Roots
When Phillipe Wagenfuhrer, chef-patron of Roots restaurant at Forum Homini boutique hotel, revealed to me that he is an avowed Christian, I was a little taken aback. That’s because his establishment is located in the Cradle of Humankind world heritage site near Krugersdorp on Gauteng’s West Rand.
If ever there was evidence to suggest that the notion of God creating the world in seven days was purely allegorical, then it was the discovery in 1947 of Mrs Ples, an early ancestral relative of modern humans at the nearby Sterkfontein caves. However, the only evangelising Wagenfuhrer engaged me in during a weekend visit was regarding his particular vision of food and wine matching.
But first something about the accommodation. For everyone other than Krugersdorp residents, getting to Forum Homini is something of an expedition – and if you’re going for dinner, be aware that you’re in for a sixcourse tasting menu, each course paired with a different wine, so best to stay over.
On checking in, guests are advised that walking on the property is prohibited after 18h00 due to the presence of hippos – the hotel is situated on a game estate. I didn’t encounter any of these massive beasts but was able to enjoy a sundowner on the patio of my suite while a herd of kudu peered at me from a nearby ridge.
The entire structure is intended to “live” with the landscape, grass continuing from the veld onto the rooftops. Rooms have been conceived of as luxury caves: overhead lighting is provided by lamps shaped from resin to resemble stalactites, wall paintings are replaced by handprints and the glass-encased fireplace is placed in the middle of the room rather than against a wall. In the lounge, there are sheer expanses of glass to ensure uninterrupted views of the bush. To access the outdoor double shower, you must pass through a waterfall of sparkling coloured beads.
All done with a wry sense of humour, the only slightly disconcerting aspect for me being that the lounge leads onto a bath, or should I say the bath is in the lounge, supposedly allowing guests to take a soak while at the same time observing the surroundings. Perhaps I’m just not sufficiently in touch with my inner savage…
A steam bath and back massage at the nearby Woodlands Centre for Wellbeing and Spa, winner of the 2008 make wines taste significantly sweeter) but this rich, complex and balanced wine easily managed the task.
Six courses is quite an undertaking for the diner even at Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe. There needs to be both technical expertise and creative chutzpah from one serving to the next so that you don’t get bored. This might be putting it bluntly, but the fact of the matter is that nobody sitting down to so many different platings is eating purely to sate his hunger.
In this respect, I was left wondering whether or not Wagenfuhrer is perhaps being overly ambitious: while most of the dishes we ate were good, and some excellent, there were occasionally those that were uninspired. My medallion of pork (served with braised chicory, apple chutney and ginger jus) was over-cooked, no matter whether or not it was suited to the Zorgvliet Silver Myn Viognier 2007. Similarly, at lunch the next day, a potentially great version of bangers and mash fell sadly short: the kitchen had done all the hard work in coming up with a supremely tasty springbok and escargot sausage, only to spoil it all with lumpy pomme purée.
Wagenfuhrer admits that his role is as “menu engineer” and, rather than being hands-on in the kitchen, he elects to “pull the strings”. It turned out that executive chef Jason Francisco was on leave the weekend I visited, his understudy Allistaire Lawrence standing in for him, and I’m forced to conclude that two good meals might have been even better had Francisco been cooking.
That said, I also suspect that Wagenfuhrer is acutely aware that he is not in the most upmarket or sophisticated neighbourhood and therefore ensures that his menu is not too intimidating: cauliflower soup at Sunday lunch was very true and pure but not necessarily going to give anybody an insight into the deeper meaning of life…
What can’t be faulted is value for money. The six-course dinner is R245 per person, the six-course Sunday lunch R270. Moreover, Wagenfuhrer is incurably enthusiastic about what he is doing and you imagine that Roots is, dare I say it, going to evolve favourably.
Address: Forum Homini, Bartlett Road, Letamo Game Estate, Krugersdorp
Tel 011 668-7000
