“Boring” is how one Franschhoek winemaker described the medal-winning wines being poured at last night’s public tasting of Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show stunners at the Cape Town Convention Centre. “The most interesting wine was the Buitenverwachting, and that was full of Brett.” We were rounding off a dinner of scallops and artichokes, Bouillabaisse and Pot au Feu plus various mouthjokes (amuse bouches) from chef Laurent Deslandes such as four plump oysters and tuna tartar with wasabi (oh the joy of being in the binnekring I thought, this is what it must be like to be JP Rossouw) at Bizerca Bistro as tides of winemakers washed into the place, their pourings done. Gottfried Mocke, a trio of Joubert broers… the brightest, best and most beautiful of SA Winemaking rolled through the doors of the bistro that doubles as a de facto/de fatso dining room for the Convention Centre.

No wonder I’d received the call confirming our table that I took with greasy fingers in the middle of a peri-peri baby chicken lunch at the Grand Café on Victoria Road in Camps Bay and a debate on the merits of artist Berni Searle with gallerist, foodie and fashionista Justin Rhodes. Art Logic’s Ross Douglas was host. Now that chicken is officially the cheapest protein in town at R13/Kg (in comparison to Pork at R17, beef at R24 and lamb at R34) I’ve decided to give my feathered friends equal time as restaurateurs see their chickens come home to roost like the final scene of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds or Cape Town foodie reaction to JP Rossouw’s review of La Mouette the Sea Point Sea Gull.