The Hot Seat | A theatrical culinary journey at Delaire Graff’s Indo Pop-Up

If you have had the pleasure of visiting Indochine Restaurant at Delaire Graff Estate in Stellenbosch, you have no doubt looked up in awe, taking in the breathtaking Swallows In Flight installation by artist Lionel Smit, which hangs above the dining room.

The artwork features more than 1,300 swirling Perspex swallows, which have become synonymous with the fine-dining restaurant where chef Virgil Kahn serves his unique, boldly flavourful Indo-Asian cuisine.

This year, as winter settles over the winelands, the swallows have “taken flight” with the restaurant undergoing renovations during these colder months. This has seen Indochine temporarily migrating down to the estate’s magnificent wine-tasting lounge, where it will take the form of Indo Pop-Up.

The pop-up is a new and creative offering by Kahn, which sees the chef and his team serve a theatrical eight-course dinner from an open-plan service station that runs along the back of the lounge. The menu offers a host of fine fun and flare paired with the chef’s signature punchy flavours.

It’s a smaller, warmer and more intimate experience than that of Indochine — both by virtue of the reduced seating capacity and roaring fireplace of the lounge, but also because of the open-kitchen set-up, which allows a greater level of interaction between guests and chefs (an aspect they’re using to its utmost potential with theatrical serves and tableside finishes aplenty).

Drawing on Indochine favourites — the tastes of India, Asia and Africa — along with the seasonal herbs and vegetables from Delaire Graff’s abundant gardens, the menu is a concise and considered culinary experience. One that begins in the estate’s maturation cellar, the first stop of the culinary migration, where guests are welcomed with ‘How to Bao’; a light and fluffy Chinese steamed bun filled with curried rendang beef and coconut jam and served with Graff Sunrise Cap Classique.

From there it’s onto the wine lounge where the rest of the Indo Pop-Up takes place, the menu effortlessly weaving from course to course, cuisine to cuisine, sometimes merging, other times not.

The courses are expertly paired with wines, the pairings predominantly reaching into the estate’s portfolio, with an option of de-alcoholised wines and cocktails available too.

“You Tart” delivers with gumption the wonderful intensity of a green curry in tart form, topped with mussels and a crispy ginger floss, while the “Pickle Pop” cleverly turns the idea of a palate cleanser upside down, using the freshness and zing of pickled Asian veg to refresh the palate rather than something sweet and frozen.

Mains call for “Mary Had a Little Lamb” — a dish that despite a title that may have the veggies and vegans clutching their pearls, is in every other aspect a very solid offering. Playing with his familiar flavour palate, Kahn serves perfectly pink lamb accompanied by flavours of Indian curry and okra, a crispy-on-top, soft-in-the-centre dauphinoise-style potato and — ending off where we began — a nod to street food once more: a gorgeous little lamb paratha to be enjoyed on the side.

Last but not least is, of course, dessert: “The Message in The Bottle” reveals a playfully disguised dessert, which comprises indulgent components of whisky, caramel, Jerusalem artichoke and pineapple. It’s decadent without being overwhelming, a fine balance of sweet and tart, with a whole lot of textures to boot. A fabulous end to the meal.

The Indo Pop-Up at Delaire Graff Estate runs Tuesday-Saturday, for dinners only, through to the end of September.

Cost: R1250 per person for the tasting menu and R750 beverage including beverage pairing.

For bookings and additional information visit https://www.delaire.co.za/whats-new/promotions/indo-pop-up/

Update: June 13 2023

This article has been updated with new information.