3/5 Ryan M. 5 months ago on Google
My
recent
visit
to
Beyond,
aligned
with
restaurant
week,
afforded
me
the
opportunity
to
evaluate
their
offerings
during
a
bustling
time
which
could,
in
part,
contextualize
some
aspects
of
this
review.
While
it
is
true
that
there
may
be
establishments
offering
greater
value
and
more
exceptional
service,
it
is
worth
noting
some
nuances
of
my
experience.
Regarding
the
wine
pairing,
I
found
it
to
be
non-essential.
While
the
selection
complemented
the
dishes
quite
well,
the
wines
themselves
did
not
stand
out
as
particularly
noteworthy,
especially
considering
the
price
point.
Given
that
the
restaurant
is
an
hour's
drive
from
my
location,
and
there
are
comparable
options
nearer,
I
am
hesitant
to
plan
a
return
visit.
The
journey
to
Beyond
is
undeniably
picturesque,
winding
through
the
estate's
lush
vineyards.
Upon
arrival,
we
were
met
with
a
warm
welcome
from
the
front
of
house
manager
and
seated
promptly.
Our
server,
Amanda,
soon
introduced
herself
and
her
team,
who
would
be
attending
to
us
that
evening.
We
initially
received
the
"Spring
Menu"
but
were
informed
within
10
minutes
that
we
should
have
been
given
the
"Restaurant
Week"
menu
instead.
Upon
request,
and
with
a
modest
price
difference
of
only
R60,
we
were
permitted
to
opt
for
the
regular
chef's
tasting
menu
consisting
of
six
courses.
The
evening
was
marred
slightly
by
a
noticeable
absence
of
engagement
from
the
staff.
There
was
no
inquiry
about
our
familiarity
with
the
restaurant
or
the
menu,
no
explanations
were
offered,
nor
were
we
queried
about
our
interest
in
menu
supplements—items
we
were
indeed
interested
in.
For
a
fine
dining
establishment,
attention
to
such
details
is
paramount
to
ensure
guests
are
well
informed
and
their
experience
personalized.
As
for
the
culinary
experience,
it
was
generally
positive:
The
bread
course
featured
an
excellent
cultured
butter
with
a
delightful
hint
of
smoked
onion.
The
starters
were
a
culinary
journey:
The
Handcrafted
local
Burrata
with
variations
of
pumpkin,
seed
cracker,
pecan
nuts,
Fynbos
honey,
and
truffle
vinaigrette,
as
well
as
the
Coal-seared
ostrich
accompanied
by
sesame
roasted
aubergine,
coriander
pesto,
mint-cucumber,
and
Cape
Malay
amasi
dressing,
were
both
exceptional.
The
mains
included
a
Pan-seared
Cape
fish
with
tomato
risotto,
chokka,
artichoke
piri-piri,
aubergine
puree,
and
squid
ink
sauce.
The
interplay
of
flavors
was
impressive
and
pleasing
to
the
palate.
The
Kalahari
beef
fillet,
however,
was
somewhat
disappointing.
Accompanied
by
smoked
grilled
carrot,
Stanford
cheese
pomme
puree,
glazed
onion,
furikake,
and
bone
marrow
jus,
the
beef
was
unfortunately
over-seared.
Dessert
was
a
highlight:
The
Mandarin
panna
cotta
with
curd
mousse,
poppyseed
sponge
cake,
and
sweet
basil
ice-cream
was
the
best
course
of
the
evening.
The
meal
concluded
with
petit
fours:
chocolates
and
a
guava
puree
sweet
coated
in
sugar,
a
delightful
end
to
the
dining
experience.
In
summary,
Beyond
presents
a
menu
that
tantalizes
the
taste
buds,
set
against
the
backdrop
of
a
stunning
estate.
However,
to
enhance
the
fine
dining
experience,
a
greater
emphasis
on
service
detail
and
guest
engagement
would
be
beneficial.