Avani treats GC to rare, classy food fest
Staff Writer | Friday December 1, 2017 16:07
Widely-travelled Avani Gaborone General Manager, Riaan Van Rooyen, who has also worked in Greece, says this rare and classy festival is Avani’s special end of year treat for the people of Botswana with a memorable and unique experience, for a change.
The Avani boss, whose passion for things culinary can be easily mistaken for a chef, speaks in glowing terms about the fresh oysters that Avani will be serving to the people of Gaborone this weekend; “The oysters are some of the biggest, with a lot of meat on them; we will be giving everyone two oysters, to titillate their palates with tobasco sauces, a sprinkle of black pepper and lemon, there will also be bloody Marry cocktail”.
Van Rooyen gives us his favourite oyster pairing; “Pour a bit of tomato sauce into a glass, add a tot of vodka, a few drops of tobasco and lemon juice, and add a little bit of course black pepper and put the oyster inside, throw all into one mouth, feel it melt and take you to another world, now that’s life, my friend, we live for moments like these”.
“We will be giving ticket holders two oysters, and a glass to taste all the wine varieties on offer, as well as the food, but remember that for our guests, in our rooms that weekend, all these are theirs at no added costs.”
The oyster and wine and food festival is also seen as part of the celebrations and showcasing of the newly revamped Avani hotel that now spots a completely new and inspiring ambience both on its exteriors and interiors.
A water themed decor welcomes guests as they step into the refreshing beauty in the reception area that immediately extends into a spacious free Wi-Fi zone, and sit-around area where wines, coffee, and drinks of all kinds can be served with on-the-go foods fresh from Avani’s newly opened state of the art pantry that also bakes and sell all varieties of bread.
Hotel rooms and their level of services were also recently given a new look and upgrade to go with Avani’s signature international standard offering, while a new chef was unveiled and quickly transformed dishes at the upmarket Mahogany’s restaurant as well as introducing new seasonal menus for the main restaurant, the Avani Grill. According to the Avani boss, the fresh oysters as well as the various wines will be available for sale as well to the patrons of the extravaganza. “There is one wine estate, for example, that will be showcasing a rare, sweet wine made from dried grapes, a rare expensive variety”.
“Wine and food together is like oxygen, it is life! The body cannot live without quality wine and food”.
Van Rooyen says Avani patrons deserve the best service in the world, and he would love to see tourists coming to Gaborone for the taste of Avani.
He says the weekend event will also have traditional food, Chinese food, as well as sweet sushi, cheeses, coffee, sweets, chocolates, and many more classy tastes.
He has already flown in 22kg of Norwegian salmon, fresh from Norway sea. He describes the salmon as something out of this world, since it is not artificially grown like the rest in Africa, which have high fat content. “The one we have, this is like butter in your mouth, and it is being flown here, once a week.,” he reveals.
Avani has also put in place plans to have the freshest king crabs flown to their hotel in a tank, according to Van Rooyen. The wine and oysters is part of the four foods and beverages pairing events that Van Rooyen’s hotel has introduced to their diverse patrons.
They have also recently hosted the Gin festival, featuring a variety of brandy brands, cheery wines, among others. Champagne and chocolate pairing is another signature event at Avani.
“The idea is to create a lasting memory, a legacy in the minds of the patrons with this out of this world culinary experiences,” enthuses Van Rooyen.