The Taj Residency’s Café Mosaic which remains one of the most popular restaurants in the city is hosting a month long Creole Food Festival, “Jambalaya”.



Chef Selvaraju is excited about serving Caribbean cuisine at the Café Mosaic right until the 13th of December. “ We are happy to introduce something different to our guests, especially as the holiday season is now round the corner. The menu has been prepared with special care and we are sure that the guests will enjoy this.”

The food from the Caribbean islands reflects the fact that many traders and settlers have come to live and colonize parts of this island. Some came as slaves while others made their way there for trade. Caribbean. The food is a fusion of African, British, Spanish, French, French, Dutch, of course Indian and even Chinese! The original inhabitants who now inhabit most of the British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Trinidad, and Jamaica ate mostly vegetables fruits and beats which were normally grilled. The name for the present day barbeque is in fact derived from barbacos, or a traditional Caribbean clay pot used for grilling.


The geography of the Caribbean as well as its history was bound to have cultural influences that literally made not just the islands, but its food as well, a melting pot. With the abundant availability of fresh sea food, for obvious reasons, the various traders and settlers then started to infuse their tastes into the food that was available there. originally the slaves who did come in from Africa ate the foods that the “sahibs” would not care to eat. Which is why there is also a lot of potato and yams in the diet. The Spaniards arrived to introduce flavours like coconut, chick peas, cilantro, onions, and garlic; then with the European colonist like the French, Portugese and the Dutch who introduced oranges, limes, mangoes, rice and coffee. The Indians obviously arrived with their rich supply of whole spices.

Café Mosaic will be serving traditional Caribbean food which have been meticulously worked on my Executive Chef Selvaraju who has lived and worked in the Caribbean islands. Our meal started off with a delicious smoked chicken salad seasoned with orange juice, cinnamon and peppercorns which beautifully complements the smoky chicken. No Caribbean meal is complete without the Sea food Gumbo, which is a thick soup seasoned beautifully with garlic, onions, and spiced with tobacco and worcetershire sauce and the flavours are kicked with a freshness that comes with the seasoning with herbs. For starters we had the Crab cakes are delicious and flavourful with chives  and horseradish paste that just make up that special melting texture and something you might want to order more than just one portion of. The meal will be served for dinners at Café Mosaic and part of an ‘a la carte’ menu where the Chef and the staff will assist you to decide what to order.


After the Prawn The delectable Prawn Estouffe which is succulent friend prawns with a tomato, leek and celery base  that we had with a delicate Potato rosti , we then tried the Blackened fish which is seer fish seasoned with lemon grass is served with a Burre Blanc a butter sauce reduced   with white wine and cream. Following this was a divine Galinha Boursin or Seasoned Chicken breasts, here the chicken is stuffed with a variety of cheese made sensory with chopped parsley and paprika; this is served with a red wine sauce reduced with the sauces the chickens cooked in. The Lamb Roulade late came after is also extremely delicious, with little coils of lamb seasoned with Indian spices like cumin, onions, garlic and potatoes. This is traditionally served with a red bean and rice.

The Jambalaya of course was the last course in the meal. It is typically more a Louisiana Creole Dish and less a Cajun dish which means its origin was not necessarily in the islands itself   comes with strong Spanish and French influences. In this dish the meat is first added followed by vegetables and finally the rice which is cooked in the meat stock. The Taj Residency is hosting Creole Food, or food from the Caribbean in a Festival aptly called “ Jambalaya” where the preparation of meats, vegetables and rice and became popular as a throw everything in dish. This dish originally had humble roots, where people mixed many different ingredients to increase quantities and serve a wholesome nutritious meal.


Café Mosaic is where you can sample a savory new kind of meal from the vibrant Caribbean especially if you enjoy your seafood and meats seasoned and spiced.

For reservations you call Call Taj Residency 080 666 04440