Our latest nominee for the 2015 Boschendal Style Award, one of the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards, is where multi-award-winning chef David Higgs has creatively immersed himself in both the food and the décor. Situated in the grand and beautiful Saxon Hotel, Five Hundred offers an exclusive, luxurious and sophisticated dining experience. Here’s why Five Hundred deserves its nomination.

The space

Five Hundred was designed and conceptualised by interior designer Stephen Falcke and executive chef David Higgs. The team’s goal was to accentuate the dining experience by creating an uncomplicated space that is designed well and with minimalist touches.

The kitchen at Five Hundred at The Saxon. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

The finer details

As they step out of the elevator, guests are welcomed by a slick black-and-white interior that oozes sophistication. Creating a perfect platform for the vibrant and colourful food, the dramatic monochromatic theme plays elegantly with classic white tablecloths, Dibbern crockery and chic Riedel glassware.

The restaurant recently added Davide Groppi lighting at each table, which once again serves to make the food the star of the show. The open-plan kitchen offers diners a theatrical experience while, at the same time, the clattering of chefs also allows guests to feel ‘at home’ in a fine-dining space.

The table setting at Five Hundred at The Saxon. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

A glass ceiling by Ngwenya Glass will be fitted soon. This will create a striking, ultra-modern look and feel, and it will flood the dining end of the open-plan kitchen with natural light, connecting the space with the beautiful surrounds of the Saxon.

The cuisine

While Five Hundred doesn’t have a signature dish, the menu constantly changes to offer guests new experiences and a continuous fresh outlook on ingredients and dining. The exquisitely plated food is modern and experimental, and always about letting the individual ingredients shine. Wasabi pea mousse with parsnip fudge, impala loin with sweet potato and ginger beer, or litchi and liquorice panna cotta are examples of what to expect on the playful and intriguing menu.

Does Five Hundred have what it takes to win the Boschendal Style Award? We’ll reveal the winner at the 2015 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards on Sunday 15 November.

Fine dining at Five Hundred at the Saxon. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.