“Good friends offer advice; real friends offer gin.” Anon

As the popularity of gin continues to soar to unimagined heights around the world, delighting cocktail lovers with the vast array of options, Southern Sun Hyde Park’s elegant Luce Restaurant (https://www.tsogosun.com/luce-at-hyde-park), in collaboration with Autograph Gin, has launched a gin tasting menu, featuring a partnership of exquisite flavours by Executive Chef Grant van der Riet and Autograph Gin’s Distiller, Matt Beech.

Autograph Gin is a premium local craft gin, produced in Stellenbosch, with an exceptional taste that is derived from blended botanicals and fynbos selected by master distillers. The botanicals are grown on-site and handpicked by the distilling team, to create a distinct fusion of tastes and scents. In 2018, at the Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards in Cape Town, Autograph Gin was awarded the Top Scoring Craft Gin of 2018 and received the Distillique Craft Gin Trophy.

Van der Riet says, “Luce is known for its authentic and fresh flavours, for its eclectic offering, and for delivering what its discerning and trendy clientele expects. In keeping with this, together with Matt Beech from Autograph Gin, we created a special six-course tasting menu with gin pairings, which includes an entertaining explanation about the flavours behind the pairings.”

Beech comments, “I thoroughly enjoyed the creative process of collaborating with the team at Luce Restaurant, designing cocktails that highlight the flavour of the gin and pairing it with delicious food. The pairing showcases how food and drink complement each other, further highlighting that gin is a drink that can be enjoyed on all occasions.”

The gin tasting menu includes two starters paired with Gin Daiquiri – Autograph Gin, fresh lime juice, and lime zest; two main courses paired with The Alchemist – Autograph Gin, cayenne pepper, and apricot jam; and two desserts paired with The Medicine Man – Autograph Gin, honey, fresh lime juice, and muddled apple. The cost of the full menu is R800 per person and is available for dinner, seven days a week.

Starters are a seafood sensation, consisting of Salmon rose with salmon roe and mini tuna hand roll, and Pan-fried and crispy calamari served with fried zucchini with mushrooms in sea salt, aioli and chilli sauce. The two main courses are Beef short rib braised in tomato on a white bean & thyme paste served with pumpkin & ricotta tortellini, burnt butter and sage, and Home-made pumpkin & ricotta Tortellini served on pumpkin puree, burnt butter, sage and fresh black truffle. Desserts offer both sweet and savoury delights to complement the gin, in the form of Chocolate & hazelnut torta with baby apple and deconstructed torrone, and Smoked Gorgonzola cheese served with home-made fig preserve, fresh bread, honeycomb and strawberries.

Southern Sun Hyde Park offers a selection of diverse menus, an excellent wine selection, and a pool deck that was recently voted as Joburg’s Best Sundowner Spot. For bookings of the Autograph Gin Tasting Menu, please contact Luce on +27 11 341 8080.

Tsogo Sun has a portfolio of over 100 hotels and 13 casino and entertainment destinations throughout South Africa, Africa and the Seychelles. For more details, visit https://www.tsogosun.com, follow on Twitter @TsogoSun #TsogoAutographTasting or like on Facebook /TsogoSun.

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