01/17/25 PM: Farewell Lunch

It was a sad day for the GLCM class of 25/26 because of the fact that the last day of our trip was finally here. Our last day in Cape Town was full of beautiful scenery and amazing food. After the group was able to get a great scenic walk of the Kirstenbosch Gardens we headed straight into a welcoming restaurant inside the gardens named Moyo. Our group was welcomed with smiles and joy as we were all given the opportunity to clean our hands from employees giving out water to pour. The entrance of the restaurant was able to give us a sense of dining among the gardens as the majority of the structure was made entirely of wood for an outdoor feel.

As everyone got seated we were quickly treated with drinks to quench our thirsts after a long walk across the gardens. One of the most popular drinks requested was the mango juice which had a thicker consistency than that of a normal juice. The flavor of the freshly squeezed mango allowed for a refreshing fruit drink to accompany the upcoming appetizers. Our first arrival snack started with the selection of bread which consisted of pita bread and hummus which paired together very well as the bread was super soft with the spread of the nice cold hummus. Alongside the bread, our group was also given a fresh salad which consisted of roasted sweet potato, pomegranate, aubergine crisps, beans, chickpeas, herbs, baby spinach, and chili chickpea dressing. Each of these components of these salads blended very well together which gave a very summer feel to the salad. Our group was very spoiled with the starters as we were also given samosas that were filled with delicate but creamy cheese served with green chutney as a sauce to add to the samosa. This starter was also served with a side of chutney salad to cleanse our pallets for the main course.

After some time of conversing amongst each other, the main dish was brought out in a black steaming tray that was then uncovered at the table for everyone to see. The first dish that was brought out to the table was the beef short rib. This dish consisted of slow-braised charred short rib with roast leeks, baby apples, and fragrant jus that sat in its own fatty juices giving it a more rich flavor. Our second dish that was brought out to our table was the chicken dish. The chicken dish served us with turmeric yogurt marinated deboned chicken thighs, masala gravy, aloo poppadum, and a dash of green chutney on top to give a smooth savory flavor to the spiced chicken. Both of these dishes were amazing and were served with the sides of grilled vegetables and well-seasoned potatoes. Our plates were filled with amazing colors and tasted every greater with so many different flavors between the charred chicken to the soft potatoes. The favorite amongst the whole group was the slow braised short ribs.

Dessert came out after everyone had cleared their plates not leaving a single crumb. The Amarula was easily one of the best desserts that our group had during our time here in Cape Town. This dessert consisted of Pedro yogurt popsicle, banana fritters, butterscotch sauce, and caramelized banana. The silky ice cream really made for a great pairing with the banana fritters. Our group left with nothing but full bellies and satisfaction with our food. After lunch, our group got a couple of final pictures together with Jon (our guide) to make some long-lasting memories.

Blog by Izak Sosa