By Brian Berkman

The one thing missing from most of Cape Town’s Mexican restaurants is Mexicans. What makes this interesting is that I think it is the only well-represented nationality cuisine generally not cooked by the nationality themselves.
Everything changes now that San Julian has opened in that tiny spot where Chef used to be in De Waterkant. Here you’ll find real Mexicans (and other interesting people).

I love eating what these guys call Tex Mex and, to tell you the truth, prefer the smack-in-the-face punchy flavours I get from places like Pancho’s and The Fat Cactus rather than the subtler ones served up at San Julian.

Diego comes from Chile. He came to South Africa as part of an import-foreign-skills programme aimed at young people from abroad who want to take a gap year and he knows sufficient English to really give his menu presentation shtick. If he’d suggested we order cock’s wattle with chilli sauce, I’d have said yes to that too.

The biggest departure point from what San Julian serves when compared with others is that they use ground corn rather than flour. Their Margaritas are utterly delicious and they add pineapple to the mix which makes a big difference.

The nachos (R43/R66), for example, are home-made and infinitely more delicious than nachos available elsewhere. They have a crunch and flavour that is very moreish. They serve a caramel-coloured bean sauce with the nachos that is extracted by ringing out the beans but you’ll recognise the other condiments as typical.

The Taco de Carne Asada (R35/R 67) is a hand-made corn tortilla made with braaied beef, guac and onion and coriander salsa. These look like saucer-sized doilies which you lift and fold the edges in before popping down the hatch.
The flute-shaped Flautas (R70) is a filled and folded deep-fried tortilla with chicken and feta cheese. I didn’t know Feta made its way from Europe to Mexico. With the addition of salsa verde (the wonderful fresh green sauce that goes so well with grilled fish) the dish is very multi-cultural.

Next time we eat there we’ll order the Vampiros, evocatively named for the wide-mouth approach required when biting in to it. Expect a Taco de Carne but here the tortilla is grilled and topped with mozzarella before being topped with the meat.
The Garcia brothers and their wives behind the restaurant have created a spot that feels authentic. I haven’t been to Mexico so I can’t say for sure, but I’m looking forward to visiting San Julian again.
San Julian, 3 Rose Street, De Waterkant. 021-419-4233.

I’ve been comparing un-wooded chardonnay with oaked chardonnay and Glenwood’s Chardonnay and Vigneron Selection 09 is the model to demonstrate how 12 months in small, new French oak barrels changes the character of the wine dramatically.
Their Chardonnay 2010 (R65) is lovely with food. The tasting notes say there are citrus and green-apple notes.

The wild-yeast fermented Vigneron Selection 09 (R135), however is the sort of wine that I want to drink bottles of – buttery and creamy in the mouth and, according to the winemaker’s notes as I can’t distinguish them, almonds, vanilla, smoky peach and citrus. I forget the exact price but a winemaker once told me the thousands and thousands it costs for oak barrels.

To my taste buds, the R70 difference in price for the wooded vs un-wooded is absolutely worth what you get for it. If it is a quaffing Chardonnay you’re after, I recommend the De Krans unwooded (R35). This Calitzdorp wine has ripe, full flavours and served very cold is delicious with summery salads and cream-based pasta sauces.

When Brian Berkman isn’t hanging about interesting people, he assists clients with public relations campaigns. See www.bizcommunity.com. Also follow BrianBerkmanZA on Twitter