filled with smoke. It’s superbly cooked, gloriously tender and made all the more delicious when accompanied by the chef’s Wagyu pepper sauce and thrice-fried chips. It’s simple cooking, expertly executed – showcasing the produce at its prime.
Last but by no means least, the dessert offering takes shape in an array of indulgent dishes including a texturally dynamic dish of frozen chocolate mousse, olive oil, aerated chocolate, chocolate cremeaux, chocolate pebbles and olive oil ice cream. It’s a clever combination of flavours and textures – which work so well with one another.
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
A wonderful meal from start to finish, complimented by top-notch service and a stellar wine programme. The menu is a culinary exploration of the chef’s past and current work, and is perhaps Sejour at its best yet.
One thing’s for sure, Chef Freddie is clearly the most comfortable he has been in Sejour’s kitchen, and it shows through each of the dishes. His culinary philosophy and style of cooking is now so well-tailored to Joburg’s palate – not so much a compromise but rather an acute understanding of his audience and what they want, which he then delivers (his way) in abundance.
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