Caf\u00e9 del Sol ticks all the foodie boxes of taste, appearance and soul to create an authentic touch of Italy right here in Jozi\u2019s northern suburbs<\/h3>\n
After 12 years, chances are you\u2019ve had the pleasure of dining at the original Caf\u00e9 del Sol in Olivedale or Caf\u00e9 del Sol Botanico \u2013 that, or you definitely know someone who\u2019s said \u2018you have to go there\u2019. It\u2019s true \u2013 you do, otherwise, your appreciation of Italian cooking isn\u2019t complete. The word \u2018cooking\u2019 here is quite deliberate. Yes, it\u2019s fine dining but it also feels like home \u2026 or what \u2018home\u2019 would be if your mama raised you to roll gnocchi when other kids your age were rolling Play Dough. Luciana Treccani raised her children (Chiara and Ryan) to do things with heart, and that permeates every aspect of the Caf\u00e9 del Sol legacy. It\u2019s about love, it\u2019s about family and it\u2019s always, always about the food.<\/p>\n
This year will see the family offering a variety of cooking classes. The first takes the form of monthly demonstrations in the Botanico show kitchen. It will showcase a three-course lesson on signature Caf\u00e9 del Sol dishes, followed by lunch. Twelve spots a class allow for the 50 per cent hands-on cooking\/50 per cent demo blend. Demonstrations for the Signature Series can also be booked for a group or private occasion outside the monthly events.<\/p>\n
In our demo, we began with a starter of the lightest limoncello risotto, followed by silky gnocchi drenched in creamy Gorgonzola sauce. Luciana and Chiara are veritable mines of knowledge when it comes to tips on Italian cooking. \u2018Semolina isn\u2019t absorbed by the dough, which is why it\u2019s perfect to coat the gnocchi pieces \u2013 it keeps them separate but is never absorbed, then is pulled away when it boils so it doesn\u2019t affect the flavour,\u2019 Chiara explains. That\u2019s just one of the many tricks we picked up during our demo lesson. Decadent Nutella cheesecake rounded off the meal, all of which was paired with an excellent, citrusy Delaire Graff Sauvignon Blanc. \u2018We also offer wine pairing events with dishes that aren\u2019t on our menu, as well as gin and chocolate pairings.\u2019<\/p>\n
Cooking is our passion and we want people to taste it in the food we create every day<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
For patrons looking for a more hands-on, cook-the-whole-dish-yourself vibe, you needn\u2019t look further than Italian masterclasses with the Flavour Academy, run by Caf\u00e9 del Sol. An evening is spent following recipes (with their guidance, naturally) at your own kitchen station in the Good Food Studio at Pick n Pay on Nicol. \u2018In 2020, we\u2019re keen on a Seasonal Series \u2013 summer, autumn, winter and spring with recipes and ingredients which showcase the seasonal freshness that\u2019s such a feature of Italian cooking,\u2019 Chiara says. Personal attention is important, so only 24 places are available at each session. We love this idea for a date night with a difference and they\u2019re sure to have something sexy planned for Valentine\u2019s Day\u2026<\/p>\n
When it comes to the recipes you learn at these demos or masterclasses, you can\u2019t get anything more authentically Italian. Chiara learned how to cook from Luciana who, in turn, was taught by her Nonna, who was born and bred in the Lombardy region of Italy. You walk away with these family recipes so you can re-create them in the comfort of your own kitchen \u2013 but it won\u2019t stop you going back for more! For readers who are less into cooking and prefer a good tipple, the Landmark Bar adjoins Caf\u00e9 del Sol Botanico and you can take part in a mixology course taught by bartenders (who can flair in ways you\u2019ve never seen before), then drink your gorgeous creations \u2013 after indulging in Calabria-style pizza. \u2018The beauty of Italian food is you can eat it every single day and have something different at every meal \u2013 yes, it\u2019s pizza and pasta, but there are so many other dishes as well. We do a salmon dish with black sesame seeds and avocado mash which is healthy, but not at the expense of beautiful taste,\u2019 Luciana says. The restaurant blends the traditional with contemporary cooking styles, creating a one-of-a-kind experience.<\/p>\n
Perhaps most exciting of all, Chiara is toying with the idea of combining her stint as a travel agent with her love of cooking by introducing Bespoke Culinary Adventures. \u2018With our cooking lessons, everyone keeps saying they want to go to Italy and cook, eat and enjoy Italian life, so I thought why not combine a trip to Italy with a blend of some cooking? I\u2019d love to start with the Amalfi region, but I\u2019d also like to move outside Italy to places such as Bordeaux in France or Morocco\u2026\u2019\u00a0 These Bespoke Culinary Adventures round out the Caf\u00e9 del Sol family\u2019s trifecta of fresh offerings in 2020.<\/p>\n
If travelling isn\u2019t on your agenda this year, all you need do is head to Bryanston or Olivedale and book a table at Caf\u00e9 del Sol for a localised trip to Italy. \u2018We want people to feel the love we felt when my mom was cooking for us and teaching us everything she knew,\u2019\u00a0 Chiara says. \u2018Caf\u00e9 del Sol is about cooking with love and giving our clients food that fills them with more than just food. It\u2019s about love; it\u2019s about soul. When you can tick the box for taste, tick the box for appearance and tick the box for soul, then you have magic. Cooking is our passion and we want people to see that passion, feel that passion and taste it in the food we create every day.\u2019<\/p>\n
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