Marcs Mediterranean Cuisine
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Overview
129 Main Road, Paarl, Wine Lands, Cape Town 7646phone: view phone+27 21 863 3980
fax: view fax+27 21 863 3990
e-mail: send an e-mail
Description
MARC'S MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE AND GARDEN
COME AND ENJOY AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE!
On entering Marc's Mediterranean Cuisine and Garden, one immediately senses that a great deal of passion has gone into this place: a passion for food, atmosphere and style.
The Provencal farmhouse style décor with its comfortable couches, unadorned Oregon pine tables and eclectic chairs is warm, welcoming and informal. The garden adorned with herb borders and lemon trees in pots, is the perfect place for a Boland summer's day.
Marc Friederich, the owner, has a long history as an award-winning sommelier and chef for many top class restaurants in Europe and, since 1996, in South Africa. This time, however, you will not find him in the kitchen too often. "With Marc's, I want to be more in contact with the guests. I want to get to know them on a personal level and establish long-lasting relationships."
The other reason Marc does not want to spend too much time in his brand-new kitchen is that he wants to live out his passion for wine. His wine cellar in the restaurant already boasts an impressive selection and he aims to extend it to include the best of the best. "I have started in the Paarl region visiting wine estates personally, tasting and selecting and I am currently busy looking further a field."
Marc has employed the services of vibrant and young chef, Thomas Talkner, originally from Austria. The idea is to keep food simple and light. "Paarl is known for its hot summers and we are concentrating on fresh, imaginative ideas for dishes such as salads, pasta, risotto and cheese platters." Marc has spent three years perfecting his recipes for focaccia, panini and baguette breads and it is the one thing that will remain his responsibility in the kitchen.
Main dishes include fresh fish, beef, chicken, ostrich and venison. "We source our ingredients from the best suppliers. The Boland is a fertile vegetable garden – all you have to do is harvest it." Marc is also impressed with the region's excellent quality cheese as well as olives and olive oil.
And then, of course, there's the truly decadent side of dining – dessert. Marc's chocolate mousse, made from imported dark chocolate, is sure to become an obsession among patrons.
It is rich and dark with a long-lasting aftertaste that's totally addictive…
Marc wants his restaurant to be informal and welcoming enough for people to simply drop in for a cup of coffee and a chat.
A truly good eating-out experience depends on the perfect combination of good food, good wine, atmosphere and company. With this said, it is no surprise that Marc's Mediterranean Cuisine and Garden has taken the Johnnie Walker Best New Restaurant Award for 2003.
